During a countdown status briefing this morning at Kennedy Space Center, NASA Test Director Jeff Spaulding and STS-114 Payload Manager Scott Higginbotham announced they are go for launch. Launch Weather Officer Kathy Winters expects a 30% chance that weather may prevent launch on Wednesday. In the event of a delay, the forecast is slightly less promising, with the chance of weather violating launch constraints rising to 40% on Thursday and Friday.

The countdown for NASA's Return to Flight launch of Space Shuttle Discovery (STS-114) starts at 6 p.m. EDT, July 10. Discovery's crew will test new equipment and procedures to increase Shuttle safety, deliver spare parts and supplies to the International Space Station.