Space shuttle Endeavour lifts off to begin its first mission, STS-49. The shuttle would rendezvous with a stranded communications satellite and return it to service.
The Space Shuttle Endeavour soars toward Earth orbit on the STS-49 mission with a crew of seven NASA astronauts. Endeavour, the newest orbiter in NASA’s Space Shuttle fleet, lifted off from Pad 39B (at 7:40 p.m. EDT), May 7, 1992. Onboard are astronauts Daniel C. Brandenstein, mission commander; Kevin P. Chilton, pilot; and Richard J. Hieb, Bruce E. Melnick, Pierre J. Thuot, Kathryn C. Thornton and Thomas D. Akers, all mission specialists. The shuttle would rendezvous with a stranded communications satellite and return it to service.
Image Credit: NASA