Countdown begins for STS-109 launch
Posted: Tue, Feb 26, 2002, 2:03 AM ET (0703 GMT)
NASA started the countdown Monday for the Thursday morning launch of the space shuttle Columbia on mission STS-109. The countdown began at 10 am EST (1500 GMT) at the T-43 hour mark for a launch at 6:48 am EST (1148 GMT) Thursday, February 28. No technical problems have been reported to date, and meteorologists are predicting a 70 percent chance of favorable weather conditions at launch time, with cold temperatures the main concern. The purpose of the STS-109 mission is to carry out a set of repairs and upgrades to the Hubble Space Telescope, including a new camera, power system, cooling system, and solar panels. That work will be carried out by four astronauts during five spacewalks scheduled for the mission.
NASA started the countdown Monday for the Thursday morning launch of the space shuttle Columbia on mission STS-109. The countdown began at 10 am EST (1500 GMT) at the T-43 hour mark for a launch at 6:48 am EST (1148 GMT) Thursday, February 28. No technical problems have been reported to date, and meteorologists are predicting a 70 percent chance of favorable weather conditions at launch time, with cold temperatures the main concern. The purpose of the STS-109 mission is to carry out a set of repairs and upgrades to the Hubble Space Telescope, including a new camera, power system, cooling system, and solar panels. That work will be carried out by four astronauts during five spacewalks scheduled for the mission.
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