Talking to Ridley High School

I just got home from Pennsylvania. Here are some pictures from the talk I did at Ridley High School today. By the way, Happy National Engineers Week!! :)

This past weekend!

Thursday through Saturday I attended the annual conference in Orlando, FL. for Women in Aviation International. I had a blast networking with people from all over and listening about the different professions and leadership positions the women are in. The guest speakers were phenomenal as well (among them was Bonnie Dunbar).

After the conference, I hopped on a plane to Philadelphia, PA. as I will be speaking to Ridley High School on Tuesday. My friend, Melissa, is a teacher at the high school and I am currently staying with her. When I arrived into town, we decided to take a train into New York as I had never visited the city. Despite the freezing weather, we saw a lot in one day! Some of the highlights from the day trip were Rockefeller Center, seeing the Broadway musical The Color Purple, World Trade Center ground zero site, Times Square, Empire State Building, and so much more! I had a great time and will definitely be going back, but when the weather warms up. Below is a slideshow that captures some of my special moments. I'll be sure to post some pictures from my talk at Ridley High School tomorrow.

Space Shuttle Atlantis Roll Out

Space Shuttle Atlantis rolled out to LC-39A. Here are some pictures a co-worker took as I was unable to be there.....Enjoy!!!

One more semester complete!

Well first off, I am relieved to say that I am through with my 3 grad courses I was taking! 3 research papers: DONE! Three finals: DONE! Next semester I will be taking three more, then two the following...and I will have a Masters in Aeronautical Science.

Yesterday I went to my first meeting with the Citizens for Space Exploration in Cocoa Beach. The organization conducts an annual trip to Washington D.C to express to Congressmen and Senators the value and benefits of space exploration. What I strongly admire about the organization is the interest of the people. The name says it all. "CITIZENS" for Space Exploration. Not everyone is an engineer, scientist, or directly works in the space industry, BUT they do have a passion to support America's investment in space exploration.

Thursday through Saturday I will be attending the annual Women in Aviation International conference. There are some good leadership workshops and seminars planned and it will be a great networking opportunity! Then after the conference is through, I will be flying to Pennsylvania. Next week I will be talking with the students of Ridley High School. I just hope the "winter" weather cooperates!

At 7am tomorrow, Space Shuttle Atlantis is planned to move out of the VAB and roll out to the LC-39A. March 15th, here we come!!!

On my lunch break.....

During a lunch break and I went to visit LC-19. 27 launches occurred from LC-19, 10 of them were manned. This was the launch pad that launched America's first two-manned mission, first spacewalk, first spacecraft rendezvous/docking and space emergency, and other historic events all began here when astronauts rode their Gemini-Titan vehicles into orbit.


Launch Complex 19
















The remains of the launch umbilical tower
















Me standing next to the flame deflector (bottom) and hold-down arms (top)

Google "Solar System" Maps???

Google has signed on to help 19 universities and laboratories with an ambitious telescope project in Chile. The Large Synoptic Survey Telescope will have a 27.5-foot diameter and will produce 200 terabytes worth of images each week.

Instead of financing the project, Google will be help the scientists organize data. The search-engine giant is also reportedly going to make that information "accessible." Might that mean Google will make the images public via "Google Solar System?" After all, we already do have these limited maps of Mars and the moon.

Check these sites out!!

http://www.google.com/mars

http://moon.google.com



article:http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2007-01/uoa-gjl010507.php

LC-39A awaiting Atlantis for STS-117 launch!!!!

Where were you on February 1, 2003?

The morning the accident happened, I was driving from College Station, TX. to Johnson Space Center in Houston, TX. Family and friends were calling me as they knew I was supporting the mission.

I, along with other co-workers from the Spacecraft Technology Center at Texas A&M, were supporting the payload operations of StarNav I. StarNAV I was a star-tracker experiment built by STC at Texas A&M onboard Columbia's SpaceHab payload module.



About three days prior to the end of mission, we had finished receiving all the data we needed during the mission and were able to go back home to College Station. The next time we needed to go back to JSC was during landing to pick up our stuff. When I was driving back to Houston, I thought I was going to pick up our binders, computers, and other belongings. As I arrived at Johnson Space Center, there were balloons and flowers at the front gate from locals who were impacted from the accident. As I walked through the halls at JSC, it was quiet. The JSC community was sad, disappointed, and mourning the loss of 7 friends.



