BRUCE BUCKINGHAM: Fifteen. Twelve. Eleven. Ten. Nine. Eight. Seven. Six. Go for main engines start. Main engines start.
Two. One. Booster ignition and liftoff of the Space Shuttle Discovery, returning to the space station, paving the way for future missions beyond.
Houston now controlling the flight of Discovery. The space shuttle begins the journey back into orbit.
Discovery completes its roll, the shuttle now heads down,
wings level for the 8-1/2 minute climb to orbit. This view from a camera on the external tank's liquid oxygen feedline
showing the bird's-eye view of Discovery as it races toward space,
a star-spangled start to Discovery's mission.
Discovery already 3-1/2 miles in altitude and 1-1/2 miles downrange, traveling almost 750 miles an hour. Everything looking good on the bird.
Fifty-seven seconds into the flight. Engines beginning to rev up. Standing by for the throttle-up call from Capcom Steve Frank.
CAPCOM: Discovery, Houston. Go at throttle up.
STEVE LINDSEY: Roger. Go at throttle up.
The throttle-up call acknowledged by Commander Steve Lindsey.
Discovery, Houston. Your expected data will clear shortly.
LINDSEY: Copy.
Lindsey joined on the flight deck by Pilot Mark Kelly, Flight Engineer Lisa Nowak and Mission Specialist Mike Fossum. Mission Specialists Piers Sellers,
Stephanie Wilson and Thomas Reiter of the European Space Agency down on the mid-deck. Reiter headed for six months on the International Space Station.