Endeavour blazed a path through the sky here at the Kennedy Space Center at 8:56 a.m. EDT (1256 GMT), lifting off from the seaside Launch Pad 39A. The shuttle and its six-man crew are bound for the International Space Station, where they will spend 16 days delivering spare supplies and an ambitious astrophysics experiment.
"Looks like a great day to launch Endeavour for the final time," launch director Mike Leinbach told the crew. "On behalf of thousands of proud Americans who've been part of the journey, good luck, godspeed, see you back here on June 1."
As Americans, we endeavor to build a better life than the generation before and we endeavor to be a united nation," Kelly said in the final moments before launch. "In these efforts we are often tested. It is in the DNA of our great country to reach for the stars and explore. We must not stop."
The moment was bittersweet for the thousands of NASA workers who have devoted years to the maintenance of Endeavour and its two sister orbiters. After today, NASA has only one more shuttle mission planned before the shuttles are retired for good.
"Endeavour has had a pretty amazing career," Kelly said after he and his crew arrived in Florida for a first launch attempt in April. "It's going to be Endeavour's 25th flight, and me and my crew are excited to be a part of it."
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