Page 19 - Shuttle Launch News Today : Breaking News, Live Updates & Top Stories | Vimarsana

Presumably will come quickly. this is a very tough challenge. >> yes, it is. and the president is going -- actually is the pushing in this visit to alabama on his way to the shuttle launch in florida, but this is what presidents do and this is what people expect and demand of the president when disaster strikes here at home. they want to know that the president is focused and paying attention, that the federal government is focused and paying attention, and by the president going to get his feet on the ground and see the devastation for himself sends a signal that the government is paying atte...

The final flight is to be made this summer by atlantis. and that will be number 135 for the space shuttles. >> and jay, for you, as well, because you've been there since every shuttle mission from the beginning. what's this like for you personally? >> well, it's getting to be a sad time. on so many fronts. i think the main reason is that once the last shuttle flies, another 128 people will be losing their jobs. and that's sad, because i have a lot of friends that have, you know -- even family and all. so it's a sad time. but yet is still a prideful time for these people who have done a pretty ...

A remarkable recovery, as we saw in this video when she climbed the steps of this airplane on her own yesterday. jay, this is an emotional day on so many levels. give me a sense of what you're expecting for tomorrow. >> well, right now, contessa, the countdown is on schedule. this will be the next to last mission, and i've just found out what is happening behind us here, about three miles on the ocean. it's what they call the astronauts' beach house. the families and the astronauts that will fly tomorrow, are together, having a barbecue. that will go on for oh, another 45 minutes or so. and th...

Confirmations. it's very likely that unless there's something that we don't know, that this is going to be pretty much accepted by the hill. they're very popular figures on the hill. >> right. the comments from the moment the stories came out yesterday have all been basically positive. so hopefully for them it will be smooth sailing. >> okay. smooth sailing also for the royal couple. that's also coming up tomorrow. thanks, jonathan. we have our hats and dresses and suits and gloves ready at 4:00 a.m. or 3:00 a.m. first an msnbc and that does it for us this edition of "andrea mitchell reports."...

And we have our fire units on there, and fire engines and bulldozers and the like, and it is burning 1 1/2 miles from the kennedy center press site, and the winds are blowing out of the south and blowing the smoke in that direction. there are no immediate threat to the facilities or the shuttle launch at this point. >> can you describe what you are seeing there, and is it getting larger and who is fighting this? >> the firefighters are employees of the u.s. fish and wildlife service stationed here at the merrit wildlife national refu refuge. this service manages all of the portions of the kenn...