KSC-2009-4147

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Space shuttle Endeavour soars into the sky on the STS-127 mission from NASA Kennedy Space Center as convoy command and SCAPE vehicles are in position at the Shuttle Landing Facility in the event a return-to-landing-site is needed. Liftoff was on-time at 6:03 p.m. EDT. This was the sixth launch attempt for the STS-127 mission. The launch was scrubbed on June 13 and June 17 when a hydrogen gas leak occurred during tanking due to a misaligned Ground Umbilical Carrier Plate. The mission was postponed July 11, 12 and 13 due to weather conditions near the Shuttle Landing Facility at Kennedy that violated rules for launching, and lightning issues. Endeavour will deliver the Japanese Experiment Module's Exposed Facility and the Experiment Logistics Module-Exposed Section in the final of three flights dedicated to the assembly of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Kibo laboratory complex on the International Space Station. Photo credit: NASA/Carl Winebarger