After some delays and controversies, Mission STS-118 got off to a brilliant start as the seven-member crew headed into space in space shuttle Endeavour at planned 2336 BST on Wednesday from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
Endeavour’s mission STS-118 is the second of four shuttle flights that NASA plans this year. Dave’s proposed three Spacewalks and inclusion of schoolteacher-turned-astronaut Barbara Morgan makes it more special among other Shuttle missions.
Endeavour had not flown since Columbia disaster in 2003, when the shuttle disintegrated upon re-entry into the Earth’s atmosphere killing all seven astronauts.
The flight will fulfill a dream deferred from January 1986, when shuttle challenger blew up during take off, killing a crew that included the first designated teacher in space, Christa McAullif, Morgan’s friend, who had planned educational sessions from space.
This is Endeavour’s first flight since 2002 after going through massive overhauling and is now equipped with new modified instruments.
This section carried a truss weighing 1.58 tones and included installation of 3.3 tones exterior stowage platform. A defective gyroscope will be replaced during spacewalk.
This year has been full of embarrassments for NASA as astronauts were alleged to be intoxicated during flights. However, no strong evidences exist to prove the allegations.
With its four shuttle flights this year, NASA hopes to finish construction of the 100-billion-doller Space Station before 2010.
Via: BBC
