Space shuttle blasts off, finally flying on try 3

[Zomby Woof]

Source: AP

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Space shuttle Discovery and seven astronauts blazed into orbit Saturday on a spectacular midnight flight to the international space station, hauling up a treadmill named after a TV funnyman and thousands of pounds of more solemn supplies.

Discovery lit up the sky for miles around as it thundered away on NASA's third launch attempt. Lightning flashed far in the distance, and the ascending shuttle resembled a bright star until it blinked out of sight five minutes after liftoff.

The space station was soaring more than 220 miles above the Indian Ocean, southwest of Tasmania, when Discovery took off. The shuttle will reach the orbiting outpost Sunday night.

"It looks like third time really is the charm," launch director Pete Nickolenko told commander Rick Sturckow. "We wish you and your team good luck and Godspeed."


Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090829/ap_on_sc/us_space_shuttle_23

[RandomThoughts]

1. Rocket launches make me think of the movie Gattaca.

All the people that strive for things because they are the good things to do, even when people say they can't, not because they are most self serving or the best for themselves, but just because they are the good things to do.


There are some good quotes in this part of the movie.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABU3VHqSPsM

"You couldn't see could you, that night crossing the street, you crossed anyway."


"I got the better end of the deal, I only lent you my body, you lent me your dream."

[steven johnson]

2. Thank goodness the C.O.L.B.E.R.T. treadmill is going into space

The official patch.

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/behindscenes/node3_name_prt.htm

[Name removed]

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