Backgrounder: Seven astronauts aboard U.S. space shuttle Endeavour

The space shuttle Endeavour lifts off from the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida Nov. 14, 2008. Endeavour carries a crew of seven astronauts on a mission to the International Space Station.  (Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

　WASHINGTON, Nov. 14 (Xinhua) -- U.S. space shuttle Endeavour blasted off with seven astronauts aboard from Florida Friday night on a mission of "extreme home improvement" for the International Space Station, according to NASA TV.

    With a beautiful orange full moon as backdrop, Endeavour lifted off at 7:55 p.m. EST (0055 GMT Saturday) from the Kennedy Space Center. The launch countdown went smoothly without any technical issues popping out. The weather around the space center was also cooperative.

    "Good luck, Godspeed and have happy Thanksgiving in orbit," launch director Mike Leinbach told the astronauts minutes before liftoff.

    After successfully jettisoning its rocket boosters and external tank, Endeavour now is safely in orbit and all systems are running well, U.S. space agency NASA's real-time launch blog reported.

    The shuttle will scuttle in space for two days before it arrives at the space station. It is carrying about 32,000 pounds in its payload bay, including supplies and equipment necessary to double the station's crew size from three to six by spring next year.

    In the cargo are two sleeping quarters, a second toilet, a resistance exercise device and a water purification system, which will allow residents up there to recycle urine and waste water for drinking.

    "We are taking a three-bedroom, one-bathroom house and turning it into a five-bedroom, two-bathroom house with a gym," said Commander Christopher Ferguson. The new house will enable long-term, self-sustaining station operations after the U.S. shuttle fleet is retired in 2010.

    Endeavour's all-American crew includes five men and two women. It will deliver a new flight engineer, Sandra Magnus, 44, to join the Expedition 18 crew aboard the station, and bring back flight engineer Greg Chamitoff to Earth after more than five months in space.

    Endeavour's flight will also feature important repair work outside of the station. The 15-day flight with its four planned spacewalks will primarily focus on servicing the station's two Solar Alpha Rotary Joints, which allow its solar arrays to track the sun. The starboard SARJ has had limited use since September 2007.

    The spacewalkers will also install a new nitrogen tank, a global positioning system, an antenna, and a camera on the station's Integrated Truss Assembly.

    "This mission is all about home improvement," Ferguson said. "Home improvement inside and outside the station."

    It would also be a good way to mark the 10th birthday of the station on Nov. 20. The first station module was launched into space and construction began a decade ago.

    "We'll be transitioning to true utilization and setting up for six-person crew at that 10-year bench mark," said Mike Sarafin, NASA's lead shuttle flight director.

    "It's been a tremendous international effort to get to this point, and I can't think of a better way to celebrate it," Sarafin said.

    Endeavour is scheduled to return to Earth on Nov. 29. Only 10 shuttle flights remain before the U.S. space shuttle fleet is retired, including a final servicing call to the Hubble Space Telescope.

NASA completes fuel filling for space shuttle Endeavour

Space shuttle Endeavour crew leave the Operations and Checkout Building to prepare for their launch at Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla., Friday, Nov. 14, 2008. (Xinhua/AFP Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    WASHINGTON, Nov. 14 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. space agency NASA has completed the fuel filling for space shuttle Endeavour's big tank, getting ready for Friday's scheduled launch.

    Endeavour and its seven crewmembers are set to blast off Friday at 7:55 p.m. EST (0055 GMT on Saturday) from Kennedy Space Center in Florida, heading for the International Space Station on an "extreme home improvements" mission.

U.S. space shuttle Endeavour enters launch countdown

    WASHINGTON, Nov. 11 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. space shuttle Endeavour enters its official launch countdown at 10:00 p.m. EST on Tuesday (0300 GMT on Wednesday), aiming at a targeted launch on Nov. 14, NASA reported.

    Liftoff is scheduled for Friday at 7:55 p.m. EST from Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Preparations on Endeavour are on schedule for the liftoff with officials reporting no technical issues standing in the way of a launch, said NASA.

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