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Shuttle
Mission: STS-109
Orbiter:
Columbia
March 1, 2002
Did
You Know?
During this
hold period, the NASA  Test
Director
briefs the launch team on recycle options during the remainder
of the countdown. From this point through T-31 seconds, any console
operator can request a countdown hold if a problem is detected.
After T-31 seconds, however, any unplanned hold would result in
an automatic suspension of the countdown and a recycling of the
countdown clock back to the T-20 minute mark.
The
International Space Station will be at 34:46:18 North latitude;
62:17:39 West longitude; that puts the ISS and Expedition Four
Crew over the Central Atlantic, northeast of Bermuda; altitude
of 242
statute miles.
Check
out the new 2002 quarter (at right) representing the State of
Ohio. The quarter design is composed of the images of the 1905
flyer, an astronaut superimposed on the outline of the state and
the inscription "Birthplace of Aviation Pioneers," as
Orville Wright and astronauts Neil Armstrong, John Glenn, and
Judith Resnik all claimed Ohio as their home state.
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T-20 minutes and holding...
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NASA
Test Director Steve Altemus requests
members of his team to verify that the proper software has been
loaded for the remainder of the countdown.
Pre-flight Inertial
Measurement Unit (IMU) alignment is completed and verified.
The Landing and Recovery Director verifies that the Shuttle landing
site is ready and configured for launch and that the booster recovery
ships are on station.
SRB Recovery
Ship, the Liberty Star
The Hubble
Space Telescope will be at 26:54:30 North latitude, 86:32:54 West
longitude; that puts the HST west of Sarasota, Florida heading
directly for Kennedy Space Center; because of it's altitude and
elevation, HST will be visible at the Cape at T-0; Columbia will
be just in front of the HST to begin its pursuit; altitude of
362
statute miles.
 Astronauts
Nancy Currie and Richard Linnehan will each be carrying a new
Ohio state quarter on STS-109. Currie considers Troy, Ohio to
be her hometown, and Linnehan received the degree of Doctor of
Veterinary Medicine from The Ohio State University College of
Veterinary Medicine. The Ohio Quarter will be released into general
circulation on March 11th with an official ceremony to be held
at the U.S. Air Force Museum in Dayton, Ohio. Astronaut and Senator
John Glenn will be speaking at the ceremony.
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