We were unable to take any of our belongings with us. We had to back-up our data on CDs and then our data and hardware were confiscated. We were able to retrieve everything at a later date once the investigation was underway.

You can view the 13 minutes of flight deck audio and video recovered before the tragedy occurred: Click HERE

The 28th and final flight of Columbia (STS-107) was a 16-day mission dedicated to research in physical, life, and space sciences. The seven astronauts aboard Columbia worked 24 hours a day, in two alternating shifts, successfully conducting approximately 80 separate experiments. On February 1, 2003, Columbia and its crew were lost over the southern United States during the spacecraft's re-entry into Earth's atmosphere.

SWE's SUCCESS!!: Introducing Girls To Engineering Workshop

We had such a great turnout today! An estimated 650 young girls attended engineering workshops run by willing and dedicated members/volunteers of the Spacecoast's Society of Women Engineers chapter. I was one of the leaders for the Bottle Rockets Workshop. I explained Newton's Three Law's of Motion and helped them launch their own bottle rocket. The girls had a blast! We have 5 session workshops throughout the day for the Bottle Rockets, and I have to say that I enjoyed every single one of them. There were so many other engineering workshops that they attended (e.g. Robot Designs, Electrical Circuits, Bridges, Fun with Solar Energy, etc....) but I know that by the end of the day they all gained a little extra knowledge and had fun with hands-on applications.

January 27, 1967....Exactly 40 years ago.....

Today marks the 40th anniversary for the crew of the Apollo 1 mission. On January 27th, 1967, astronaut Virgil I. "Gus" Grissom, (the second American astronaut to fly into space), astronaut Edward H. White II (the first American astronaut to "walk" in space), and astronaut Roger B. Chaffee (a "rookie" astronaut on his first space mission)entered the capsule located on Pad 34 to start a simulation of the countdown sequence. Due to a spark caused by a short in a ciruit and the pure oxygen in the capsule, a fire broke out and quickly spread through the cabin. The last transmission ended within 17 seconds and the crew died from smoke inhalation and suffered severe burns.

Since we first started putting humans into space, there have been accidents, lessons learned, and we have suffered the losses of brave astronauts. Let us remember what they lived for and believed in, the improvements this space program has made, and the successes we have had in space exploration.

SWE's Introducing Girls to Engineering Workshop

This Saturday, I will be volunteering at the Space Coast's SWE chapter for their annual Introducing Girls to Engineering Workshop. I signed up to assist with the Bottle Rocket's workshop module. Unfortunately, the engineering field is still a field that attracts few women. But I am proud to be taking part in encouraging the engineering field to these young women. I'll make sure to post some pictures of our cool bottle rockets!

I've been keeping really busy for the past week. I am wrapping up the three graduate courses I am taking. I still have three research papers to write and 2 finals to go. It's been real busy at work as Atlantis is getting ready to roll over to the VAB in about 2 weeks, Discovery continuing post-mission processing, and Endeavor getting ready for STS-118. By the way...STS-117 will be launching out of pad 39A!!

January is Cervical Cancer Awareness Month. A while back, "I've made the commitment". The committment to support and make others aware of cervical cancer and the ways one can prevent the disease. Whether you are a woman or a man, you can still educate yourself and share with others on the prevention methods. During the month of January and February, $1 to the Cancer Research and Prevention Foundation will be donated for every online commitment made during January and February. If you make the online commitment, you will get a free bead bracelet kit. I just got mine in the mail today.

"Reaching for the Moon"

Discovery has acquired rights to show this movie, Reaching for the Moon, on television and is seeking a distributor to put it into theaters. I will be WAITING!! I think true, honest, and sincere recollections from astronauts is what we all need to hear about! Having never been in space, I WANT TO KNOW what astronauts went through, how they felt, and their first reaction to space. Check out this site:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/21/AR2007012101288.html

The little things that motivate me.....

I am on 2nd shift for two weeks, and as I was going into work this afternoon, I thought I would share the simple little things that motivate me when I go in to work each day.

First there is the VAB (Vehicle Assemble Building) that can be seen from miles away. Which, by the way, is getting a new paint job!! To me, this building is a great symbol of spaceflight history. On the drive in to work, the building stands out from miles away and I can't help but feel proud of the work I do and the people I work with.






