Archivo: STS-130 exhaust cloud engulfs Launch Pad 39A

Description: An exhaust cloud engulfs Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Centre in Florida as space shuttle Endeavour lifts off into the night sky. 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 space-walks 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.
Title: STS-130 exhaust cloud engulfs Launch Pad 39A
Credit: NASA
Author: NASA/Sandra Joseph and Kevin O'Connell
Usage Terms: Public domain
License: Public domain
Attribution Required?: No