Space Shuttle Discovery Launch

Crowd Latest Launch From Space Shuttle Discovery: Discovery spaceship’s most traveled around the world, thundered into orbit for the last time on Thursday, heading toward the International Space Station for a trip that marks the beginning of the end of the shuttle era. The six astronauts aboard, all experienced space flyers, were thrilled to be on their way after a delay of almost four months for repairs to the fuel tank. However, he put Discovery on the verge of retirement when he returned in 11 days and possibly a museum leaders.
Discovery is the oldest of NASA’s three space shuttles and the first survivor to be decommissioned this year. Two missions remain, first by Atlantis and Endeavour, then, to finish the 30-year program.
It was the 39th launch of the Discovery shuttle mission 133rd overall.
“Enjoy,” the test driver by radio shortly before takeoff. Commander Steven Lindsey thanked everyone for working in Discovery is ready to go: “And to those watching, get ready to witness the majesty and power of discovery as she raises one last time.”
Emotions ran high as the discovery blew off its seaside pad in an afternoon blue sky and arced over the Atlantic during its farewell flight. There were a few tense minutes before takeoff when an Air Force computer problem arose. The problem was solved and Discovery took off about three minutes late, with only seconds remaining in the countdown.
Discovery reaches the space station Saturday, delivering a small room full of supplies and an experimental humanoid robot. “Rejoice in company with the ISS on here in a few days,” station commander Scott Kelly said in a Twitter message.
The orbiting laboratory has been soaring over the South Pacific when Discovery took off.
“Discovery doing one last reach for the stars,” the mission control commentator once said that the shuttle opened the launch tower.
On the television cameras on board showed a few pieces of insulating foam breaking the external fuel tank four minutes of flight, but should not pose any security problems because it was quite late after takeoff.

NASA is under the direction of the Chair to retire the shuttle fleet this summer, let private companies take more trips to orbit and focus on getting astronauts to Mars and asteroids.
About 40,000 guests gathered at Kennedy Space Center to witness history in the making, including a small delegation of Congress and Florida’s New Governor Rick Scott. frenzy of discovery was not only the launch site, but nearby towns.
The roads leading to the launch site were clogged with cars parked two and three deep; RV hooked first views along the Banana River before dawn. Businesses and governments joined in, offering signs with words of encouragement. “The heavens are to be discovered,” a church proclaimed Cocoa Beach. Foods stored on extra cakes red, white and blue with images of the shuttle. Shops run out of batteries for cameras.
The launch team also got into the act. A contest was held to craft the salutation from Launch Control “. Liftoff final discovery, a tribute to the dedication, hard work and pride of the American team of the Space Shuttle” Kennedy Affairs Office public is normally the dividing line. Souvenir photos of the discovery have been set aside for the auditors in the shooting gallery. Many have posed for group photos.
Lindsey and his crew take a break in the meaning of all this, before boarding the Discovery. They embraced in a group hug at the bottom of the barrel.
Unlike the first attempt back in November, no hydrogen gas leaked during refueling Thursday.
NASA was also convinced of cracks developing in the external fuel tank, nothing serious was found during final testing on the pad. Both problems occurred during the initial countdown at the beginning of November, and repairs took nearly four months. Cracks in the central part of the tank, which holds the instruments, but no fuel, could be dangerous.
Delaying long kept an original flight crew.
Astronaut Timothy Kopra, lead astronaut, was injured when he destroyed his bike last month. Astronaut Stephen Bowen experienced stepped in and became the first astronaut to carry out missions of shuttle return-to-back.
Meals aboard Discovery is Robonaut 2, or R2, to become the first humanoid robot in space. The experimental machine – looking for the man to the waist – remain boxed until after Discovery’s departure. His sister was on the launch site, perched atop a rover, goodbye.
“I’m in space! HELLO WORLD! “R2 said in a tweet sent by a man still on Earth.

Discovery already has 143 million miles to his credit, starting with its first flight in 1984. When this mission ends, the shuttle will be transferred to another 4.5 million miles. And he will have spent 363 days in space and orbit the Earth 5800 times when it returns March 7.
No other spacecraft has been launched repeatedly.
Discovery list of achievements include the provision of the Hubble Space Telescope into orbit, carrying the first Russian cosmonaut to launch a spacecraft from the United States, the implementation of the first rendezvous with the Mir space station with the Russian pilot first woman in the shuttle cockpit, Mercury astronaut John Glenn returned to orbit, and putting shuttle flights back to life after the Challenger accident and Columbia.