CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — Endeavour blasted off on NASA’s next-to-last shuttle flight, thundering through clouds into orbit this morning as the mission commander’s wounded wife, Gabrielle Giffords, watched along with an exhilarated crowd.

NASA is winding down its 30-year-old shuttle program before embarking on something new.

The shuttle quickly disappeared into the clouds, within seconds of liftoff.

Just before launching, commander Mark Kelly made some patriotic remarks: “It’s in the DNA of our great country to reach for the stars and explore. We must not stop. To all the millions watching today, including our spouses, children, family and friends, we thank you for your support.”

Remarkably, Giffords made a return visit to see Kelly off. She is still undergoing rehabilitation in a Houston hospital to recover from a gunshot wound to the head in an assassination attempt little more than four months ago.

The Arizona congresswoman was shielded from the cameras on launch day, as were the families of the other five astronauts. All watched the liftoff in private.

Giffords has kept out of the public eye since the Jan. 8 shooting that wounded her and killed six others in Tucson, Ariz.