News

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) – If you leave something behind on
this trip, it’s not as if you can double back for it.
Space shuttle astronaut Stephen Robinson forgot the binder
holding his flight data files when he headed out to the launch pad
for today’s early-morning launch of “Endeavour.” So, someone had
to run out to the pad with it, just before Robinson climbed aboard.
Aside from that, the countdown and launch went smoothly, and
officials say a quick look at the video didn’t reveal any pieces of
foam insulation striking the shuttle.
Within 15 minutes of taking off, a crew member said astronauts
were enjoying “a beautiful sunrise” from orbit, with the moon as
a backdrop.
The shuttle is due at the International Space Station on
Wednesday, delivering a new room and an observation deck.
There are just four more shuttle missions scheduled this year
before the shuttles are retired.