Endeavour Launches on STS-130 Mission

STS130-S-031 (8 Feb. 2010) --- Against a black night sky, space shuttle Endeavour and its six-member STS-130 crew head toward Earth orbit and rendezvous with the International Space Station. Liftoff was at 4:14 a.m. (EST) on Feb. 8, 2010 from launch pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center. Onboard are NASA astronauts George Zamka, commander; Terry Virts, pilot; Robert Behnken, Kathryn Hire, Nicholas Patrick and Stephen Robinson, all mission specialists. This was the second launch attempt for Endeavour's STS-130 crew and the final scheduled space shuttle night launch. The first attempt on Feb. 7 was scrubbed due to unfavorable weather. The primary payload for the STS-130 mission to the International Space Station is the Tranquility node, a pressurized module that will provide additional room for crew members and many of the station's life support and environmental control systems. Attached to one end of Tranquility is the Cupola module, a unique work area with six windows on its sides and one on top. The Cupola resembles a circular bay window and will provide a vastly improved view of the station's exterior. The multi-directional view will allow the crew to monitor spacewalks and docking operations, as well as provide a spectacular view of Earth and other celestial objects. The module was built in Turin, Italy, by Thales Alenia Space for the European Space Agency.