Shuttle blasts off in rare night launch

[SlowwHand]

By MIKE SCHNEIDER, Associated Press Writer
8 minutes ago

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Flashes of flame from space shuttle Discovery lit up the darkened sky Saturday as the space shuttle blazed off the launch pad for the first nighttime liftoff in four years.

The shuttle's seven astronauts are on a mission to rewire the international space station, one leg of a three-year race to finish construction on the orbiting outpost before shuttles are retired in 2010.

The illumination from the shuttle turned night into day for the spectators at the
Kennedy Space Center. A cloudy sky with blustery winds earlier in the day gave way to clear skies and a gentle breeze at launch time.

Low clouds forced the space agency to scrub an attempt Thursday night during a countdown that ran down to the wire. Managers decided not to try again Friday because the forecast looked even worse.

"Forty-eight hours makes a tremendous difference," launch director Mike Leinbach told the Discovery crew.

Commander Mark Polansky responded, "We look forward to lighting up the night sky."

During their 12-day mission, Discovery's crew will rewire the space station, deliver an $11 million addition to the space lab and bring home one of the space station's three crew members, German astronaut Thomas Reiter of the European Space Agency. U.S. astronaut Sunita Williams will replace him, staying for six months.

The Space Shuttle Discovery lifts off on mission STS-116 at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla., Saturday, Dec. 9, 2006. It is the first night launch of a shuttle in four years. (AP Photo/Dave Martin)

[Asher]

Saw it on HDNet in 1080i. Simply gorgeous.

[SlowwHand]

I haven't enlarged it yet, but that might make good wallpaper.

[Winston]

I just watched it on NASA-TV. Quite a sight to behold. As I managed to avoid thinking about the Swedish astronaut who's aboard (tsk), it was a 100% joyous experience.

[DanS]

Originally posted by Asher
Saw it on HDNet in 1080i. Simply gorgeous.

Are they going to have re-runs? I'll DVR it.

[Donegeal]

Re-runs of a shuttle launch that doesn't explode?

We are nerds.

[DanS]

This is only the 2nd or 3rd launch filmed in high definition and the first night launch. This should be amazing on my projector.

[SlowwHand]

Let's try this.

[Chemical Ollie]

I saw a night-launch live, but that was 8 years ago.

The current launch is big news in Sweden, as there is a Swedish guy among the crew. He has trained 14 years for this.

[Winston]

Originally posted by Chemical Ollie
[..] there is a Swedish guy among the crew. He has trained 14 years for this.

Yeah, you guys always were a bit slow on the uptake.

[Lancer]

I watched the night launch of the mission that fixed Hubble. What you can't get from the pics is the power of the thing. The roar hits you like shock waves, night turns to day as it rides its pillar of flame and is gone. Then to consider that there's people in it while it's blasting away...riding an explosion of great power.

[Ned]

Lancer, and to think that once upon a time, long long ago, we once had boosters even more powerful, boosters that could send man "to the moon and back," in the words of Jack K.

Those were the days.

Ollie, train up those Swedes for Moon missions. We are going back.

[korn469]

I went and watched it last night, and it was awesome. When it launched it first started the ascent it lit the sky up before I could even see the rocket. It reminded me of a nuclear bomb going off. Then it started climbing, and it passed through a cloud. It kept on goingt higher then when the rocket boosters seperated it went from an orange light to a bright white light. Then it looked like a huge sparkling star for about five minutes until it started fading out.

[DaShi]

Originally posted by Ned
Lancer, and to think that once upon a time, long long ago, we once had boosters even more powerful, boosters that could send man "to the moon and back," in the words of Jack K.

Those were the days.

What? We still have the power to blast people to Kingdom come. Heck, we can take whole cities there.

[korn469]

my camera doesn't take very good night photos, but here's a picture of the launch