WEBVTT

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Intro music.

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Space Shuttle Discovery hurtled into orbit on July 26, 2005,

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returning the Shuttle to flight and beginning NASA's first step toward the Moon, Mars and beyond.

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"Main engines start... 7, 6, 5, three engines up and burning... 3, 2, 1 and liftoff of Space Shuttle Discovery, beginning America's new journey

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to the Moon, Mars and beyond. And the vehicle has cleared the tower."

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During this test mission, NASA accomplished a variety of goals while also learning some important lessons.

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At liftoff, a large piece of insulating foam broke off the External Tank.

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Now, NASA engineers are working to determine what caused this and how to prevent it from happening in the future.

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One of the STS-114 mission's main tasks was to transfer much-needed supplies to the

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International Space Station using the Multi-purpose Logistics Module Raffaello.

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"Few feet away, the Raffaello cargo module visible at the rear of the cargo bay right behind the aft bulkhead of the crew cabin, that's the

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Orbiter Docking System that will come into contact with the forward docking port of the Destiny Laboratory just over an hour from now."

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Discovery's seven-member crew also tested new in-flight safety procedures and repair techniques.

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Using the new Orbiter Boom Sensor System, the astronauts took an unprecedented, close-up look at the Shuttle's Thermal Protection System.

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After several days of careful analysis on the ground, the protective tiles and thermal blankets were pronounced fit for entry.

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Space Shuttle Discovery docked with the International Space Station after performing the first-ever "rendezvous pitch maneuver."

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This graceful, slow-motion back flip allowed Station crew members John Phillips and Sergei Krikalev to photograph the orbiter's underside.

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During the first of three spacewalks, Mission Specialists Stephen Robinson and Soichi Noguchi

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tested new techniques that could be used to repair damage to an orbiter's protective skin.

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On the second spacewalk, Robinson and Noguchi again ventured out into the vacuum of space to replace a failed Control Moment Gyroscope,

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which helps keep the Station oriented in space. During the third and final spacewalk,

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Robinson removed two gap fillers that protruded slightly between tiles under Discovery's forward end.

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"Okay, that came out very easily, probably even less force... It looks like this big patient is cured."

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While in orbit, the astronauts spoke to Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi,

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and even received a phone call from United States President George W. Bush.

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Both the STS-114 and Space Station crews took time to honor all space explorers who gave their lives for space exploration.

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On August 6, after nine days of cooperative work between the Discovery and Space Station crews, the orbiter undocked and the two parted ways.

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With a successful mission drawing to a close, they began preparing for homecoming.

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Discovery returned to Earth on August 9 with a flawless pre-dawn landing at California's Edwards Air Force Base.

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"It's just a tremendous step and it will be the first in many steps as we head out into the exploration of the solar system

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back to the Moon and onto Mars, and this team showed the kind of spirit and dedication to overcome difficulties that that is going to take.

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And I couldn't be more proud of them, It's a great day."

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