Shuttle Endeavour 'go' for Sunday blastoff

NASA's space shuttle Endeavour is ready for a pre-dawn launch this Sunday, carrying a new room and seven-window observation dome to the International Space Station. Officials at Kennedy Space Center said liftoff is go for 4:39 AM EST (9:39 AM GMT, 1:39 AM PST), with an 80 per cent chance of good weather. "The team is …

[Gene Cash]

And a Brit!

You do know Patrick is from Yorkshire? He became a US citizen because there's no future for that crazy astronaut stuff in England. In zero-g, it's lot harder to queue up for the dole...

[Andus McCoatover]

Cupola

What I never realised before is that the crew of the ISS (until Cupla is installed) can't see Earth visually, except maybe, through a docked Shuttle's windows, or by electronic means (cameras) - unless they nip outside for a quick cigarette ^W^Wspacewalk. Corrections gladly received if I'm wrong.

Makes Bowie's "Major Tom" a bit more poignant.

"Am I sitting in a tin can Far above the world Planet Earth is blue...."

Even maximum security prisoners can see "...that little tent of blue that prisoners call the sky", as Oscar Wilde called it in the 'Ballard of Reading Jail*'

They're braver than I could ever be.

* Never realised it (the ballard) was so long, and so well written. That's the only line I knew. Digression, but worth a read. http://emotionalliteracyeducation.com/classic_books_online/rgaol10.htm

[Anonymous Coward]

There had damn well better be

some decent Twitpics from the cupola

[Annihilator]

No-Go

Got scrubbed at 0430 EDT due to cloud cover :-( Next opportunity is 0414 EDT tomorrow.

Decided to get up earlier than my normal Sunday rise to watch the last night-launch live on Nasa. Gutted!