The NASA Countdown Clock Is enormous [Image Cache]

Once you’re a space nerd like me, you almost certainly knew that the enduring countdown clock at the Kennedy Space Center was big. Yesterday-on my first day covering Discovery’s Wednesday launch-I learnt it wasn’t big. This thing is humongous.

The digital countdown clock-which uses large, old-fashioned incandescent light bulbs to shape its numbers-actually looks quite battered in person. It doesn’t surprise me. It has been working since the days of the Apollo program. It’s located at the Launch Complex 39 Press Site, where journalists were following manned launches since Apollo 8, in 1968.

The Space Shuttle Discovery is scheduled to launch on mission STS-133 at 3:52PM this Wednesday, carrying the Permanent Multipurpose Module Leonardo and Robonaut to the International Space Station.

[You could follow launch preparations through my Twitter account . Major updates shall be posted here and at Gizmodo's Twitter account too. You too can follow the NASATweetup hash tag]

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This post is tagged: apollo program, countdown clock, incandescent light bulbs, international space station, kennedy space center, space shuttle discovery