Discovery … We have Lift Off. The Ultimate Firework display by NASA on July 4th

Discovery blasts off

(Reuters)

(Reuters) The U.S. space shuttle Discovery roared off its Florida launch pad on Tuesday on a voyage to the International Space Station, a mission whose failure would likely ground the shuttle fleet permanently.

(AP)

(AP) Space Shuttle Discovery lifts off

After two weather delays and last-minute foam trouble, Discovery and a crew of seven blasted off Tuesday on the first shuttle launch in a year, flying over objections from those within NASA who argued for more fuel-tank repairs. The majestic shot — NASA’s first on Independence Day

(Reuters)

CNN: Good Luck and Godspeed

“And liftoff of the space shuttle Discovery returning to the space station, paving the way for future missions and beyond,” said NASA launch commentator Bruce Buckingham.

UPDATE: Discovery docks with space station

Steve Lindsey, Discovery’s commander, manually steered the shuttle’s nose up and slowly flipped the spacecraft over when Discovery was 600 feet under the space station. The 360-feet-degree flip started about an hour before the shuttle docked with the space station, traveling at a speed of 17,500 miles per hour, about 210 miles over Spain.

(AP via Yahoo News)