Shuttle Mission: STS-109
Orbiter: Columbia
March 1, 2002

Did You Know?

The Hubble Space Telescope captured the best view of Mars ever obtained from Earth. Frosty white water ice clouds and swirling orange dust storms above a vivid rusty landscape reveal Mars as a dynamic planet in this sharpest view ever obtained by an Earth based telescope.

Hubble was the first optical telescope to provide convincing proof of a black hole several billion times the mass of the Sun. Now it is demonstrating that supermassive black holes are at the core of most, if not all, galaxies. It also cleared up the mystery of quasars. It confirmed that quasars are actually active galactic nuclei in distant galaxies and are powered by black holes.

The liquid oxygen vent on the external tank has been opened to allow the super-cold liquid oxygen to boil off, thus preventing over pressurization while the tank remained near its full level.  Now, with the vent closed, preparations are made to bring the tank to its flight pressure. This occurs at T minus 2 minutes, 55 seconds.

Once the Shuttle's on board computers start their terminal launch sequence any problem after that point will require calling a "hold" and the countdown recycled to T minus 20 minutes. Meanwhile, the Ground Launch Sequencer (GLS) continues to monitor several hundred launch commit functions and is able automatically to call a "hold" or "cutoff" if a problem occurs.

T-09 minutes -- the Ground Launch Sequencer (GLS) is activated and the terminal countdown begins.  All countdown functions are now automatically controlled by the GLS computer located in the Firing Room Integration Console.

T-07 minutes, 30 seconds and counting -- the Orbiter Access Arm is retracted. Should an emergency occur requiring crew evacuation from the orbiter, the arm can be extended either manually or automatically in about 15 seconds.

T-05 minutes, 00 seconds and counting -- the crew activates the Auxiliary Power Units (APU) to provide pressure to the Shuttle's three hydraulic systems which move the main engine nozzles and the aero-surfaces.

T-04 minutes, 55 seconds and counting -- the liquid oxygen vent on the external tank is closed.

T-04 minutes, 00 seconds and counting -- the final helium purge of the Shuttle's three main engines is initiated in preparation for engine start.

T-02 minutes, 50 seconds and counting -- the external tank Gaseous Oxygen Vent Hood -- known as the beanie cap -- is raised and retracted. It had been in place during tanking operations to prevent ice buildup on the oxygen vents.

T-02 minutes, 00 seconds and counting -- STS-109 flight crew -- close and lock helmet visors.

T-01 minutes, 57 seconds and counting -- the external tank's liquid hydrogen is brought to flight pressure by closing the boil off vent, as was done earlier with the liquid oxygen vent.

T-00 minutes, 50 seconds and counting -- Orbiter transfers from ground to internal power.

T-00 minutes, 31 seconds and counting -- the Shuttle's on-board computers start their terminal launch sequence.

T-00 minutes, 16 seconds and counting -- the Sound Suppression System is activated and 400,000 gallons of water begins to pour onto the deck of the Mobile Launch Platform and Pad B to protect the Shuttle from acoustical damage at liftoff.

T-00 minutes, 10 seconds and counting -- the "go for main engine start" command is issued by the Ground Launch Sequencer. (The GLS retains the capability to command main engine stop until just before the Solid Rocket Boosters are ignited.) Concurrently, flares are ignited under the main engines to burn away any residual gaseous hydrogen that may have collected in the vicinity of the main engine nozzles. A half second later, the flight computers order the opening of valves which allow the liquid hydrogen and oxygen to flow into the engine's turbo pumps.