IMAGE 1000_99\1.Lbm,An immaculate Endeavour is rolled out of Rockwell's Palmdale assembly plant in California on April 25, 1991.
IMAGE 1000_99\2.Lbm,The crew of seven that will fly Endeavour on its maiden journey into space (from the left): Kathryn Thornton, Bruce Melnick, Pierre Thuot, Daniel Brandenstein, Kevin Chilton, Thomas Akers and Richard Hieb, pictured at the Rockwell plant at Palmdale, California.
IMAGE 1000_99\3.Lbm,At Edwards Air Force Base in California, Endeavour is mounted atop the shuttle carrier aircraft, ready for its journey to the Kennedy Space Center on May 7, 1991.
IMAGE 1000_99\4.Lbm,The shuttle carrier aircraft, with Endeavour mounted on top, begins to taxi along the runway at the Edwards Air Force Base on May 7, 1991.
IMAGE 1000_99\5.Lbm,Endeavour flies in to the Kennedy Space Center on May 7, 1991, atop the shuttle carrier aircraft. It will depart on its maiden flight exactly one year later.
IMAGE 1000_99\6.Lbm,The shuttle carrier aircraft rolls to a halt on the shuttle landing facility at the Kennedy Space Center on May 7, 1991, carrying the latest addition to the shuttle fleet, Endeavour.
IMAGE 1000_99\7.Lbm,Endeavour and the shuttle carrier aircraft on the runway at the Kennedy Space Center on May 7, 1991. Soon it will de-mounted and then towed to the Orbiter Processing Facility, the low building seen in the distance to the left of the towering VAB.
IMAGE 1000_99\9.Lbm,In the Orbiter Processing Facility at the Kennedy Space Center, Endeavour's third main engine is about to be installed, on November 19, 1991.
IMAGE 1000_99\11.Lbm,Mounted on the mobile launch platform, Endeavour creeps slowly along the crawlerway following roll-out from the VAB on March 13, 1992, heading for the distant Pad 39B.
IMAGE 1000_99\12.Lbm,Endeavour's main engines ignite for the first time on April 6, 1996, on a static test on Pad 39B. It is a flight readiness firing, performed by all new orbiters prior to launch.
IMAGE 1000_99\13.Lbm,The bail-out pole being installed in Endeavour on April 16, 1992. The crew would use it to effect an escape from the orbiter during an in-flight emergency.
xxIMAGE 1000_99\14a.Lbm,With the rotating service structure rolled back, Endeavour and the shuttle stack are bathed in the setting Sun on May 6, 1992, the eve of its first launch.
IMAGE 1000_99\16.Lbm,A few hours before Endeavour is due to launch on STS-49 on May 7, 1992, the crew don their flight suits. At left is mission specialist Bruce Melnick.
xxIMAGE 1000_99\18a.Lbm,Endeavour blasts off launch Pad 39B at 7.40 pm local time on May 7, 1992. Uncertain weather conditions at the Kennedy Space Center put the launch in doubt until the last moment. It is a flawless lift-off.
IMAGE 1200_99\278.Lbm,Endeavour climbs into the darkening Florida sky on its first journey into space, on May 7, 1992. (STS-49)
xxIMAGE 1000_99\18b.Lbm,With the glare from the twin solid rocket boosters nearly blinding the camera, Endeavour streaks into the evening sky on May 7, 1992.
IMAGE 1000_99\19.Lbm,The highlight of Endeavour's maiden flight is the hands-on capture by three astronauts of an Intelsat 6 communications satellite. From the left, the astronauts are Richard Hieb, Thomas Akers and Pierre Thuot.
IMAGE 1000_99\20.Lbm,On a record fourth spacewalk from Endeavour, Kathryn Thornton (foreground) and Thomas Akers practise building structures similar to those that will be needed in the construction of the forthcoming space station.
IMAGE 1000_99\21.Lbm,After its hugely successful 9-day first mission, Endeavour is about to touch down on the runway at the Edwards Air Force Base in California on May 16, 1992.
IMAGE 1000_99\23.Lbm,The main parachute deploys from Endeavour as it taxis along the runway after touchdown. It is the first time that a 'chute has been used to help brake the orbiter.
