launch schedule

Hatch is closed. We are currently at T-45 minutes, but I just learned that there are "holds" in the middle, so we are actually closer to an hour and 36 minutes from launch -- launch is at 2:28 pm eastern. Here's the full schedule of events: Monday November 16 EST EVENT 12:03 am Clear Launch Pad 12:53 am Fuel cell activation 2:03 am Countdown enters two-hour hold at the T-6 hour mark 2:18 am Clear “Launch Danger Area” 4:30 am Mission Management Team meets to give go for tanking 4:30 am Crew wake up 5:00 am NASA TV: External Tank fueling coverage begins 5:00 am Crew breakfast 5:03 am Countdown resumes at T-6 hour mark · External Tank loading begins (transfer line “chilldown”) 5:30 am Crew undergoes final medical checks 5:48 am Liquid Hydrogen Low Level Cutoff (LLCO) sensors go “wet” 6:03 am Liquid Hydrogen “fast fill” begins 7:18 am LH2 “topping” begins (gaseous Hydrogen vent valve cycling) 8:03 am Countdown enters 2½ -hour hold (T-3 hour mark) · ET in stable replenish · Closeout Crew to White Room · Final Inspection Team (FIT) “walkdown” 8:30 am Ascent Team on console in Mission Control 9:15 am Crew photo opportunity (taped for playback later) 9:30 am LAUNCH COVERAGE BEGINS on NASA TV 9:58 am Crew receives weather briefing from Ascent Team 10:08 am Crew suits up for launch 10:33 am Countdown resumes at the T-3 hour mark 10:38 am Crew departs Operations & Checkout Building for launch pad 39A 11:00 am Mission Management Team on console in Launch Control Center 11:08 am Crew begins to board Atlantis 11:28 am T-38 weather reconnaissance (Astronaut Steve Lindsey) 11:58 am Crew communications checks 12:23 pm Atlantis’ hatch is closed and latched for launch 12:43 pm Shuttle Training Aircraft weather recon (Lindsey) 12:28 pm “Video 1” Wolfe Air Aviation Cessna Skymaster 337 takeoff 12:53 pm White Room Closeout 1:13 pm Countdown enters a 10-minute hold at the T-20 minute mark · Firing Room computer programs verified · Landing convoy status check · Abort landing sites checked · Inertial Measurement Unit preflight alignment verified · Preps for computer software transition to terminal count 1:23 pm Countdown resumes at the T-20 minute mark 1:34 pm Countdown enters ~45-min. hold at the T-9 minute mark · MMT conducts final “Go-No Go” poll for launch T Minus EST EVENT - 9:00 2:29:11 pm Countdown resumes at the T-9 minute mark - 7:30 2:20:41 pm Orbiter Access Arm (OAA) retract - 6:00 2:22:11 pm Verify Auxiliary Power Units (APU) ready to start - 5:01 2:23:10 pm Launch window opens - 5:00 2:23:11 pm Auxiliary Power Unit start - 4:55 2:53:16 pm Liquid Oxygen replenish terminated - 4:00 2:24:11 pm Purge Sequence 4 hydraulic test - 4:00 2:24:11 pm Inertial Measurement Units to inertial - 3:55 2:24:16 pm Flight Control Surface profile test - 3:30 2:24:41 pm Main Engine profile test - 2:55 2:25:16 pm LO2 tank pressurization - 2:50 2:25:21 pm Gaseous Oxygen Vent Hood retraction - 2:35 2:25:36 pm Fuel Cells begin using internal reactants - 2:30 2:25:41 pm Clear caution and warning memory - 2:00 2:26:11 pm Crew closes visors & initiates oxygen flow - 1:57 2:26:14 pm Liquid Hydrogen tank pressurization - 1:40 2:06:31 pm Solid rocket booster joint heater deactivation - :50 2:27:21 pm Atlantis to internal power - :31 2:27:40 pm Onboard computers take control of countdown (T-31 sec) - :21 2:27:50 pm Solid rocket booster steering test - :06.6 2:28:04 pm Main engine start (T-6.6 seconds) T-Zero 2:28:11 pm LAUNCH (Space station 225 miles above central South Pacific) + 5:00 2:33:11 pm Launch window closes + 8:22 2:36:33 pm Main Engine Cutoff (MECO) commanded + 8:28 2:36 39 pm Zero thrust – orbit is 136 x 36 statute miles ~2:30 pm 3:30 pm NASA TV: Post launch news conference You can watch the whole thing on NASA TV if you like.