\u0026times; related photos \u0026laquo; \u0026raquo; the space shuttle discovery lifts off at kennedy space center in cape canaveral, fla., thursday, feb. 24, 2011. discovery, the world's most traveled spaceship, thundered into orbit for the final time thursday, heading toward the international space station with a crew of six on a journey that marks the beginning of the end of the shuttle era.(ap photo/chris o'meara) enlarge photo related video \u0026times;video: shuttle discovery's final launch apnasa's most traveled space shuttle took off on its final voyage after nearly three decades of service, http://www.highheeledshoesstore.com - http://www.highheeledshoesstore.com - Yves Saint Laurent Wedges . discovery's journey to the international space station marks the beginning of the end of the shuttle era. only two more missions are left. (feb. 24) video: shuttle discovery's final launch 50 retired engineers honored for work on mercury capsules their work a half century ago at mcdonnell aircraft gave spaceprogram a big boost. read more cape canaveral, fla. -- discovery, the world'smost traveled spaceship, thundered into orbit for the final time at3:53 p.m. central time thursday, heading toward the internationalspace station on a journey that marks the beginning of the end ofthe shuttle era.the six astronauts on board, all experienced space fliers, werethrilled to be on their way after a delay of nearly four months forfuel tank repairs. but it puts discovery on the cusp of retirementwhen it returns in 11 days and eventually heads to a museum.\"discovery now making one last reach for the stars,\" the missioncontrol commentator said once the shuttle cleared the launchtower.discovery is the oldest of nasa's three surviving space shuttlesand the first to be decommissioned this year. two missions remain,first by atlantis and then endeavour, to end the 30-yearprogram.it was discovery's 39th launch and the 133rd shuttle missionoverall.there were several tense minutes just before liftoff when an airforce computer problem popped up and threatened to halt everything, http://www.cheapestnewera.com - http://www.cheapestnewera.com - cheap New Era fitted hats .the issue was resolved and discovery blasted off three minuteslate, with just two seconds to spare.\"great way to go out,\" said launch director mike leinbach.launching late in the window like that \"probably makes it a littlebit more sweet.\"\"i would say we scripted it that way, http://www.cheapestnewera.com - http://www.cheapestnewera.com - New Release ,\" added mike moses,chairman of the mission management team, \"but i could use a littleless heart palpitations in the final couple seconds of thecountdown.\"as the final minutes ticked away, commander steven lindseythanked everyone for the work in getting discovery ready.\"and for those watching,\" he called out, \"get ready to witnessthe majesty and the power of discovery as she lifts off one finaltime, http://www.cheapestyslshoes.com - http://www.cheapestyslshoes.com - Christian Louboutin Pumps .\"emotions ran high as the shuttle rocketed off its seaside padinto a late afternoon clear blue sky, and arced out over theatlantic on its farewell flight. discovery will reach the spacestation saturday, delivering a small chamber full of supplies andan experimental humanoid robot.\"look forward to having company here on iss in a couple days,\"station commander scott kelly said in a twitter message.the orbiting lab was soaring over the south pacific whendiscovery took off.on-board tv cameras showed some pieces of foam insulationbreaking off the shuttle's external fuel tank four minutes into theflight, more than usual in fact. but it shouldn't pose any safetyconcerns because it was late enough after liftoff, officialssaid.nasa is under presidential direction to retire the shuttle fleetthis summer, let private companies take over trips to orbit andfocus on getting astronauts to asteroids and mars.an estimated 40,000 guests gathered at kennedy space center towitness history in the making, including a small delegation fromcongress and florida's new gov. rick scott. discovery frenzy tookover not only the launch site, but neighboring towns.roads leading to the launching site were jammed with cars parkedtwo and three deep; recreational vehicles snagged prime viewingspots along the banana river well before dawn. businesses andgovernments joined in, their signs offering words of encouragement.\"the heavens await discovery,\" a cocoa beach church proclaimed, http://www.cheapestyslshoes.com - http://www.cheapestyslshoes.com - YSL .groceries stocked up on extra red, white and blue cakes withshuttle pictures. stores ran out of camera batteries.the launch team also got into the act. a competition was held tocraft the departing salutation from launch control: \"the finalliftoff of discovery, a tribute to the dedication, hard work andpride of america's space shuttle team.\" kennedy's public affairsoffice normally comes up with the parting line. souvenir photos ofdiscovery were set aside for controllers in the firing room. manyposed for group shots.lindsey and his crew paused to take in the significance of itall, before boarding discovery. they embraced in a group hug at thebase of the launch pad.unlike the first try back in november, no hydrogen gas leakedduring thursday's fueling.nasa also was confident no cracks would develop in the externalfuel tank; nothing serious was spotted during the final checks atthe pad. both problems cropped up during the initial countdown inearly november, and the repairs took almost four months. the cracksin the midsection of the tank, which holds instruments but no fuel,could have been dangerous.the lengthy postponement kept one of the original crew fromflying.astronaut timothy kopra, the lead spacewalker, was hurt when hewrecked his bicycle last month. experienced spacewalker stephenbowen stepped in and became the first astronaut to fly back-to-backshuttle missions. kopra watched the liftoff back in houston; he'llhelp out in mission control during next week's two spacewalks.packed aboard discovery is robonaut 2, or r2, set to become thefirst humanoid robot in space. the experimental machine - lookinghuman from the waist up - will remain boxed until after discoverydeparts. its twin was at the launch site, perched atop a rover,waving goodbye.\"i'm in space! hello universe!!!\" r2 announced in a tweet sentby a nasa spokeswoman.discovery already has 143 million miles to its credit, beginningwith its first flight in 1984. by the time this mission ends, theshuttle will have tacked on another 4.5 million miles. and it willhave spent 363 days in space and circled earth 5,800 times when itreturns march 7, http://www.dieseljeansforwomen.com - http://www.dieseljeansforwomen.com - Mens Diesel Jeans .no other spacecraft has been launched so many times.discovery's list of achievements include delivering the hubblespace telescope to orbit, carrying the first russian cosmonaut tolaunch on a u.s. spaceship, performing the first rendezvous withthe russian space station mir with the first female shuttle pilotin the cockpit, returning mercury astronaut john glenn to orbit,and bringing shuttle flights back to life after the challenger andcolumbia accidents.discovery is expected to be eventually put on display by thesmithsonian institution.---online:nasa: http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle
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