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The early morning launch of the space shuttle Endeavour was short for viewing due to a low cloud ceiling. Night launches light up the sky even in Melbourne over 30 miles away from the launch pad in Titusville, Florida. This launch viewing was very short. The Endeavour was gone from our view long before the sound of the rocket engines hit our area. Any way here is a video of what we saw at 2:38 am Tuesday morning from our location on the Indian River at the Melbourne causeway. NASA has reported that the Endeavour has docked smoothly with the International Space Station about an hour ago.

Technorati Tags: shuttle, space, endeavour, NASA, launch, video, Melbourne, Florida

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The winds have calmed down in the Titusville area where NASA is hoping to get the space shuttle Discovery off the ground this evening at 8:47 pm. Earlier today the NASA weather watch had given the chance of launch to be only a t 30%. Because of the improved weather conditions in the last hour, the chance of launch has been upgraded to 40% and all technical systems are functioning normal.

We are in hopes of taking picutres of tonight’s launch and are preparing to go out and get set up.

 Updated: 6:50 p.m. EST
With two hours remaining until launch, the STS-116 crew are seated inside Discovery, busy making final prelaunch checks and powering up the orbiter’s systems. In a happy reversal of fortunes, a recent update from the launch weather team has significantly upgraded the forecast. Meteorologists now estimate Discovery’s chances for liftoff to be a full 70 percent.

Launch managers continue to report no technical issues with the launch pad or space shuttle as well.

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As I listened to the final count down and the pre-launch check list, everything was green and go, until the weather check. The low cloud ceiling had the weather control light looking like a Christmas tree as it consistently flashed from red to green all day. In the final moments of count down the clock went on hold due to the weather violating the shuttle launch safety rules.

We were set up on Pineda Causeway in Melbourne with hopes of taking our first space shuttle night launch pictures. Looks like that will be on hold for now, NASA officials have set the next launch attempt for 8:47 p.m. EST on Dec. 9.

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The space shuttle Discovery is ready to go with all systems normal, however NASA said there is a 60% chance of weather delaying the 9:35 pm launch.

I am really hoping for this launch. It has been many years since I can remember a night launch of the space shuttle. There is a cold front coming through that threatens forming a cloud cover blanket that would take away the viewing distance of the launch and it may cause the launch to be postponed.

Photo courtesy of NASA

Weather updates courtesy of Ride Weather

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