[img]/assets/Images/Media/Ciel-2-Blog/Arriving-at-the-Pad.JPG[/img] Another early start to another day of the campaign, and it’s back to our work clothes from playing dress-up. After receiving the okay to roll to the pad, it is time to send the integrated launch vehicle (ILV) on its trip to Launch Pad 39. The train was hooked up early Sunday morning. Once we reached the traditional 6:30 a.m. (local) departure time, the convoy was off on its two and a half hour journey. With the train and ILV on its trip, the team headed back to the hotel for a hearty breakfast. The rather uneventful train trip out to the pad could be watched from various points around Area 95. After breakfast, the team piled into the bus and headed out to the launch pad. Everyone who wanted to attend was permitted to go on the pad deck to watch the incredible sight, as the assembled ILV rolled horizontally into position next to the flame bucket. Then it was hydraulically rotated to its vertical launch position. The Russian videographers and photographers at this milestone event took many pictures and interviewed the program directors of Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center, ThalesAlenia Space, and International Launch Services. The one common denominator of all the interviews: This entire campaign has been a TEAM effort on everybody’s part. It has been a top-notch team working together from every aspect. From spacecraft offload, to standalone operations, to joint operations: Everything to date has performed right on schedule. It is, as they say, a truly well-oiled machine The anticipation continues to build as we move from the daily schedule to what is referred to as the 7/701 script. This is the official countdown schedule that will bring us to launch day!
09 Dec 2008