Wednesday, April 20, 2011

T Minus 9

So what do the last 9 days of a wedding countdown look like compared to the last 9 minutes of a shuttle launch? I thought this was appropriate since a) I love the space program and b) there is a shuttle launch the day before our wedding (STS-134) .....and a Royal Wedding, but that's another story...

The last built-in hold in the space shuttle countdown is at T-9 minutes. Here's what happens once clocks start counting again. (You can view the whole countdown here)

T-9 minutes and counting
  • Start automatic ground launch sequencer
  • Retract orbiter access arm (T-7 minutes, 30 seconds)
  • Start auxiliary power units (T-5 minutes, 0 seconds)
  • Arm solid rocket booster range safety safe and arm devices (T-5 minutes, 0 seconds)
  • Start orbiter aerosurface profile test, followed by main engine gimbal profile test (T-3 minutes, 55 seconds)
  • Retract gaseous oxygen vent arm, or "beanie cap" (T-2 minutes, 55 seconds)
  • Crew members close and lock their visors (T-2 minutes, 0 seconds)
  • Orbiter transfers from ground to internal power (T-50 seconds)
  • Ground launch sequencer is go for auto sequence start (T-31 seconds)
  • Activate launch pad sound suppression system (T-16 seconds)
  • Activate main engine hydrogen burnoff system (T-10 seconds)
  • Main engine start (T-6.6 seconds)
  • Solid rocket booster ignition and liftoff! (T-0)



So this is what our T-9 looks like:

T-9 - Thursday April 21
  • Work, gym, cook dinner with Mitch
T-8 - Friday April 22
  • Work, Bachelorette Party!!
T-7 - Saturday April 23
  • Finish all the details
  • Haircut
  • Clean the apartment
T-6 - Sunday April 24
  • Celebrate Easter at church!
  • Visit the house!
  • Get a tan by the pool, relax
T-5 - Monday April 25
  • Work
T-4 - Tuesday April 26
  • Last day at work!
T-3 - Wednesday April 27
  • Massage!
  • Deliver gift baskets
  • Parents arrive at noon
  • Sister (Maid of Honor) arrives in the evening
T-2 - Thursday April 28
  • Pool time!
  • Mitch's parents and my parents meet for dinner
T-1 - Friday April 29
  • 10am Rehearsal
  • 4pm Mani/Pedi with my girls!
  • 6pm Rehearsal Dinner
T-0 - Saturday April 30
  • The BIG Day!

One fundamental difference between the shuttle countdown and ours - we won't "SCRUB" this launch!

For the "latest news" check out our website: http://tiny.cc/mitchnatalie 

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