SPACE shuttle Endeavour – whose crew includes a North Yorkshire-born man – rocketed into orbit on what is likely to be the last night-time launch for the programme.
Dr Nicholas Patrick, originally from Saltburn-by-the-Sea, near Guisborough, was one of the six crew on-board the shuttle for the pre-dawn launch from Cape Canaveral, in Florida.
The sky was ignited with a brilliant flash seen for miles around. Thick, low clouds that had delayed a first launch attempt on Sunday returned, but then cleared away just in time.
There are just four more missions scheduled this year before the shuttles are retired.
