Environment

Shuttle Endeavour Launches from Cape Canaveral: 6th Attempt

by Amy Judd | July 15, 2009 at 02:14 pm

761 views | 30 Recommendations | 8 comments

The Space Shuttle Endeavour launches finally from Cape Canaveral Base in Florida, after six attempts to get it in to the atmosphere.

There were five launch delays due to weather, but Endeavour finally took off with seven astronauts on board, on the 40th anniversary of the liftoff of the first moon landing.

On July 16, 1969, Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins rocketed in to space, and now these seven astronauts are following in their footsteps, bound for the international space station.

Thunderstorms delayed the launching of Endeavour previously, but conditions improved just as the astronauts reached the launched pad, and the shuttle took off at 6:03pm ET.

Shuttle commander Mark Polansky noted that he launched the first time he strapped into the shuttle cockpit for his first flight in 2001, and the second time he strapped in for his second flight in 2006. “Today is 3rd time” for this mission, his third, he noted in a Twitter update sent before boarding the shuttle. “Hope the pattern holds.”

"It is now time to fly," launch director Pete Nickolenko told Polansky during the countdown's final minutes. "Persistence pays off."

Polansky radioed back his thanks. "We're ready to go, and we're going to take you all with us on a great mission," he said.

If the shuttle hadn't taken off by Thursday the mission would have had to be delayed till July 26 as the Russians need to make a space station supply run.

31 See all footage | View Slideshow

Share: email story | add to any | | facebook | stumbleupon

recommend Sign In or Join to post comments

158

at 14:36 on July 15th, 2009

Good report

I am glad they finally got started

Uwe Paschen

at 17:57 on July 15th, 2009

Finally , I almost gave up by now.

A. Tran

at 18:19 on July 15th, 2009

At last, they were off. Thanks for covering the event, Amy. NASA TV is excellent

neilabraham

at 21:50 on July 15th, 2009

NASATV has excellent coverage and replays of this!!!!

Thanks Amy!!!

nategri

at 04:21 on July 16th, 2009

Waited four days to take this photo. I'm glad the crew of the Endeavour are finally on their way.

nategri has contributed a photo to this story.

Stevewangster

at 14:16 on July 16th, 2009

It was my first time seeing the takeoff of a shuttle up close and personal. It was a breathtaking moment.

Stevewangster has contributed a photo to this story.

danesller0127

at 08:27 on July 25th, 2009

I'm glad Endeavour launches finally with seven astronauts on board bound to international space station, despite of delays due to bad weather... Thanks Amy! :D

paul_fotos

at 16:26 on July 26th, 2009

Space Shuttle Endeavour and its jettisoned external fuel tank 18 minutes after launch as viewed from Dublin, Ireland. This is only the second time in the mission's history where both the space shuttle and its external fuel tank have been visble from Ireland.

paul_fotos has contributed a photo to this story.