Discovery blasts off

[Guest Glenn]

Source: http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,20903276-2,00.html

 

THE space shuttle Discovery soared into space from the Kennedy Space Centre today in NASA's first night launch since the Columbia disaster.Strong winds had put the liftoff in doubt but the gusts subsided about an hour before Discovery took off at 8:47pm (12:47pm AEDT) with a seven-member crew bound for the International Space Station.

 

Bad weather postponed an initial launch attempt on Thursday.

 

"Forty-eight hours makes a tremendous difference," NASA launch director Mike Leinbach told Discovery's crew shortly before launch.

 

"The weather is outstanding, the vehicle's in great shape, so we wish you all good luck, Godspeed and we'll see you back here in 12 days."

 

"We look forward to lighting up the night sky," Discovery commander Mark Polansky said.

 

During the 12-day mission, the astronauts will rewire the space station's electrical system, a crucial step in NASA's plan to finish building the outpost before the shuttles stop flying in four years. The launch was the third space shuttle mission in six months.

 

In addition to Polansky, the crew includes Sweden's first astronaut, Christer Fuglesang, pilot William Oefelein, flight engineer Robert Curbeam, and mission specialists Nicholas Patrick, Joan Higginbotham and Sunita Williams.

 

Managers recently lifted the ban on night launches, imposed after the 2003 Columbia disaster to ensure cameras had good lighting to spot any debris falling off the shuttle's fuel tank.

 

Debris damaged Columbia, triggering the breakup of the ship and the death of its seven astronauts as it re-entered Earth's atmosphere. The fuel tank has since been redesigned.

 

Discovery is scheduled to land on December 21 at the Kennedy Space Centre.

[Todd M]

And to add to that from the Sydney Morning Herald,

 

Discovery blasts off

 

Discovery lifts off at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida.

 

Photo: AP

 

December 10, 2006 - 12:56PM

 

Flashes of flame from space shuttle Discovery lit up the darkened sky as the space shuttle blazed off the launch pad for the first night-time liftoff in four years.

 

The shuttle's seven astronauts are on a mission to rewire the international space station, one leg of a three-year race to finish construction on the orbiting outpost before shuttles are retired in 2010.

 

The illumination from the shuttle turned night into day for the spectators at the Kennedy Space Centre today. A cloudy sky with blustery winds earlier in the day gave way to clear skies and a gentle breeze at launch time.

 

Low clouds forced the space agency to scrub an attempt Thursday night during a countdown that ran down to the wire. Managers decided not to try again Friday because the forecast looked even worse.

 

"Forty-eight hours makes a tremendous difference,'' launch director Mike Leinbach told the Discovery crew.

 

Commander Mark Polansky responded, ``We look forward to lighting up the night sky.''

 

During their 12-day mission, Discovery's crew will rewire the space station, deliver an $US11 million ($13.96 million) addition to the space lab and bring home one of the space station's three crew members, German astronaut Thomas Reiter of the European Space Agency.

 

US astronaut Sunita Williams will replace him, staying for six months.

 

Mission details

 

- 33rd flight for space shuttle Discovery.

 

- First night launch since the 2003 Columbia accident, 29th night launch in shuttle program history.

 

- Mission duration: 12 days.

 

- Goals: Deliver new spacer segment, a small piece of exterior structure, for International Space Station's external truss; rewire station's power system; station crew exchange.

 

- Mission highlights: Docking at the space station on Saturday; three spacewalks on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday; landing on December 21 at the Kennedy Space Centre.

 

AP

Source: http://www.smh.com.au/news/world/discov ... 40564.html