The rocket ship took off at 10:06 p.m. EST as the glare from the shuttle's three main engines and twin solid-fuel boosters illuminated the clear night sky in spectacular fashion.
The launch went off on time despite a loose launch pad bracket that threatened to delay fueling operations by about two hours. The metal object was located on the so-called white room, a tight cubicle at the end of a swing arm the astronauts use to board the shuttle. Had the bracket fallen from the pad as the shuttle lifted off, it could have damaged the orbiter's left wing.
Technicians managed to remove the metal piece and to fuel Endeavour in time to meet the five-minute launch window.
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