WEBVTT

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Intro music.

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Good afternoon. From the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, this is Space Shuttle Discovery's Launch Control.

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The countdown for launch of the Space Shuttle Discovery on mission STS-116 is continuing on schedule today.

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Launch is scheduled to occur at about 9:35 p.m. Eastern time tonight, and our launch opportunity window extends for about five minutes.

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The primary objectives of mission STS-116 are to first rendezvous and dock with the orbiting International Space Station, and that will occur on flight day three.

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While docked to the station, the crew of Discovery will deliver supplies to the space station and assist Suni Williams as she plans to remain on the station for

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the next six months. Also, while Discovery is docked, another station truss segment called the P5 segment will be installed,

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and this will take place during one of three planned spacewalks.

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This is the 20th mission to the International Space Station and, in addition to the P5 segment being installed,

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the seven astronauts of this mission will begin a process to reconfigure the electrical system on the station

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to fully utilize the power that's being generated by the new solar arrays.

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Landing of Discovery is currently set for the late afternoon of December 19 back here at Kennedy Space Center.

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this time, work at Launch Pad 39B as well as operations here in the Firing Room of the Launch Control Center continue as planned.

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Earlier today, at about 11:33, we began operations to load the external tank with about 500,000 gallons

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of liquid propellants that are used by the space shuttle's three main engines.

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Tanking operations typically take about three hours and we completed that activity on time at 2:23 p.m. this afternoon.

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No serious technical issues were addressed during the tanking activities and no serious technical issues or

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problems are being worked by the launch team at this time.

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Again, we anticipate an on-schedule liftoff of Space Shuttle Discovery and the seven-member crew from the Kennedy Space Center's Launch Pad 39B at 9:35

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p.m. We are at the T-3 hour mark and holding in a scheduled built-in hold. An issue that is being discussed is the weather.

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Our weather forecasters are continuing to indicate about a 60-percent chance of violation. The primary concern is weather at Kennedy Space Center.

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We're looking at the possibility of having a lower-than-allowable cloud ceiling, and we're also looking at the possibility of a slight chance of some

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localized rain showers. Nonetheless, we're continuing with our operations to countdown for launch.

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We'll be addressing the weather concerns all through the afternoon and evening, and of course the final decision for launch based on weather likely

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won't come until we are in the T-9 hour hold -- or excuse me, T-9 minute hold.

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