Built to replace space shuttle Challenger , Endeavour was the final orbiter to join the shuttle fleet. Many newer features were added to Endeavour during construction, such as updated steering mechanisms, upgraded plumbing and electrical connections to allow for longer missions, and a drag chute that reduced wear and tear on the shuttle's brakes and tires.
Many of the innovations that were developed for Endeavour were added later to the other shuttles in the fleet. Endeavour first launched on May 7, for mission STS The capture of the satellite did not go as smoothly as planned, but the crew aboard was able to complete the mission through a series of four spacewalks—the most ever completed on a shuttle mission up to that time. One of the spacewalks was the longest ever recorded up to that time, and the second-longest ever—over eight hours!
That first mission set a precedent for Endeavour , whose string of 25 missions was marked with ingenuity and success. She worked as a general practitioner then spent several years with the Peace Corps. Endeavour was her only space voyage. Endeavor's mission last more than 7 days. It traveled 3. The crew of the space shuttle Endeavour share a laugh during the press conference, Sept. AP Photo AP. Space Shuttle Endeavour was retired in after 25 missions. The center describes the move on its website:.
After arrival, Endeavour honored many California landmarks as it flew over the State from Sacramento to Southern California while onlookers marveled at the sight all along the way. After landing at Los Angeles International Airport, the biggest adventure was yet to come, transporting Endeavour through the heart of urban Los Angeles to its new home at the California Science Center. Among other career highlights, its crew members performed the first Hubble Space Telescope servicing mission.
Endeavour also reached the Mir space station once and the International Space Station multiple times. About 6, schools participated in the contest, which set out several requirements for the name.
Among other stipulations, the shuttle had to be named after an "exploratory or research sea vessel" and the name also needed to be easily understood in space. Almost one-third of the participating schools chose the same name: Endeavour. It was a British ship that was best known for its first voyage with James Cook as captain. On that voyage, Cook brought Endeavour to Tahiti to watch the transit of Venus across the sun. Bush that selected the winning name on advice from the NASA administrator.
Construction on Endeavour commenced in , using spare parts from Discovery and Atlantis. Final assembly finished in July , and the shuttle was shipped to the Kennedy Space Center in May from its assembly location in Palmdale, Calif. Endeavour's first flight was a challenging one. The crew members of STS , when they rocketed to space on May 7, , were supposed to capture a satellite that was stuck in the wrong orbit, rescue it and loft it again into space.
Crew members reached the Intelsat VI satellite successfully, but ran into a snag when they needed to attach a "capture bar" onto the satellite to bring it into the shuttle. Dangling on the end of the Canadarm, Pierre Thuot tried to attach the bar to the satellite.
But as he touched it, Intelsat drifted away. More attempts the next day were also unsuccessful. NASA then came up with a new, riskier procedure to bring the satellite into the payload bay. For the first time, three astronauts did a spacewalk at the same time. The shuttle program experienced its second major disaster on February 1, , when just minutes before Columbia was scheduled to land at Kennedy Space Center and conclude its 28th mission, it broke apart while re-entering the atmosphere over Texas.
All seven astronauts on board perished. By the time Discovery completed its 39th and final mission the most of any shuttle in March , it had flown million miles, made 5, orbits of Earth and spent days in space. Endeavour completed its 25th and final mission in June That mission was commanded by Capt.
Mark Kelly, husband of former U. On July 8, , Atlantis was launched on its 33rd mission. With four crew members aboard, Atlantis flew thousands of pounds of supplies and extra parts to the International Space Station; it was the 37th shuttle flight to make the trip. Christopher J. But if you see something that doesn't look right, click here to contact us!
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