Nothing Definitive Yet on the Status of the Space Shuttle

Sorry folks, no official news yet on the status of what the press are mumbling about: tiles and foam falling off the shuttle. NASA is actively reviewing the incredible amount of footage from the launch and will know something today, and will tell the rest of us nerds probably tomorrow. To see what all the hulabaloo (spelling?) is about, go here for images of debris from launch. Whether it is bad, good, or neutral debris stil has yet to be determined.

As for the astronauts, they are partying aboard Discovery, reconfiguring it "from rocket to Winnebago", in the words of a former astronaut. It's a lot of work, but I'm sure thy're all high on life right now, so I am happy for them. (Many updates via Space.com)

There are many great video clips of the launch. I recommend this clip shot from a chase plane flying at over 60,000 feet. It is a bit fuzzy, but it is the shot of the launch that you always imagine you'd see - one uninterrupted shot of the shuttle launch, clouds whizzing by as they ascend, becoming a faint dot as always - it's pretty neat (shaky at the end).

Another great shot is the new camera on the external tank. I only found a short clip on the separation of the tank and shuttle, which can be found here (Real Video).

I'll keep you posted.