Beginning with the first Sea Launch mission - DemoSat in March 1999 - the Sea Launch team has developed several "must do" traditions. This image represents one of those traditions. The L-72 hour photo is made under the countdown clocks in the Launch Control Center to commemorate the start of the countdown. The participants continue to increase and currently include the Sea Launch/Boeing crew, the satellite provider, the spacecraft customer and several others. The tradition includes wearing a Hawaiian shirt and sun glasses -- which goes hand-in-hand with our arrival at the tropics. Looking quite relaxed in the foreground is our XM Radio customer, Jack Wormington. From this point on, the launch team is focused on the next three days of launch operations, a successful launch and a spacecraft on target.
(Click here for a larger version of this photo)

Last night's rainstorm stranded several sea birds aboard both the Assembly and Command Ship and on the Launch Platform. Compassionate crewmembers assisted the birds' return to flight once the birds dried out their wings.

Launch Platform crewmember Willie Camerino stands prepared at his fire fighting station on the helodeck. Helicopter operations started today between the two vessels in preparations for Sunday's launch

A Launch Platform crewman signals a group of people waiting for transit back to the Assembly and Command Ship. He manages movement of passengers between the two vessels whether they use the link bridge or helicopter.