Space Shuttle Endeavour - STS-123 Launches - An RCS Glitch?

[Airline News]

In one of the more rare but amazing night launches, the Space Shuttle Endeavour and her crew launched from the Kennedy Space Center on their way to the International Space Station (ISS).

The orbiter began the flight on time launching at 02:29 am ET (unofficial - by my clock)

Watch our free video coverage of STS-123:

Space News

Included in the crew is an astronaut from Japan.

Watching live just as the call for "Go for throttle up" was made, Houston also said something along the lines of "No action on the left RCS, we will have words later."

My guess is there were warnings about the reaction control system (RCS) and Houston did not think the issues important enough to distract the crew from the ascent phase and so told them to ignore the warnings. Later a mention was made of the "signatures" of the left RCS jets.

Something else happened to the flash evaporator but the back-up mode seemed to work okay.

Unclear at this time.

Hope they stay safe...


And for the minute or so before main engine cut-off as they flew through space in the blackness of night the Space Shuttle and the external tank were surrounded by what must have been plasma, pulsing and swelling in a nearly supernatural glow.

An amazing sight that could have only been more stunning to the crew of Endeavour.