Space shuttle Discovery finally blasted off into Earth’s orbit with its crew of seven astronauts. The launch, which was delayed five times due to various technical problems, took place Sunday evening at 7:43 p.m. EDT just as the sun was setting, which gave photographers a very good background to immortalize the event. 

 

The space shuttle launched on a 13-day mission to deliver and install two more solar panels on the International Space Station (ISS). The Discovery will also deliver Japan’s first ever live-aboard crew member to the ISS (Dr. Koichi Wataka)  as well as a new distiller for the urine recycling system of the space station (the processor sent in November malfunctioned repeatedly).   

 

The time of the launch was perfect for photo makers. As Discovery rocketed away from the Kennedy Space Center, the launch fume it left behind glowed pink, peach and gold. Although delayed several times due to gas leaks, problems with valves controlling the fuel flow and other technical issues, the launch was probably one of the most pretties NASA officials have ever seen. The clear sky enabled watchers to see the space shuttle lifting up in the sky for several minutes. 

 

"We were all rewarded with a beautiful, beautiful launch," said launch director Mike Leinbach, The Associated Press reported. 

 

The space shuttle, with seven astronauts aboard, will reach the ISS on Tuesday. The space shuttle’s crew includes: Commander Lee Archambault, Pilot Dominic "Tony" Antonelli, Lead spacewalker Steven Swanson, Spacewalker Joseph Acaba, Spacewalker Richard Arnold, Mission Specialist John Phillips and Japanese Mission specialist Koichi Wakata. 

 

NASA had to cut the mission’s duration from 14 to 13 days and cancel a space walk due to the last delay of four days caused by fuel leak. Another factor that forced NASA to cut the mission duration by one day is the fact that Russia has scheduled the launch of a Soyuz rocket on March 26 and space shuttle Discovery has to leave the ISS by that time to make way for the Russian rocket. The Soyuz rocket’s mission is to carry a fresh crew to the ISS. 

 

This Discovery mission will feature three space walks. The first of them will be carried out on Thursday to install the new solar wings that will enhance the electric power on the ISS and will permit the station to hold six crew members instead of three. 

 

NASA attempted to launch Discovery on Wednesday, but a leak of hydrogen gas into the air from a vent line connected to the space shuttles external fuel tank forced the space agency to delay the launch and investigate the problem. NASA engineers couldn’t find something broken, but replaced the hookups. 

 

All was fine during countdown apart from a pressure drop in a helium-purge system, but NASA engineers resolved quickly. There was only another event that did not go as planned. A fruit bat was on the back of the space shuttle’s fuel tank and it most certainly died during the launch.