Space Shuttle Endeavour is captured moments after liftoff from Launch Pad 39A.

Space Shuttle Endeavour is captured moments after liftoff from Launch Pad 39A. The water used for sound suppression (at left and below right) is just being released. In the upper background can be seen the Atlantic Ocean. Launch of Endeavour occurred at 12:43:40 p.m. EST. Known as the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM), STS-99 will chart a new course to produce unrivaled 3-D images of the Earth's surface. The result of the SRTM could be close to 1 trillion measurements of the Earth's topography. The mission is expected to last 11days, with Endeavour landing at KSC Tuesday, Feb. 22, at 4:36 p.m. EST. This is the 97th Shuttle flight and 14th for Shuttle Endeavour