NASA space shuttle Endeavour lifts off

The US space shuttle Endeavour blasted off on Wednesday to resume construction of the International Space Station, freshly overhauled and carrying a teacher-turned-astronaut who trained for the ill-fated Challenger mission. It is the second shuttle launch of the year for NASA, which needs to pack in at least another 11 missions to finish building the international space station before the three remaining space shuttles are retired in 2010.