Cape Canaveral, Fla. – March 11, 2008 — The seven woke up earlier than usual today, but then who could really sleep on the night before launching into orbit? At 2:28 a.m. EDT today, Space shuttle Endeavour launched from NASA's Kennedy Space Center to begin the STS-123 mission to the International Space Station.
“This is a great launch and a real tribute to the team to get it ready to go fly," said Bill Gerstenmaier, NASA's associate administrator for Space Operations.
During the 16-day flight, Endeavour's astronauts will work with the three-member space station crew and ground teams around the world to install the first section of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Kibo laboratory and the Canadian Space Agency's two-armed robotic system, known as Dextre.
STS-123 is the longest shuttle mission to the station and will include a record five shuttle spacewalks at the orbiting laboratory, delivery of a new crewmember to the complex and the return of another astronaut after nearly seven weeks aboard the station.
Shortly before launch, Commander Dominic Gorie thanked the teams that helped make the launch possible. "You've got seven smiling faces on board here," said Gorie. "God's truly blessed us with a beautiful night to launch so let's light 'em up and give them a show."
Joining Gorie on STS-123 are Pilot Gregory H. Johnson and Mission Specialists Robert L. Behnken, Mike Foreman, Rick Linnehan, Garrett Reisman and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Takao Doi. Reisman will replace current station crewmember Leopold Eyharts, who has lived on the outpost since early February. Reisman will return to Earth on shuttle Discovery's STS-124 mission, targeted for launch on May 25, 2008.
Today's launch was the 30th nighttime liftoff of a shuttle in the program's nearly 27-year history. It was the second nighttime launch since the shuttle fleet's Return to Flight, following the February 2003 loss of Columbia. The shuttle Discovery launched at night in December 2006.
There's a chance NASA will opt to extend STS-123 by two additional days, giving the mission bragging rights for the longest-ever shuttle flight, as well — surpassing the previous record, set by the STS-80 mission onboard Columbia, of 17 days, 15 hours, 53 minutes, 18 seconds.
NASA is providing continuous television and Internet coverage of Endeavour's mission, featuring live mission events, daily mission status news conferences and 24-hour commentary. Click here for the Web cast.
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Space shuttle Endeavour lifts off its launch pad at 2:28 a.m. EDT to start the STS-123 mission to the International Space Station. Credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann
Blazing into the cloud-covered sky, space shuttle Endeavour lifts off Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center. Launch was on time at 2:28 a.m. EDT. Photo credit: NASA/Fletcher Hildreth
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