spacetoday.net: STS-121 countdown begins

Posted: Thu, Jun 29, 2006, 1:56 PM ET (1756 GMT)

The countdown for Saturday's launch of the shuttle Discovery started Wednesday, with potential stormy weather the only major issue facing shuttle managers. NASA started the countdown at 5 pm EDT (2100 GMT) Wednesday in advance of the launch, scheduled for 3:48 pm EDT (1948 GMT) Saturday, July 1. Shuttle officials reported no technical issues that could delay the launch. The main concern is the weather, with forecasts calling for a 60 percent chance of unacceptable weather at the scheduled liftoff time. The mission is the first in nearly a year for the shuttle and only the second since the Columbia accident in 2003. STS-121 will bring supplies to the station; drop off one member of the ISS crew, European astronaut Thomas Reiter; and test ways to inspect and repair any damage suffered by foam impacts on shuttle tiles and panels during launch.