Endeavour Has Patiently Waited for This
After several days of waiting Endeavour took off last night for the International Space Station. Part of me loves it anytime a spacecraft takes off and especially when it’s a safe and smooth launch — but another part of me regrets that it’s the year 2009 and NASA is still stuck with a vehicle that was designed in the 70s. But my hat is off to Commander Mark Polansky for a safe trip and return.
Endeavour’s mission should be an interesting one over the next two weeks: We’ll get to see five spacewalks and the installation of two platforms outside the International Space Station. The first addition to the space station will allow experiments to be directly exposed to space and the later is an experimental storage pallet that will be detached and will return home with the shuttle.
Above: Born June 2, 1956 in Paterson, New Jersey Mark L. Polansky will command the shuttle Endeavour for STS-127. Polansky joined NASA in August 1992, as an aerospace engineer and research pilot.