They're still pumping down my helium
They're still pumping down my helium. Just one more day to go. I can't believe it… it's taken so long to get here, and I'm about to go up into space. I can't wait to start looking at all of the things they want me to see, like black holes and active galaxies and other cool stuff. I've looked at x-rays on Earth, but I can only imagine how incredible it'll be in space.
As soon as the cryo team is done with my helium dewar, they'll pull out the plumbing and the rocket team can bolt the cover over that access hole. Then I'll be sealed up and ready to roll for launch. They'll be closing all of the other access holes they have on the rocket for other preparations (sometimes I forget that I'm not the only thing on board that needs to get ready for launch).
Here's another look down from the 8th floor of the launch tower. You can see the turntable and all of the equipment on the launch pad. And there's a small white box at the edge of the concrete area, which is a camera that will track me during launch.
I got this cool photo of the launch tower. When it's time to launch, I'll be rotated out of that blue and white door. You can tell exactly where I'll launch — check out the damage to that concrete flame deflector! My rocket will blast it and it'll get even more scorched. I also got a close-up of the giant turntable that will rotate the rocket into position… it even says Astro-E2!
