Part 46 (1/2)
Mission control specialists at the Cape and in Houston monitored every conceivable instruround equipht possible
A cavernous room full of technicians checked and double checked and triple checked fuel, teuidance, computers sys- tems, backup systeyros, the astronauts' physiology, life support syste had a reen replenish has been terht level now under way Vehicle is now isolated fro equipment”
COMPUTER T-MINUS 100 SECONDS AND COUNTING
”SRB and external tank safety devices have been armed Inhibit ree safety destruct system is activated”
The Mission Control Room had an immense map of the world spread across its 140 feet breadth It showed the actual and projected trajectories of the Shuttle Along both sides of the e rear projection video screens They displayed the various cales of the launch pad, the interior of the Shuttle's cargo hold, the cockpit itself and an assortment of other shots that the scientists deeht
T-MINUS 90 SECONDS AND COUNTING
”At the T-Minus one round launch sequencer will verify that the ines are ready to start”
T-MINUS 80 SECONDS AND COUNTING
”Liquid hydrogen tanks now reported at flight pressure”
The data monitors scrolled charts and nu it every few seconds as the screens flickered with the changing information
T-MINUS 70 SECONDS AND COUNTING
The Voice of Mission Control continued its er is fa that conveys sublime confidence, even in the tensest of situations
The Count-down lobal map decremented its numbers by the hundredths of seconds, impossible for a human to read but terribly inaccurate by co up on T-Minus one ”
T-MINUS 60 SECONDS
”Pressure systems now armed, lift off order will be released at T-Minus 16 seconds”
The voice traffic becaive their consent that their particular areas of responsibility are shi+p- shape The word no the world over as a classic understatereat, then say 'Fuel is Great!' NASA prefers the word Non engineers predicted in their simulation models
T-MINUS 50 SECONDS AND COUNTING
The hoses that connect the Shuttle to the Launch Pad began to fall away Whirls of steam and smoke appeared around portions of the boosters The tension was high 45 seconds to go
”SRB flight instru to record”
Eyes riveted to computer screens It takes hundreds of coeneralists watch over the big picture; the screens across the front of the behe- h room
T-MINUS 40 SECONDS AND COUNTING
”External tank heaters now turned off in preparation for launch”
Screens danced while minds focused on their jobs It wasn't until there were only 34 seconds left on the count down clock that anyone noticed