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Credit & Copyright: NASA
Explanation:
Two days ago, powerful yet controlled explosions rocketed the
Space Shuttle Endeavor on its final trip into Earth orbit.
The above image was taken seconds after
liftoff as the massive orbiter and six astronauts began a climb to a height
where the atmosphere is so thin it is
unbreathable.
The shuttle, on mission STS-134, is expected to dock with the
International Space Station (ISS) today.
The Endeavour will
deliver to the ISS, among other
things, an ambitious detector called the
Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer 2 (AMS),
a detector that over the next few years could detect a significant abundance of
specific types of
dark matter, charged
antimatter, and even a
strangely possible variation
of familiar matter called
strangelets.
The very last trip for any space shuttle is currently planned for mid-July when
Atlantis will also visit the space station.
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NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings, and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris. Specific rights apply.
A service of: LHEA at NASA / GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
Based on Astronomy Picture
Of the Day
Publications with keywords: space shuttle Endeavour
Publications with words: space shuttle Endeavour
See also: