Shuttle soars on 6th launch try

July 15, 2009

Update: 6:11 p.m. 

Space shuttle Endeavour made its long-delayed 8.5-minute flight into orbit today to complete construction of Japan's Kibo laboratory at the International Space Station. 

NASA waited out three days of bad weather before skies cleared enough for Endeavour's 6:03 p.m. blastoff. 

The flight previously was postponed by hydrogen fuel leaks.

The crew is scheduled to spend the rest of the month in orbit, conducting five spacewalks at the station to install Japan's experiments platform and preparing the station for operations after the shuttle fleet is retired next year. 

Update: Beautiful launch!

Update 5:56 -- Clear to launch .. "The weather is finally cooperaing so it is now time to fly," launch director Pete Nickolenko radioed to the crew shortly before liftoff. "Persistence pays off. Good luck and god speed."

Update 4:35 p.m. : Looks like NASA has a real shot at it today -- all the weather concerns have been lifted. Right now there are no impediments for launching at 6:03 p.m. EDT. 

Lightning, thunderstorms, rain ... looks like another launch day in Florida.

NASA is hoping this time around the clash of the sea breezes, stemming from opposite sides of the peninsula, will be positioned a little more inland, leaving a hole for Endeavour to fly through on its way to the space station. 

Never a good sign when you need umbrellas to get to the press site, but perhaps the clouds will blow over before 6:03 p.m. when NASA needs a 20-nautical mile patch of clear skies to launch. Florida weather is notoriously dynamic.

The crew appears in good spirits as they make their way into the shuttle. Lunch was a simpler affair this time around -- no lobsters on the menu on Wednesday. Grilled cheese sandwiches, BLTs and tenderloin steaks top the list. 

(Launch day blues at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Credit: NASA)

Comments

[Apollo 11]

Very nice snippet of info.