APOD 4.7

Space Shuttle Rising

This picture is of the Endeavour Spacecraft taking off on May 16th, 2011 from the Kennedy Space Center.  As it disappeared from view below the clouds, the shuttle became visible to passing aircrafts.  The huge shuttle looks like a spec on the flat cloud layer, with a long shadow of its trail behind it.  The picture was taken from a shuttle training aircraft, but pictures from other planes are available.  The shuttle docked with the International Space Station on the 18th, and will return in early June.  This was the final flight planned for the craft, as well as for any other spacecrafts in the coming years.