<p>"We have main engine start. Four, three, two, one, booster ignition and liftoff," an announcer from the space agency's mission control said.<br /><br />The shuttle basted off at 3:33 am IST on Thursday, in what was the sixth attempt on the heels of a stream of weather woes and technical troubles.<br /><br />Soaring into the Florida sky, the shuttle accelerated into space faster than the speed of sound, reaching 26,000 kilometers per hour in less than nine minutes.<br /><br />In the minutes before liftoff when it became clear that weather would not cause another costly delay, NASA's relief was evident.<br /><br />"Persistence pays off, good luck and God speed," said launch director Pete Nickolenko.<br />Endeavour's launch has been scrubbed three times since Saturday due to bad weather.<br />Two earlier attempts in June were aborted after potentially hazardous fuel leaks were discovered, apparently caused by a misaligned plate linking a hydrogen gas vent line with the external fuel tank.<br /><br />The previous attempts left the cash-strapped US space agency footing 4.5 million dollars in extra costs.</p>
<p>"We have main engine start. Four, three, two, one, booster ignition and liftoff," an announcer from the space agency's mission control said.<br /><br />The shuttle basted off at 3:33 am IST on Thursday, in what was the sixth attempt on the heels of a stream of weather woes and technical troubles.<br /><br />Soaring into the Florida sky, the shuttle accelerated into space faster than the speed of sound, reaching 26,000 kilometers per hour in less than nine minutes.<br /><br />In the minutes before liftoff when it became clear that weather would not cause another costly delay, NASA's relief was evident.<br /><br />"Persistence pays off, good luck and God speed," said launch director Pete Nickolenko.<br />Endeavour's launch has been scrubbed three times since Saturday due to bad weather.<br />Two earlier attempts in June were aborted after potentially hazardous fuel leaks were discovered, apparently caused by a misaligned plate linking a hydrogen gas vent line with the external fuel tank.<br /><br />The previous attempts left the cash-strapped US space agency footing 4.5 million dollars in extra costs.</p>