I have a bad feeling about this...

Or maybe it's just a bit of shuttle paranoia that plagues my generation...

But it does seem to me that this particular launch of the shuttle Discovery (delayed several times since Jul 13) has had more than it's fair share of issues and NASA's apparent willingness to overlook a malfunctioning hydrogen level sensor (a failure of the sensor can result in premature shutdown of the orbiter's engines during the shuttle's ascent, and the space agency's decision to press ahead with the launch with just three of the four sensors working is a deviation from a rule instituted after the 1986 Challenger explosion.) troubles me somewhat. I am left to trust that many people much smarter than me know what they are doing.

Regardless, they will launch this morning. They carry with them my childhood hopes and dreams. My best wishes for a safe journey are with them.