Discovery Watch

Space Shuttle Discovery is due to launch t 10:39am this morning. It has been reported that should the fuel sensor problem arise again, it will not be cause for cancelling the launch.



Get detailed coverage at SPACE.com here.

Update

From SPACE.com coverage:

First Lady Laura Bush is in attendance to witness NASA’s Return-to-Flight this morning. Mrs. Bush will view the launch from the Banana Creek VIP viewing site, followed by a visit to the Launch Control Center after Discovery reaches orbit safely.

Cool.

Update 2

Promoted to top with this bit from SPACE.com's coverage:

Space shuttle Discovery’s hatch is closed and latched, the seven astronauts are running through final checklists and all systems are ‘Go’ for this morning’s launch attempt. NASA’s Return-to-Flight mission to the International Space Station is scheduled for 10:39 a.m. EDT (1439 GMT).

It's still a "GO" for launch.

Update 3

Why a launch at 10:39am? That is the optimal time for a launch with a rendeavous with the International Space Station.

Update 4

Successful launch of the Space Shuttle Discovery. We got to see some splendid views of the launch with the all the new cameras on board. Quite the show!

Update 5

Get NASA's Return to Space coverage here. Get the mission brief and crew bios here. And get the mission timeline here.

Update 6

Yahoo News has a story about some debris which came off Discovery:

Video showed what appeared to be a large piece of debris flying off the external fuel tank two minutes into the flight. The object did not seem to hit the orbiter. Footage also showed what might have been at least two light-colored objects flying off Discovery as the shuttle cleared the launch pad.

Deputy shuttle program manager Wayne Hale raised the possibility that the light-colored objects were harmless pieces of paper that protect Discovery's thrusters before launch. But he insisted it was too soon to say what the cameras may have picked up, and he gave assurances the multitude of images will be examined frame by frame in the coming hours and days.

Here's hoping for the best...