Watch space shuttle launch at natural sciences museum Thursday

Starting at 4 p.m., NASA/JPL Solar System Ambassador Tony Rice will talk about what it takes to launch a space shuttle as the audience counts down a live view of the mission STS-133 launch, which is scheduled for 4:50 p.m. The presentation will include video of other launches along with a question and answer period about the space shuttle program. This will occur even if NASA changes the launch time (though it's looking like it's a "go" as they say).

And from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m., representatives of N.C. State's High Powered Rocketry Club will make their own luanch with a drinking-straw rocket. There also will be a fragment of the moon collected during the Apollo 17 lunar mission.