T-Minus ## And Counting...

[Fireand'chutes77]

It's somewhat of a tradition of mine to use a space launch allegory for massive turning points in the KP franchise. I've used it for "So the Drama," when KP seemed to be over, when the series started back up (the shuttle's reentry), and now, for the third and last time, when KP rockets into her final adventure (in more ways than one!). Ironically, the space allusion is now more than fitting.

Ordinarily, I'd give a number for each real-time day of countdown, but seeing as I didn't start this 15 days earlier, I'll dash through this five steps at a time.


Godspeed, Commander Possible, godspeed!


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Launch of STS Mission 87, aboard Shuttle Kim Possible.


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Florida
Cape Canaveral
NASA's Vehicle Assembly Building

Inspection and nomenclature parameters completed. Shuttle is ready for launch.

Preparation for installation of Shuttle on Crawler for transport to launch pad...

T-minus 15 and counting....



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Florida
Cape Canaveral
Crawlway

Shuttle is in transit on the Crawler, headed from the VAB toward Pad #408-05.

Distance to pad via crawlway: 3.6 miles.

T-minus 14 and counting...



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Florida
Cape Canaveral
Launch Pad #408-05

Shuttle is at pad in position, and secure at the Tower for launch. Kim Krew now boarding. Equipment and supplies loaded.

T-minus 13 and counting...



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Florida
Cape Canaveral
Launch Pad #408-05

Begin cryogenic O2 and H2 fuel loading into External Tank. Calibrating electronics, gyroscopes, and maneuvering software.
Gimbaling the main nozzles into launch position.

T-minus 12 and counting...



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Florida
Cape Canaveral
Launch Pad #408-05

Fueling complete. Cyro. pipes away.
Weather: Clear and Calm.
We have engines on-line.

T-minus 11 and counting...

[cpneb]

I am looking forward to Friday, even having heard snippits of the events (and, no, I'm not telling!). I only have one disappointment; if you know me, you can imagine what it is....

[lunchmeat]

I am looking forward to Friday, even having heard snippits of the events (and, no, I'm not telling!). I only have one disappointment; if you know me, you can imagine what it is....


No Lectroids from Dimension Six?

[MrDrP]

I am looking forward to Friday, even having heard snippits of the events (and, no, I'm not telling!). I only have one disappointment; if you know me, you can imagine what it is....


No Lectroids from Dimension Six?

That made me laugh. :laugh:

Despite the availability of the finale, I'm waiting to watch it on TV. It's the last new episode we'll ever get to watch, so rushing to watch it in an itty-bitty streaming video box just doesn't seem right.

[TheGreenMagic]

Same here. While I was admittably impatient to some extent to read the spoilers in regards to the episode, I am in no rush to actually watch it before the big day arrives. Dig out the recordable VHS tapes and the popcorn, 'cause that day is gonna be one to remember.

[Cloud23465]

Well with 2 and 1/2 hours to go 'till the big 3 day event gets ready to happen my check list is complete. Scan disk & defrag are complete and hard drives got 231 gigs of free space to work with. Computers recorder schedule is set and ready to go for its first 18 hour run... not to much longer now.

[Molloy]

I am holding off as well.

It may become difficult as the week wears on and more and more people watch the utube version to avoid any spoilers however.

So I will try to stay focused on my writing. :)

[Cloud23465]

well 10 minutes to go... any final thoughts/words before history is going to be made?
I'm pretty much speachless myself now that the day is here.:errr:

[SassMasterGeneral]

Same here. While I was admittably impatient to some extent to read the spoilers in regards to the episode, I am in no rush to actually watch it before the big day arrives. Dig out the recordable VHS tapes and the popcorn, 'cause that day is gonna be one to remember.


Reminds me of the last episode of MASH, The fanfare, I remind beening in a funk for weeks. I fine the same now.

:sick:

[campy]

Well, I don't care, I watched the finale already. It's not like a streaming video window is a whole lot smaller than my TV anyway. Besides, I could step under a bus tomorrow. :errr:

[kyojikasshu]

Well with 2 and 1/2 hours to go 'till the big 3 day event gets ready to happen my check list is complete. Scan disk & defrag are complete and hard drives got 231 gigs of free space to work with. Computers recorder schedule is set and ready to go for its first 18 hour run... not to much longer now.

231 Gb available??? Dag... I have less than 10 Gb available, with a total capacity of about 40 Gb! I'm way behind the times... not quite so much as Ron was when he was searching for hairless pets, but still...

Well, I don't care, I watched the finale already. It's not like a streaming video window is a whole lot smaller than my TV anyway. Besides, I could step under a bus tomorrow. :errr:

Well, that's why I'm not leaving the house again until it's absolutely necessary to do so!

Once again, I love the fact that it coincides with my annual fall vacation! (Yeah, I know we've got two more weeks of summer, but as far as I'm concerned, it's fall. We've already got some leaves turning...)

[Fireand'chutes77]

Florida
Cape Canaveral
Launch Pad #807-07

Area evacuated and shuttle ready. We have a "Go" for launch!

Florida
Cape Canaveral
Kennedy Space Center (KSC)

Rodger that "Go." GPS; electronics on-line. We have all systems "Go" for shuttle launch!
We have all-around "Go" for shuttle launch!

Initiating Terminal Countdown and switching to PA:


We have T-minus 10!



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…9


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…8


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…7


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6......

We have Main Engine Start!

[Fireand'chutes77]

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…0:05


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…0:03...


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...0:02...


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....0:01.....

We have SRB start!
All engines at 100% power...

[Fireand'chutes77]

00:00
8:00 PM, Friday, September 7th , 2007

Blastoff!!!

Tether bolts away...

And we have liftoff, liftoff of Mission #87, and the last flight of Kim Possible!

...And the Shuttle has cleared the tower!!!

http://static.howstuffworks.com/gif/space-shuttle-launch3a.jpg

http://www.spacetoday.org/images/SpcShtls/ShuttleLaunch.GIF





Observers Viewing Platform
6 miles from "the big torch"

In a tremendous roar that seems to shake the very Earth, the shuttle lumbers from the launch pad amid a frothing cauldron fire and smoke... It's clear the tower, and accelerating with all her might.

With a bellow, it climbs on a column of smoke, racing the wind for the navy firmament above, as if to split the very air, leaving a contrail of fire as it claws for altitude.

A massive boom-crack echoes across the marshes – has she pulled a Challenger? No! Kim hurtles past Mach 1 as moisture on the wings is stripped off the tiles in a spray of vaporizing gold!

The last burnished rays of the dying western sun catch the cream sides of the vehicle, transforming it into a blazing comet, a brilliant, twinkling shooting star, headed not toward the ground, but to the heavens. The mighty boom of liftoff still reverberates, but is becoming less encompassing, and focusing more on the Orbiter...

It's almost out of sight now; a gleaming dot against a diamond-studded sky. It's become one of them now - a diamond, a star. But moving, still the fire visible, as she goes up, up, and up. She shot for the moon, but landed upon the stars.

The sound has dampened, fading away. The cloud of smoke is beginning to waft and spread. A great silence has fallen upon the Everglades- she is going, going, going....

And she is gone.


Gone.


…But not forgotten.


For one final time, Kimberly Ann Possible, rockets are go.


Godspeed.



~Fireand’chutes77