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U.S. space shuttle Endeavour blasts off with seven astronauts aboard for the International Space Station at Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla., Friday, Nov. 14, 2008. [Xinhua/Reuters] |
U.S. space shuttle Endeavour blasted off with seven astronauts aboard from Florida Friday night on a mission of "extreme home improvement" for the International Space Station, according to NASA TV.
With a beautiful orange full moon as backdrop, Endeavour lifted off at 7:55 p.m. EST (0055 GMT on Saturday) from the Kennedy Space Center. The launch countdown went smoothly, without any technical issues popping out. The weather around the space center was also cooperative.
"Good luck, Godspeed and have happy Thanksgiving in orbit," launch director Mike Leinbach told the astronauts minutes before liftoff.
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Space shuttle Endeavour crew leave the Operations and Checkout Building to prepare for their launch at Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla., Friday, Nov. 14, 2008. [Xinhua/AFP] |
The shuttle will scuttle in space for two days before it arrives at the space station. It was carrying about 32,000 pounds in its payload bay, including supplies and equipment necessary to double the station's crew size from three to six by spring next year.
This time, Endeavour will deliver a new flight engineer, SandraMagnus, 44, to join the Expedition 18 crew aboard the station, and bring back flight engineer Greg Chamitoff to Earth after more thanfive months in space.
Endeavour's flight will also feature important repair work outside of the station. The 15-day flight with its four planned spacewalks will primarily focus on servicing the station's two Solar Alpha Rotary Joints, which allow its solar arrays to track the sun.
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U.S. space shuttle Endeavour blasts off with seven astronauts aboard for the International Space Station at Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla., Friday, Nov. 14, 2008. [Xinhua/Reuters] |
(Xinhua News Agency November 15, 2008)
