A Nighttime Launch for Space Shuttle Discovery

A rare nighttime launch for the Space Shuttle Discovery is planned for Tues. the 25th of Aug if the weather cooperates.

From the article:

Discovery and a crew of seven astronauts are due to lift off from a seaside pad here at NASA's Kennedy Space Center at 1:36 a.m. EDT (0536 GMT) and begin a 13-day construction flight to the International Space Station.

They plan to deliver a cargo pod packed with packed with about 15,200 pounds (6,894 kg) of new science equipment, fresh supplies and a treadmill named after comedian Stephen Colbert.

Colbert tried to have NASA name a new room for the space station after him by urging fans to write his name in during an online poll by the space agency earlier this year. NASA, ultimately chose the name "Tranquility" - after the Apollo 11 moon landing site - for the room, but offered Colbert the treadmill as a consolation prize.

That is so funny that NASA decided to name the treadmill after comedian Stephen Colbert! It is also amazing, in fact, all the equipment the shuttle will be taking up to the space station and all the time it will take to unload everything and set it all up. It is not like they are landing on Deep Space Nine where there is artificial gravity or they have a special dolly that moves heavy objects automatically. The tasks the astronauts undertake is truly incredible and takes careful planning. I admire them so much.

You can go to Space.com to watch the launch this evening and read the article in full here.

I hope the shuttle gets to take off and all goes well for the astronauts!

UPDATE: The Shuttle will try to launch this Friday the 28th of August. I hope they can make it!