T Minus Nine

T Minus Nine

STS-126 began yesterday, Endeavour's crew rocketing skyward.  The program's thirty-first night launch, over four million tons were moving faster than sound in under one minute.  Heat shield inspections completed, orbiter personnel are now fully focused on Sunday's International Space Station docking.  Planned mission events include equipment installation, upgrades, repairs and maintenance.  Science Officer Sandra Magnus is planning three months aboard as flight engineer, replacing Gregory Chamitoff, who will return home.  She'll catch a ride from Discovery next February, assuming nothing changes regarding current projections.  Only nine scheduled flights remain, after which we must watch others thunder toward heaven.