Discovery launch successful

Discovery has successfully blasted off from the launch pad.



The NY Times reports:

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla., July 26 - The Discovery completed its climb into space after taking off as planned at 10:39, embarking on the first shuttle journey since the loss of Columbia and its crew of seven astronauts over Texas on Feb. 1, 2003.The shuttle showed no signs at liftoff of the sensor troubles that had bedeviled NASA's last attempt to launch.

Just over two minutes after launching, the shuttle shed its rocket boosters and external tank, and shut down its main engines, signs that the craft had reached space. Parachutes were deployed from the boosters that allow them to drift back to earth and into the Atlantic Ocean, from where they will be towed ashore.

This is great news and we wish the crew of Discovery well.