Space Shuttle Launch on NASA TV

space shuttle launch of STS-134, scheduled to be the final launch of space shuttle Endeavour at 3:47 p.m. ET was put on hold and scrubbed for today. NASA cited issues with the shuttle’s APU heaters as the reason for the cancellation of today’s launch.

Coverage of the launch, and now the postponment, can be followed in real time on NASA TV, or on the internet via NASA TV on the NASA.gov web site.

John James Audubon’s

Two hundred years ago this month, internationally renowned artist and ornithologist John James Audubon made his first foray across Illinois, keeping a journal about his travels and travails. These journals give modern readers a rare glimpse of the prairie state in its natural state. It is difficult to imagine, but in May 1811 Audubon made an epic journey walking across Southern Illinois, traveling all day without seeing another human.
We are celebrating this journey with a whistle-stop tour of several communities along the way from St. Genevieve, MO to Henderson, KY. Audubon published several short stories about his travels in the area, which will be the basis for these special programs.
In each community there will be an opportunity to go birding with Audubon, school programs, a museum exhibit and a free performance open to the public. All of this is organized by Fox Tales International with generous support from The Illinois Humanities Council, the Illinois Audubon Society, The Illinois State Museum, The John A. Logan Museum, Peoria Audubon and Shawnee Audubon.

Sony claims PlayStation Network

Sony was claims the hackers  broke PlayStation Network last week are unlikely to have stolen customers' credit card details from its servers because the data was encrypted.

The news reduces, but doesn't eliminate, the chances that thieves might use tens of millions of people's personal banking information.

Sony said in a blog post on Wednesday that while it had no direct evidence the data was even taken, it cannot rule out the possibility. 

Endeavour's Shuttle

Today's postponed launch of the space shuttle Endeavour is not only disappointing for the thousands of spectators that flocked to the Florida coast to see the historic liftoff; the delay also carries a large price tag, NASA officials say.

"It's the cost of propellant, capture most of the propellant back, and recycle it and use it again, but some of it gets boiled off. The propellant is really the cost."

Ground crews will now drain the propellant from the shuttle's massive external fuel tank. Beutel estimates that this de-tanking process costs approximately $500,000.