NASA aims for pre-dawn launch to space station as clouds move in, could stall flight

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Shuttle aims for pre-dawn launch as clouds move in

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — As threatening clouds moved in, astronauts boarded space shuttle Endeavour for an early morning launch in darkness Sunday with the last major pieces of the International Space Station.

The odds of good flying weather fell from 80 percent to 60 percent after the shuttle was fueled Saturday night. As expected, the wind had eased, but a band of low clouds moved in from the north.

With just a few hours remaining before the 4:39 a.m. launch time, the six astronauts headed out to their spaceship. They waved to the cheering crowd. “We love you guys!” one bystander shouted. “Godspeed!”

Endeavour is loaded with a new room for the space station, as well as an observation deck. Once both of those are installed, the orbiting complex will be 98 percent complete.

It was expected to be the last shuttle launch in darkness. The pre-dawn departure meant the graveyard shift for commander George Zamka and his crew during the entire 13-day flight.

NASA Administrator Charles Bolden reminded journalists on the eve of the launch that there are only five shuttle missions left.

“You’re going to have to figure out what else you’re going to do, along with us,” he said.

In an hourlong news conference, Bolden accepted the blame for the way the NASA work force was informed of President Barack Obama’s plans to dismantle the Constellation moon exploration program. In the proposed budget that was released Monday, Obama set NASA on a new post-shuttle path. Specifics were lacking, but the moon was no longer at the forefront. Neither were the Ares rockets that NASA had been working on for so long.

Shuttle managers on Friday used the words “shock” and “angst” to describe their colleagues’ mood.

“Why wasn’t the NASA work force better prepared for this?” Bolden said. “You’re looking at the guy who’s responsible. I will take the heat.”

Bolden, a former shuttle commander, said he did not listen to his advisers on how to present the information, and has spent the past few days apologizing to everyone. “I was stupid, I admit that. I didn’t do it right,” he said.

As for the future, Bolden said the country needs a big rocketship to carry heavy loads if astronauts are to venture beyond Earth’s orbit. He said he wants to use the lessons of Constellation to capture new technologies and build that rocket.

“While we will phase out the Constellation program per se, I don’t want to throw away the baby with the bath water,” he said.

Bolden said he envisions such a rocket — capable of carrying astronauts to the moon, Mars or asteroids — ready to fly sometime between 2020 and 2030. He personally favors Mars.

Whatever the destination or rocket, the new way forward will be “significantly better than what we got rid of,” Bolden said.

On the Net:

NASA: www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/main/index.html