The launch — the last scheduled one in darkness for NASA’s fading shuttle program — helped set a record for the most women in space at the same time. Three women are aboard Discovery, and another is already at the space station. The shuttle should arrive at the orbiting outpost Thursday.
“It’s time for you to rise to orbit. Good luck and godspeed,” launch director Pete Nickolenko told the astronauts right before liftoff.
“Let’s do it!” replied commander Alan Poindexter.
NASA officials noted three small pieces of insulating foam flying off Discovery’s fuel tank, too late in the flight to pose a safety concern.
Only three shuttle missions remain after this one. NASA intends to retire its fleet by the end of September.
President Barack Obama will visit the area April 15, while Discovery is still in orbit, to fill in some of the blanks.
NASA’s moon exploration program, Constellation, already has been canceled by Obama.
Poindexter and his crew will spend nine days at the space station, replenishing supplies. The astronauts will install a fresh ammonia tank for the cooling system — a cumbersome job requiring three spacewalks. They also will drop off science experiments as well as an extra sleeping compartment, a darkroom to improve picture-taking from the lab’s high-quality window, and other equipment totaling thousands of pounds.
All these supplies are needed to keep the space station running long after NASA’s three remaining shuttles stop flying. NASA will rely on other countries’ vessels to deliver crews and supplies, but none are as big and roomy as the shuttle.
The space station will continue operating until 2020 under the Obama plan. The idea is for commercial rocket companies to eventually provide ferry service for astronauts.
