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Space Shuttle Endeavour successfully lifted off on its final voyage into space Monday from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Airmen, civilians, and contractors with the 45th Space Wing at nearby Cape Canaveral Air Force Station provided support for the historic mission, including weather forecasts, launch and range operations, safety, and public affairs. “Speaking on behalf of the entire Eastern Range team, congratulations and best wishes to the crew aboard Endeavour as they support our nation’s human space program,” said Brig. Gen. Ed Wilson, 45th SW commander. Endeavour’s 14-day mission to the International Space Station is the second-to-last shuttle flight. Among its payloads for ISS are two Air Force Research Lab experiments and the Air Force Academy’s Canary experiment. The 30-year-old shuttle program is set to end in mid-July with the final flight of Atlantis. (Cape Canaveral release) (Watch Endeavour’s launch at NASA’s website)
The Air Force and Boeing agreed to a nearly $2.4 billion contract for a new lot of KC-46 aerial tankers on Nov. 21. The deal, announced by the Pentagon, is for 15 new aircraft in Lot 11 at a cost of $2.389 billion—some $159 million per tail.