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Endeavour blasts off in darkness

Last Updated: Feb 08, 2010

Endeavour lifts off from the Kennedy space centre in Florida on Monday. A NASA Photo

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CAPE CANAVERAL (BNS): US’s Endeavour space shuttle, carrying six astronauts, an Italian connecting module and a copula, lifted off from the Kennedy space centre here on Monday, NASA said.

The shuttle, carrying the STS-130 mission crew, blasted off at 0414 local time (0914 GMT) and headed towards the International Space Station.

About two minutes into flight, the external fuel tank and solid rocket boosters propelling Endeavour into space successfully separated and fell away. The shuttle and its crew have safely attained low-Earth orbit, NASA said.

The launch, initially scheduled to take place on Sunday, was delayed by 24 hours due to bad weather conditions.

The 13-day long STS-130 mission will include three spacewalks by the astronauts besides delivering the third connecting module – Tranquility – that will increase the ISS's interior space.

The Italian-made Tranquility module will provide an additional room to the ISS crew members and many of the orbital station's life support and environmental control systems, the US space agency said.

The cupola, attached to the module, is a robotic control station with six windows around its sides and another at the centre that will provide a panoramic view of the Earth, celestial objects and other spacecraft.

After the node and copula are attached to the ISS, the space station will be about 90 percent complete, NASA said.

Monday's launch is the last shuttle launch by NASA in darkness.