CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - In Firing Room 4 in the Launch Control Center at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, NASA managers monitor the countdown of space shuttle Endeavour. From left are Janet Petro, Kennedy Space Center deputy director; Michael Coats, Johnson Space Center director (leaning back); John Shannon, Space Shuttle Program manager; Bill Gerstenmaier, associate administrator for Space Operations; and Chris Scolese, NASA associate administrator. Launch of Endeavour on the STS-130 mission to the International Space Station was at 4 14 EST. This was the second launch attempt for


CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - In Firing Room 4 in the Launch Control Center at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, NASA managers monitor the countdown of space shuttle Endeavour. From left are Janet Petro, Kennedy Space Center deputy director; Michael Coats, Johnson Space Center director (leaning back); John Shannon, Space Shuttle Program manager; Bill Gerstenmaier, associate administrator for Space Operations; and Chris Scolese, NASA associate administrator. Launch of Endeavour on the STS-130 mission to the International Space Station was at 4 14 EST. This was the second launch attempt for space shuttle 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 a cupola, 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.


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