KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla., Dec. 5 (UPI) -- Six Americans and a veteran Russian cosmonaut rocketed into orbit Wednesday aboard the space shuttle Endeavour on NASA's first mission since terrorist strikes triggered heightened security measures at the country's premier launch site, as well as across the nation.
With most visitors banned from the Kennedy Space Center, strict no-trespass zones for airplanes and ships around Central Florida and military surveillance systems on full alert, shuttle Endeavour streaked into the sky Wednesday evening on a mission to deliver a new crew to the International Space Station.
As twilight settled over the spaceport, the shuttle took advantage of a break in the clouds, soaring up over the ocean on a flame-tipped pillar of smoke to begin a 45-hour journey to the orbital complex.
"Have a good flight and to the (station) Expedition Four crew, 'Farewell,' " NASA launch director Mike Leinbach told shuttle commander Dom Gorie just before liftoff.
Though the 107th shuttle mission is primarily intended to deliver a replacement crew for the station, the flight took on emotional overtones in wake of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. Flags that once flew over those buildings are aboard the shuttle, as well as small American flags that will be mounted on plaques and distributed to families of the people who died in the attacks.
"I think it shows our resolve and the fact that we press on with our
da-to-day lives and keep doing the great things that we're doing here
for the space program," said Endeavour's payload manager Todd Corey.
In addition to ferrying incoming station commander Yuri Onufrienko and astronauts Carl Walz and Dan Bursch to the outpost, the shuttle is carrying nearly four tons of equipment and supplies for the station, including science experiments.
After a week's stay at the outpost, Endeavour is to return to the Kennedy Space Center with the three men who have been aboard the station for the past 4 1/2 months. The new crew is to remain in orbit until mid-May.
While berthed at the outpost, shuttle crewmembers Linda Godwin and Dan Tani are scheduled to make a four-hour spacewalk to improve the operation of the station's power-producing solar arrays. Endeavour is due back at the Kennedy Space Center on Dec. 16.
