Space shuttle endeavour final launch
The public was reminded of the Shuttle’s majesty last Monday when the California Science Center took a major step towards completing a one-of-a-kind display. As the most complex machines ever built, they stand as symbols of human ingenuity and the triumphs and tragedies which are intrinsic to exploration. Despite this, the elegant winged orbiters still hold a special place in American culture. Over 12 years have passed since the Space Shuttle program entered the history books with the bittersweet landing of STS-135. The Space Shuttle Endeavour, encapsulated in a protective layer of shrink wrap, is attached to the External Tank and Solid Rocket Boosters which will join her on display. Visit for complete coverage of Endeavour's final mission STS-134 or follow us on Twitter or Facebook. You can follow senior writer Clara Moskowitz on Twitter ClaraMoskowitz. Endeavour will retire to the California Science Center in Los Angeles, with the other three vehicles going to museums along the U.S. After Endeavour's final flight, NASA will launch the Atlantis orbiter on the last-ever shuttle mission - a flight that is currently slated to lift off on June 28.Īll three of NASA's spaceworthy shuttles, as well as the prototype Enterprise which never flew in space, will be retired to museums for public display. NASA is retiring its space shuttle program after just two more missions to make way for a future exploration plan aimed at sending astronauts to visit an asteroid by 2025. Giffords is here at Kennedy Space Center to watch her husband launch into space.
Giffords, who is recovering from a bullet wound she received during a January mass shooting outside a Tucson grocery store. Įndeavour's veteran crew will be led by Mark Kelly, husband of wounded Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, D-Ariz. The 14-day flight will feature four ambitious spacewalks outside the orbiting laboratory. The space shuttle Endeavour is slated to carry six astronauts, a $2 billion astrophysics experiment, and a load of spare parts to the International Space Station. Florida's Space Coast was expecting an influx of tourist revenue from the roughly three-quarters of a million visitors. Many thousands of others will also have to postpone their shuttle-viewing plans. There's no word yet on whether Obama will still attend the next launch attempt. "Safety always comes first."Īmong the disappointed hopeful viewers of the launch are President Barack Obama and his family, who were planning to watch Friday's shuttle liftoff. "Obviously we would have very much loved to have seen Endeavour lifting off this afternoon, but that wasn’t to be the case," Bob Cabana, director of Kennedy Space Center, said in a press conference Friday afternoon. The space agency expected up to 750,000 spectators for Endeavour's launch. The launch delay likely disappointed the throngs of spectators that flooded the launch viewing sites around the Kennedy Space Center with hopes of seeing one of NASA's final space shuttle launches before the 30-year-old shuttle fleet is retired for good later this year. EDT, after Endeavour was fully fueled and the astronauts were suited up in their bright orange launch and entry suits. NASA called off today's launch at 12:19 p.m. "We look like we've got a good shot to keep trying here," said Mike Moses, chair of the shuttle's mission management team. NASA can pick back up again trying to launch Endeavour May 9 or May 10. After that, the shuttle must stand down to allow an unmanned Atlas 5 rocket to launch from the nearby Cape Canaveral Air Force Station on May 6. NASA has through May 4 to continue trying to fly Endeavour. EDT (1733 GMT) from Launch Pad 39A here at Kennedy Space Center. The next chance to launch Endeavour comes Monday (May 2) at 2:33 p.m. Mission managers decided to delay at least 72 hours to look into the source of the problem.