Then, as I walk through the halls at work, they are decorated with large images of the Space Shuttle crew from various missions. Each day, I am reminded of the dedicated men and women who journey into space and bravely risk their lives, not only for this nation, but for all humanity to continue advancing in space exploration.








Just some things that motivate me daily...... :)

I am a space advocate...are you?!

Last week I registered at http://www.spaceadvocate.com. It's a great online tool where you can learn about current space legislation, examine law-makers' voting records and positions on the space exploration program, and get involved by communicating directly with your legislators. I find this site as a great resource to become aware of space-related issues. Our support is crucial to the future of our nation's space program and this site allows our voices to be heard, from the local government to the federal government. http://www.spaceadvocate.com

Other good news is that last week I found out that the next selection process for NASA's Astronaut Candidate Program was changed from occuring this summer and is set for Summer 2008! I will be applying in the summer of 2008. :)

Do you support the Vision for Space Exploration???

Today I worked on finalizing my presentation for Ridley Park High School in Ridley Park, PA. In doing so, I recalled an important Washington D.C trip, where I met with members of Congress and encouraged them to support America's space program. I am going to explain the experience to the high school to encourage the younger generation to take the initiative to understand the importance of America's space program and the Vision for Space Exploration.

In 2004, I traveled to Washington D.C with members of the Citizens for Space Exploration. During this trip, we presented to members of Congress the benefits of space exploration and why they should support the space program in their budget. It was a great experience for me because people from different professional backgrounds and students voiced their support for the space program to Congress. Both, the professional and students, were very passionate about their message because they were aware of the benefits that space exploration offers to everyone. The next trip to Washington D.C. for the Citizens for Space Exploration is in May and I plan to support the organization by attending and extending my support for space exploration.

During my presentation at Ridley Park, I will be expressing to the students why it is important for them to become involved and to support America's space program. I feel that it is vital for the younger generation to become aware of the challenges, learn from the new findings, and take advantage of the opportunities generated by the space program.

Feel free to browse the following sites if you want to understand and learn more about the goals and benefits of the space program:

http://www.spacecoalition.com
http://www.spaceadvocate.com/
http://www.citizensforspaceexploration.org/

Finish time: 2:49:38 !!!!

My experience of my first half marathon was great! The weather was perfect and there were about 17,000 participants. I had some good tunes on my MP3 player and everything was going smoothly until mile 9. In trying to go around some walkers, I landed on my ankle and sprained my right ankle pretty bad. But, I have to tell you that I am a proud user of Biofreeze(a topical pain reliever). Right when I injured the ankle, I saw the medical tent and sqeezed a big glob of the Biofreeze gel. I walked for a little bit, and when it started to feel a little better from the miraculous gel, I ran lightly. I finished at 2:49:38. After crossing the finish line, I received my medal and had a few snacks. However, the Biofreeze started wearing off and well, now I am sitting on my couch, with a wrapped swollen ankle and an ice pack (R.I.C.E). But, i finished the race!!! Yey! The half marathon was not so bad and I definitely will do it again next year! It was great to see so many people running for their own cause. For loved ones they lost either due to cancer or fighting for a disease. It was cool to see everyone out so early in the morning too!!!

Tomorrow is the big day: Disney's 2007 Half Marathon

Disney's 2007 Half Marathon

Tomorrow I will be getting up at 2:30 am. Leave the house at 3:00am and get to Disney at 3:30am. After taking a bus to the race area, and checking in my belongings, I will be attempting to run 13.5 miles! I'm so nervous!!! This is my first half marathon, and to be quite honest, I didn't eat very healthy over the holidays (ok, you know you're guilty too!) or run as much as I wanted to. But my alarm is set, and I am running tomorrow! Today I went to go pick up my goodie bag and race number! I took my 3-yr. old niece with me since it's the last day I'll see her before she leaves back to Seattle in the early morning. I'm #31868 and ready!!

Inspecting Tile Inserts......

Fused silica threaded inserts and plugs are used in the Space Shuttle tiles to provide access for door removal or panel attachment. Today a coworker and I crammed under one of the main engines of Space Shuttle Atlantis to inspect the inserts on the tiles. We are inspecting the integrity of the insert to make sure it is sound for flight or that it doesn't need to be replaced/pull tested.
Fused silica insert and plug locations on Orbiter

Discovery with her payload bay doors open!

