What is he building? Day 4

What on Earth is he building? Day 3

What on Earth is he building? Day 2

What On Earth is he building? Day 1

Birthday Wishes

Hey Friends,

I hope you are all well. I'm not usually in the practice of making birthday wishes, but this year there are a few worthy causes I'd like to support. So, just in case you were thinking about a birthday something, consider helping me with these. Every little bit helps. And, as an added incentive, email me back with the amount you donated and I will match your donation dollar-for-dollar, up to $100 per donation, to $500 total between all the donations, first come, first served!

Have at 'em:

This lovely young woman is a cousin of a friend of mine. She has an aggressive and fatal, but treatable, form of leukemia (wiki) that she has been fighting for 8 years. The barrier between her and a full recovery is, of course, cost. Help her heroic adoptive mother (who adopted her after she was abandoned with the disease) save her life:

http://pomnatasheeng.ucoz.ru/

For the last 5 years, the city of Ngelenge, Tanzania was blessed with a life-changing water well serving over 2,000 people built with the help of Engineers Without Borders. But recently, the well has been shutdown by an excess of fine sand clogging the works. (read about it) A new pump can restore water to them. We individually can't really bring them a glass of fresh water, but we can help pay for the pump.

http://www.ewb-sfp.org/donate and select "SFP Tanzania Project" from the pull-down menu.

What can I say about the Heifer Project? They enable families to provide for themselves and others by giving them livestock with which they can create sustainable livelihoods. It's not a handout, it's a tool in the hand, and a chance at dignity. Plus, where else can you buy someone a goat without all the horrible consequences?

http://www.heifer.org

Peace, all!

Edwin

Falcon 9 Maiden Launch

Launch is currently scheduled for 11:40am EST (8:40am PST). Click on the image below to go to the webcast:


In case our servers get slammed, you can also watch on spaceflightnow.com:



While you're waiting, some cool photos:
http://www.spacex.com/press.php?page=20100211

And the obligatory playlist:

Queen - Don't Stop Me Now
The Crystal Method - High Roller
Elton John - Rocket Man
Dragonforce - Through the Fire and the Flames
Peter Schilling - Major Tom (Coming Home)
The Mountain Goats - Autoclave
MC Chris - Fette's Vette


Update:

10:00am On Launch Hold. There is a boat violating the downrange clear zone. Range is working to clear it.

10:16am: Hold released. T-15 min

10:20am: We are GO TERMINAL COUNT. T-10 min

10:24am: Internal power.

10:26: T-4min

10:30am: Launch abort. Final conditions not met for ignition. Waiting on word for re-cycle and re start terminal count.

11:30: Re-cycle approved. Preps complete. Hold released. T-15min

11:40: Hold released. Terminal count T-5min

12:12: Successful ignition. Successful 1st stage burn. Successful MECO. Successful Merlin Vacuum ignition. Successful 2nd stage burn. Waiting on word of SECO1, restart, s2 burn2, SECO2, and recovery.

Team Critter in St. Louis

I took a trip to St. Louis, MO to visit Paul, Jeanette, and Ale of Team Critter. Enjoy some photos! Thanks for making us at home, for the smiles, and the schmoopie bread. Oh, and Happy Mother's day!

Ale and I had our first ever conversation!

At the Jefferson Memorial of Western Expansion

Of course, there was the arch...

And who knew? You actually have to ride an alien spaceship to get to the top!

Cue the timpani!

Also making an appearance at the top, is... Team Dork.

That's one happy kid! (Apparently at that age, I too thought toes were the coolest new thing ever)

Midwest folks, I know you're jealous...everything you said about frozen custard was true.

Well, that's all for now. What a beautiful weekend. Hope to see you all again soon!

Until then, keep smiling!

Ooh! And you can follow Team Critter's blog at http://herecomescritter.blogspot.com/ !