GEORGE DILLER: This is Atlas launch control at T minus 2 hours and holding. We're now entering the final phase of the launch countdown for NASA's
Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. The countdown began at 7:03 p.m. last night with the start of the final preparations to resume cryogenic loading.
And we've had a "go" to begin that activity. We're in a planned built-in hold at this time. And the weather forecast is favorable for a launch today.
Right now, there are a few isolated showers moving to the northeast. Winds are southwesterly, 5 to 6 knots. The temperature at launch time will be
in the low to mid-80's. And right now, there are no observed or forecast constraints that would preclude a launch today.
Unlike yesterday when we were dealing with thunderstorms in the middle of the night, there was no thunderstorm activity overnight today.
The filling of the Atlas and Centaur will take about an hour once cryogenic loading begins. The 4,300 gallons of Centaur liquid oxygen is
loaded first, followed by loading of 50,000 gallons of Atlas liquid oxygen and then the 13,000 gallons of Centaur liquid hydrogen.
The RP-1, a highly refined kerosene, is storable aboard the Atlas V, and 26,000 gallons of RP-1 was loaded into the vehicle during the first
countdown dress rehearsal several weeks ago. The Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter spacecraft team reports that the spacecraft is go for launch
and configured for the cryogenic loading operations for the vehicle that will be going on beneath it.
So at this time, we're standing by for the chill-down process to be initiated that kicks off the final phase of our launch countdown
preparations today. At T minus 2 hours and holding, this is Atlas launch control.