My Holiday Vacation so far

I didn't think I was going to be busy.....but who was i kidding!? For 2 straight days I have been studying for a midterm in my space medicine and habitation course. A very interesting class I must say, because it is introducing me to the effects of space on the human physiology. Yesterday I took a break from studying and mapped that I will be graduating with my first Master's next December. Aside from studying I have also been taking care of my 3 year old niece. She is a handful because the girl has got a ton of energy, but so fun to be around. She so innocent and intelligent!!! Ha ha....and then there is me, her crazy aunt, sitting with her to watch reruns on the NASA channel as they broadcast the 13 day STS-116 mission. But hey, now when she sees an astronaut, she'll call it out and get excited!

Speaking of astronauts, a co-worker gave me the best Christmas present ever!!! It's a book by Astronaut Mike Mullane called Riding Rockets, and he even got it personally signed for me! I have been reading it since I opened it and it's so hard to put down. It's GREAT!!! Any space enthusiast has got to get this book! It's hilarious and a good insight on his life, what he went through to become an astronaut, and reflections from particular missions. I highly recommend this book! F.Y.I: The book is geared to adults, and not children.

I hope everyone spent a great holiday with either loved ones or friends. Has everyone been thinking about their New Year's Resolution. Here's what's on my list. 1.) Eating Healhy/Exercising 2.) Strengthing relationships by calm communication 3.) Not spending money where I don't need to and keeping a budget.

Well, I have 3 more lectures to watch right now so I am going to keep studying. I'll be posting next year!! Adios!

Welcome home for Discovery from its 33rd Flight!!

Waiting around yesterday was so suspenseful!! 1st attempt to land at KSC passed us up. Then we thought it was going to land in Dryden and it ended up the it was going to be KSC. We were anxiously listening to weather briefings and getting the latest updates. It was a long day yesterday, but so worth it!! Personally, I think after experiencing my 1st runway landing, it's more exciting than a launch. Although i have to admit that a launch is really cool to watch. There is just so much suspense in a landing. From hearing the sonic boom, to seeing the first sighting of the Orbiter, to having the astronauts come out while you're inspecting. Last night, it was drizzling a little bit but I was under the Orbiter so i didn't get too wet. We took pictures and noted the major points of interest and left a mini tag-up report on the overall condition of Discovery Thermal Protection System. Overall, Discovery came back looking in great shape. Nothing out of the ordinary. Anybody see me in the background on t.v? LOL! Hope you enjoy my little slide show below!

Landing at KSC?

Well i am here and will be leaving in about 5 minutes to go out to the Shuttle Landing Facility. It's a little windy here and there are some low ceiling clouds present. But no rain yet. So if you happen to watch the NASA channel and we do land here, I am wearing a fuchsia colored polo shirt with jeans. Ha ha. We'll know for sure if Discovery will be landing here when it gets closer to the deorbit burn at 2:49pm. If it doesn't look good, well then the crew going out to California/New Mexico will need to get ready.....Well...off i go to the SLF.

What a week!!! And it's not even over yet!

If Space Shuttle Discovery lands at KSC on Friday, I will be supporting along with another co-worker to be out on the runway. So if it lands on at KSC and you watch the NASA channel, you may see me on t.v. Upon landing and after the astronauts are removed from the Orbiter, we get to greet them and shake their hand, and then perform a walk-down and take pictures of the major visible damages on the orbiter to later compile a post-flight landing report. If the weather is not good here, then they will scrub the landing at KSC and land at Edwards AFB or maybe even White Sands(due to cold temps at Edwards AFB). I'm excited because it will be my first time to be out on the runway for a landing. It will be a great first time experience.

In February 2007, I will be traveling to Ridley Park High School again to give them a talk! They're eager and so am I!!!

During the Imagery inspection

Many of you know that after the space shuttle launches from Kennedy Space Center, I head out to Johnson Space Center the next day to support looking at imagery obtained as the Orbiter approaches the International Space Station. During the last mission, there were more photos of me and the group at work, but this time, there were only a couple. The first one is, yes, of the back of my head. After we all complete looking at the imagery, we have a tradition of 'milk-n-cookies'. So here's a snapshot of me caught dipping my oreo in my milk!



(milk-n-cookies photo credit: David R. Bretz)

Imagery inspection of Orbiter lower surface

Here's an example of one of the hundreds of pictures that get looked at for damages. you can see here some damages around the external tank door. Various different models were run against the big tile damage, and it was cleared to say this will not pose a threat upon reentry.

