PMFORUM Breaking News
Breaking News in the Project Management World
Tuesday, February 09, 2010
Space Shuttle Endeavor Heads for International Space Station with final Night Launch
Lighting
up the sky for the last time, space shuttle Endeavour lifted off from
NASA's Kennedy Space Center in the USA at 4:14 a.m. (9:14 GMT) on
Monday, 8 February 2010. The shuttle's final scheduled night launch
began a 13-day flight to the International Space Station; this is also
the final year of space shuttle operations. Endeavour's STS-130 mission
will include three spacewalks and the delivery of the Tranquility node,
the final major U.S. portion of the station. Tranquility will provide
additional room for crew members and many of the space station's life
support and environmental control systems.
Attached
to Tranquility is a cupola with seven windows, which houses a robotic
control station. The windows will provide a panoramic view of Earth,
celestial objects and visiting spacecraft. After the node and cupola
are added, the orbiting laboratory will be approximately 90 percent
complete.
Photo: Space shuttle Endeavour roars off Launch Pad 39A on its STS-130 mission to deliver Tranquility and cupola to the International Space Station. Image credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann; courtesy of NASA.
Shortly before liftoff, Commander George Zamka said, "Thanks to the great team that got Tranquility, cupola and Endeavour to this point. And thanks also to the team that got us ready to bring Node 3 and cupola to life. We'll see you in a couple of weeks. It's time to go fly."
Other
crew members on the flight include Pilot Terry Virts and Mission
Specialists Kathryn Hire, Stephen Robinson, Nicholas Patrick and Robert
Behnken. Virts is making his first trip to space.
Photo at right: (From left) Mission Specialist Nicholas Patrick, Pilot Terry Virts, Mission Specialists Robert Behnken and Kathryn Hire, Commander George Zamka and Mission Specialist Stephen Robinson. Courtesy of: NASA
Endeavour's first landing opportunity at Kennedy will be Saturday, February 20, at 10:01 p.m. The STS-130 mission will be Endeavour's 24th flight and the 32nd shuttle mission dedicated to station assembly and maintenance.
NASA's Web coverage of STS-130 includes mission information, interactive features, news conference images, graphics and videos. Mission coverage, including the latest NASA TV schedule, is available on the main space shuttle Web site at: http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle. For NASA TV streaming video, downlink and schedule information, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/ntv.
Created in 1958, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is America's focal point for research, development and exploration of outer space. For over 50 years, NASA has been leading the world in the development and usage of advanced program and project management. Additional information about NASA can be found at www.nasa.gov.
Photo: Space shuttle Endeavour roars off Launch Pad 39A on its STS-130 mission to deliver Tranquility and cupola to the International Space Station. Image credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann; courtesy of NASA.
Shortly before liftoff, Commander George Zamka said, "Thanks to the great team that got Tranquility, cupola and Endeavour to this point. And thanks also to the team that got us ready to bring Node 3 and cupola to life. We'll see you in a couple of weeks. It's time to go fly."
Photo at right: (From left) Mission Specialist Nicholas Patrick, Pilot Terry Virts, Mission Specialists Robert Behnken and Kathryn Hire, Commander George Zamka and Mission Specialist Stephen Robinson. Courtesy of: NASA
Endeavour's first landing opportunity at Kennedy will be Saturday, February 20, at 10:01 p.m. The STS-130 mission will be Endeavour's 24th flight and the 32nd shuttle mission dedicated to station assembly and maintenance.
NASA's Web coverage of STS-130 includes mission information, interactive features, news conference images, graphics and videos. Mission coverage, including the latest NASA TV schedule, is available on the main space shuttle Web site at: http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle. For NASA TV streaming video, downlink and schedule information, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/ntv.
Created in 1958, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is America's focal point for research, development and exploration of outer space. For over 50 years, NASA has been leading the world in the development and usage of advanced program and project management. Additional information about NASA can be found at www.nasa.gov.