07 04 06

Tracy Young/Allard Beutel Kennedy Space Center, Fla 321-867-2468

Kyle Herring Johnson Space Center, Houston 281-483-5111

RELEASE: 45-06

NASA'S SHUTTLE DISCOVERY LAUNCH PROVIDES SPECTACULAR FIREWORKS

The Space Shuttle Discovery is on its way to the International Space Station after lifting off at 2:37:55 p m EDT Tuesday from NASA's Kennedy Space Center, Fla This was the first-ever space shuttle launch on Independence Day

"We're absolutely thrilled to be safely back in space again and are looking forward to evaluating shuttle system ascent performance as soon as possible," said NASA Administrator Michael Griffin

Discovery's mission, STS-121, is the second in NASA's Return to Flight sequence For 12 days, Discovery's crew members -- Commander Steve Lindsey, Pilot Mark Kelly, and Mission Specialists Mike Fossum, Lisa Nowak, Stephanie Wilson and Piers Sellers -- will continue testing new safety equipment and procedures that were introduced on the first Return to Flight mission, STS-114, last summer They also will deliver equipment, supplies, experiments and spare parts to the station

The STS-121 mission also will bring a third crew member, European Space Agency astronaut Thomas Reiter, to the orbiting laboratory The station has had two-person crews since May 2003

Discovery is scheduled to dock with the station Thursday

For the latest information on the STS-121 mission and its crew, visit:

http://www nasa gov/shuttle

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