Pictures from today's launch

Well, I am going to Houston in the morning for imagery support. After the weather deemed 70% chance of unfavorable weather conditions, out of no where it was decreased to only 30%.....and well...we launched!!! Here are some photos

Mission Status

1615 GMT (11:15 a.m. EST)

The Mission Management Team has given a "go" to begin fueling space shuttle Discovery for tonight's liftoff. The weather remains on the major worry in the countdown. Forecasters are predicting a 60 percent chance conditions at Kenned Space Center will be unacceptable at launch time. The emergency landing sites in Spain and France are also expecting unfavorable weather.

The updated outlook is 90 percent "no go" for Friday and 70 percent on Saturday.

But the countdown is pressing forward for liftoff a few seconds before 9:36 p.m. EST this evening in hopes NASA gets a break in the weather. There are no significant technical issues being reported.

For the prospective Aerospace Engineering student....

This afternoon, I was interviewed by a Freshman at Georgia Institute of Technology who wanted more information on Aerospace Engineering. She is not completely decided on the major, but is interested in pursuing the degree. She had some good questions for me and I thought it would be great to share some of my responses in the event there are others out there contemplating the major. Here are just a few questions/answers from my interview today:

What is a typical day like in your field?
My major function at work is to provide engineering support to my customer (NASA, United Space Alliance) which includes evaluating damages/repairs of the Orbiter's Thermal Protection System (Space Shuttle tiles, gap fillers, thermal blankets). Every time there is a documented damage on a TPS component, as an engineer, I go out to the vehicle and evaluate the repair making sure that the proposed repair agrees with my engineering judgment.

What do you like best and least about your job?
Everyday I work with the Space Shuttle Orbiter and THAT is the highlight of my work day because I know that not just everyone can come so close to the vehicle. My hard work gets rewarded especially when I see the Space Shuttle stack out at the launch pad and of course, the amazing site of a launch! What I like least about my job are meetings because I attend so many of them a day and even though they are sometimes necessary, a decision is not always made at one because you may have people exchanging disagreements instead of compromises and solutions. So they are usually followed up by another meeting. They take up the most time and they pull you away from your normal work tasks.

What does it take to excel in your field?
To excel in my field and in any field, you have to be a “go-getter” with a positive attitude, meaning being willing to engage in major issues and offering your help on other tasks than what you’re assigned for.

What should I be reading in school to get myself ready?
If you decide to pursue Aerospace Engineering, decide what specialization you would like to engage in. This would help you determine if you would be interested in the Aviation or Space sector. Based on that, understand your course material, but most importantly, read current news articles on the changing technology to see how your course work is related. This will help you in many ways; you may have an interest in a company coming out with a new technology or you may want to be involved in research or analysis. Reading on current science/aviation/space news articles can keep you up to date and help you become prepared when in comes to looking for an internship or a job upon graduation.

What skills that you learned in school do you use the most in your field?
Organizational, communication, and teamwork are all skills that I use everyday. In school, the professor would dock points for any assignments that were not legible or transferred on engineering paper according to the syllabus. I make sure I follow the guidelines for any reports or documents and that I keep good records of issues through email/documents using organized folders on my computers incase anyone needs to be filled in. Communication with the professor and other students helped me to communicate in the workplace face-to-face and by e-mail. When I talk or e-mail about an issue, I make sure I am to the point in stating the problem, effect, and proposed solution. My projects at school often involved teams. Individuals on teams provide different approaches and ideas, but can also introduce disagreement/conflict. Not much different from the workplace.

How stressful is the work environment?
It can be overwhelming if you do not know how to handle stress. You need to know your own limit. A major skill that you begin in your undergraduate years is to know how to prioritize. In the work environment, there is constant work. You are never going to leave work with all tasks completed. I have learned to prioritize according to deadline and criticality. You can always ask to extend a deadline or ask a manger for more help within the group if it’s too much for one person to complete.

STS-116 Roll Out to the Launch Pad

Space Shuttle Discovery makes it to the launch pad and the picture under that one is of the payload ready to be installed in the cargo bay.

The week's status.. :)

I started three more courses today towards my masters. I am taking Earth Observation and Remote Sensing, Space Habitation and Life Support, and Space Mission and Launch Operations. I am going to be very VERY busy through February. I hope I'll be able to manage the classes and the Dec. launch, and the holidays!

