A-OK For LRO — GO!

Primed and ready to push through the atmosphere, the Atlas rocket and its Centaur upper stage burst successfully upward at 5:32 EDT from Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida today. There was a delay although no technical issues have arisen for an on-time liftoff, but mission managers decided for a launch attempt on the last opportunity of the day, at 5:32 p.m. EDT, in hopes the storm cell will move away from Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.

NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter and Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Spacecraft will fly to the moon atop the same Atlas V rocket, although they will use vastly different methods to study the lunar environment. LRO will go into orbit around the moon, turning its suite of instruments towards the moon for thorough studies. The spacecraft also will be looking for potential landing sites for astronauts.

LCROSS, on the other hand, will guide an empty upper stage on a collision course with a permanently shaded crater in an effort to kick up evidence of water at the moon’s poles. LCROSS itself will also impact the lunar surface during its course of study.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida – Viewed across the Indian River Lagoon, space shuttle Endeavour waits for launch after rollback of the rotating service structure, or RSS, at left. First motion of the RSS was at 10:15 a.m. EDT. At far right is the tank that holds 300,000 gallons of water used for sound suppression during liftoff. First motion of the RSS was at 10:15 a.m. EDT. The rollback is in preparation for Endeavour’s liftoff on the STS-127 mission with a crew of seven. This is the second launch attempt for Endeavour after the June 13 launch was scrubbed due to a hydrogen leak at the Ground Umbilical Carrier Plate during tanking June 12.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida – After rollback of the rotating service structure, or RSS, on Launch Pad 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, space shuttle Endeavour is closer to launch. Against Endeavour’s cockpit is seen the White Room at the end of the orbiter access arm. The White Room provides the astronauts entry into the shuttle. Endeavour sits on the mobile launcher platform, which straddles the flame trench below. On either side of the engine nozzles are the tail masts, which provide several umbilical connections to the orbiter, including a liquid-oxygen line through one and a liquid-hydrogen line through another.

NASA’s LRO and LCROSS spacecraft on top of the Atlas V rocket await liftoff at Complex 41 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.