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Space Shuttle Endeavour Lifts off for Space Station
Space shuttle Endeavour thundered away Thursday, carrying seven astronauts on a mission to install a massive billion-dollar robot arm on the international space station.
Endeavour lifted off at 2:40 p.m., right on time.
It was a fine day for flying, and not just because of the good weather. Thursday marked the 30th anniversary of the launch of the world's first space station, the Soviet Union's Salyut 1.
The difference, between then and now, was especially striking given the composition of Endeavour's crew. The astronauts come from four countries, making this the most internationally diverse space crew ever.
About 20,000 guests from around the world jammed into Kennedy Space Center for the launch, drawn by not only the international shuttle crew but the convenient liftoff time and the Easter holiday break.
The space station was soaring over the Indian Ocean, near the Maldives, when Endeavour bolted off its launch pad. The shuttle will catch up with the station on Saturday.
This will be the most complicated robotics mission ever attempted in space. The shuttle's own 50-foot robot arm will be used to hook up the even bigger and fancier space station arm. The work will require two crews ¡ª one in the shuttle and one in the station ¡ª and at least two spacewalks next week.
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