This week I am on 2nd shift again so I don't go into work until the afternoon, but will get out late. However, today they are planning to roll out Discovery to the launch pad around midnight. So I may get a chance to see the stack and snap a couple pictures. There is also talk about making the launch happen on Dec. 6th instead of Dec. 7th.

Hope everyone is having a good week so far.

Discovery rolls over to the VAB

Last night space shuttle Discovery rolled over to the VAB so it could be mated with the External Tank and Solid Rocket Boosters.

Boeing Delta II Rocket launch!

The Boeing Delta 2 rocket carrying the STEREO spacecraft just launched! The spacecraft will study solar eruptions. Here's the view from my house. Not very exciting, but at least i saw a little glow in the sky.

University of Central Florida Engineering & Computer Science Leadership Institute

This Friday I have been chosen to be one of three mentors chosen within Boeing at Kennedy Space Center to participate in a University of Central Florida Partnership program. Through April 2007, I will serve as a mentor to a UCF student who has been chosen to particiate in the UCF Engineering & Computer Science Leadership Institute. It is a leadership developmental institute that is sponsored by Progress Energy. I am excited as this will be the first time I will be mentoring a student persuing an advanced degree. However, I'm excited and hope my student will enjoy the advice and guidance I provide.

USS Trident hosts me as a guest speaker to homeschooled students!

Something I enjoy the most is going out and talking to highschool students to encourage them and entertain them with science, engage them in behind-the-scenes of space shuttle processing, and act as a mentor through the critical years for these students. On Tuesday October 17, 2006, USS Trident, a local Treasure Coast Chapter of Starfleet International, hosted a "Science Night" meeting for local homeschooled students in Port St. Lucie, Florida and I was the guest speaker. It was a great group and I know they enjoyed my talk. Here are some pictures from that night.....

Our crew made it home.

Well I got home at 3am because this week I have been working 2nd shift.. I go into work at 2pm and don't get out till about midnight or later. It messes up your whole sleep pattern and I have found it difficult to sleep during the day when planes are passing by low and neighbors are doing yard work. As I was getting ready to leave, some of my co-workers were getting into work to head out to the Shuttle Landing Facility. They are there at the runway to witness landing and then to walk-down the orbiter to document discrepancies before it is rolled into the bay. Regardless of difficulties in sleeping, after getting home at 3am, i put my alarm for 6:10 because I wanted to hear the sonic boom. I left the TV on tuned to the NASA channel so I wouldn't miss a thing. At exactly 6:18 I heard the sonic boom. It's amazing hearing it. It's like some let a shot gun go off right outside your window, but just enough to make a tiny shake to your windows. I continued watching the landing and when I knew they were safely home, I went back to sleep. I experienced another mission with a great team, and great teamwork!

I'm back, and Atlantis coming home soon...

I'm back from houston and it was a great trip. The team was able to resolve all of the Thermal Protection System issues and approved Atlantis safe to fly home. Landing will happen on Wed. Sept 20th at 6:00 am. Should be nice to wake up to a sonic boom. The NASA photographer got some shots of me working while I was supporting the mission imagery team.

Successful launch for Atlantis!!

---

I hope those of you in central FL. were able to see the launch. It was a little cloudy, but still a beautiful site. Now, to houston I go to inspect the thermal protection system. Be sure to keep up with the live updates during the mission. Long days awaits our inspection team, but i have a feeling that we won't be seeing much tile damage. Hopefully no protruding gap fillers either!!

Let's try this launch again!!!

Sept.6 at 12:28:48 pm. EDT. will be the next launch attempt for Space Shuttle Atlantis. Tropical Storm Ernesto did not effect us like we though, but we still took the hurricane percautions. I helped my mom put shutters up in her home since she lives in south florida, and then we had a day off incase the weather became worse. But to me, it was just like any other rainy day in florida. However, with a few afternoon squalls of rain you just wouldn't want to drive through. I think it's a good idea too that the launch is scheduled to be at 12:28 pm because usually the scattered thunderstorms occur later in the afternoon.

Other major news....Lockheed Martin won the contract to build the CEV spacecraft. They won this contract over Northrop Grumman and Boeing. You can read all about it here.

Hope everyone has a great long weekend. My birthday is on Monday (I'll be 25) and I get to enjoy a holiday.