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There She Goes
Credit: NASA/Tony Gray and Tom Farrar
Space shuttle Discovery soars into space from Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, on Feb. 24, 2011, beginning its final flight to the International Space Station on the STS-133 mission.
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And We Have Ignition
Credit: NASA
Space shuttle Discovery ignites for liftoff on Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida beginning its final flight to the International Space Station on the STS-133 mission.
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Soaring to Space
Credit: NASA/Kenny Allen
Space shuttle Discovery hurtles upwards at an amazing 17,500 miles per hour, embarking on the STS-133 mission to the International Space Station. Liftoff from launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida occurred on Feb. 24, 2011.
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Floating on Clouds
Credit: NASA/Kenny Allen
As if soaring through the heavens, space shuttle Discovery launches through rolling clouds of smoke and steam, embarking on its final scheduled mission, STS-133, to the International Space Station. Liftoff from launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida occurred at 4:53 p.m. EST on Feb. 24, 2011.
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Twin Columns
Credit: NASA/Rusty Backer and Michael Gayle
Twin columns of fire propel space shuttle Discovery toward orbit, embarking on its final flight. Launch to the International Space Station on the STS-133 mission was at 4:53 p.m. EST on Feb. 24, 2011.
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The Pipes, The Pipes
Credit: NASA/Sandra Joseph and Kevin O'Connell
With pipes in the foreground, space shuttle Discovery ignites for liftoff from Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, beginning its final flight, the STS-133 mission,
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Straight Up
Credit: NASA/Sandra Joseph and Kevin O'Connell
Space shuttle Discovery clears the tower at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, beginning its final flight, the STS-133 mission, on Feb. 24, 2011.
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Yes Time for Cameras
Credit: NASA/Tony Gray and Tom Farrar
Cameras photograph space shuttle Discovery lifting off from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida beginning its final flight, the STS-133 mission to the International Space Station, on Feb. 24, 2011.
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Smoke on the Water (coming out of the Sound Suppression System)
Credit: NASA/Tony Gray and Tom Farrar
Smoke and steam rise impressively around space shuttle Discovery and Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, as the shuttle's solid rocket boosters and main engines ignite for lift off embarking on its final mission on Feb. 24, 2011.
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Start Me Up
Credit: NASA/Tony Gray and Tom Farrar
A tiny flicker of flame emerges as Space shuttle Discovery ignites for liftoff from Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, beginning its final flight, the STS-133 mission, on Feb. 24, 2011.
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Stand Back!
Credit: NASA/Tony Gray and Tom Farrar
Space shuttle Discovery ignites for liftoff on Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida beginning its final flight, the STS-133 mission, to the International Space Station, on Feb. 24, 2011.
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Curling Billows Say Goodbye
Credit: NASA/Sandra Joseph and Kevin O'Connell
In curling billows of smoke and steam, space shuttle Discovery lifts off from Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida beginning its final flight, the STS-133 mission, to the International Space Station.
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Soaring Away
Credit: NASA
Space shuttle Discovery soars toward space after liftoff from Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida beginning its final flight, the STS-133 mission, to the International Space Station.
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Lift Off from Far Away
Credit: NASA/Carl Winebarger
As seen from the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, space shuttle Discovery lifts off from Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, beginning its final flight, the STS-133 mission, to the International Space Station.
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Discovery Sets Sail for Space
Credit: NASA
Space shuttle Discovery heads to space after lifting off from Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida to begin its final flight to the International Space Station on the STS-133 mission. See more photos from Discovery's final mission to space.
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Student Balloon Robonaut 1 Sees Shuttle Discovery Launch
Credit: Quest for Stars/Challenger Center
This frame grab from a video -- shot by a GoPro Hero Motorsport camera aboard the Robonaut-1 balloon -- shows the shuttle Discovery streaking toward space on its final mission. The shot was taken at 5:05 EST on Feb. 24, 2011 as the balloon was traveling through the troposphere -- hence the fog.
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The Press Covering the Launch
Credit: NASA/Troy Cryder
Space shuttle Discovery's liftoff from Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida on a picturesque, warm, late February afternoon is witnessed by news media representatives near the countdown clock at the Press Site.
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Blast Off
Credit: NASA
Space shuttle Discovery heads to space after lifting off from Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida to begin its final flight to the International Space Station on the STS-133 mission.
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Column of Fire
Credit: Roger Guillemette for SPACE.com
Space shuttle Discovery soars into orbit on its final mission from Launch Pad 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla., on Feb. 24, 2011.
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Shuttle Launches: A Spectator Sport
Credit: NASA/Ben Cooper
From the Banana River Creek VIP viewing area at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, spectators watch space shuttle Discovery's lift off from Launch Pad 39A on its final mission to the International Space Station. Discovery lifted off at 4:53 p.m. EST on Feb. 24
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Shuttle Discovery Soars with Old Glory
Space shuttle Discovery flies past its flag at Kennedy Space Center's Press Site in Cape Canaveral, Fla., on its final liftoff to space on Feb. 24, 2011 during NASA's STS-133 mission to the International Space Station.
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Discovery's Vapor Trail
Credit: NASA/Troy Cryder
Space shuttle Discovery's vapor trail seen from Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center is witnessed by news media representatives on Feb. 24, 2011.
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Discovery Launch Crowds
Credit: NASA/Jack Pfaller
Swarms of people are at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida to watch space shuttle Discovery lift off on its final scheduled mission from Launch Pad 39A. Liftoff is set for 4:50 p.m. EST on Feb. 24.
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Discovery Launches
Credit: NASA TV
Space shuttle Discovery lifts off, Feb. 24, 2011. See images of the historic final launch of Discovery.
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The VIP View of Discovery's Last Launch
Credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann
From the terrace of the VIP viewing area at the Operations Support Building II at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, space shuttle Discovery is seen lifting off from Launch Pad 39A on its final mission to the International Space Station. Discovery lifted off at 4:53 p.m. EST on Feb. 24.
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Proud of the Team
Credit: NASA
Space Shuttle Program Launch Integration Manager Mike Moses looks on proudly as Shuttle Launch Director Mike Leinbach holds up a Discovery banner signed by the STS-133 astronauts, at a news conference held in the Press Site auditorium at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida following today's successful launch of space shuttle Discovery.
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Discovery Soars
Credit: Roger Guillemette for SPACE.com
Space shuttle Discovery soars into orbit on its final mission from Launch Pad 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla., on Feb. 24, 2011.
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Discovery Arcs Off the Planet
Credit: NASA/Ben Cooper
From the Banana River Creek VIP viewing area at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, spectators watch space shuttle Discovery's lift off from Launch Pad 39A on its final mission to the International Space Station. Discovery lifted off at 4:53 p.m. EST on Feb. 24.
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River Rocket Launch Watchers
Credit: NASA/Jack Pfaller
Crowds fill the areas along the NASA Causeway at NASA's Kennedy Space Center to watch space shuttle Discovery lift off on its final scheduled mission from Launch Pad 39A.
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The Long Launch View
Credit: NASA/Jeff Marino
Space shuttle Discovery lifts off Launch Pad 39A atop twin columns of fire, creating rolling clouds of smoke and steam in its track. Launch of the STS-133 mission was at 4:53 p.m. EST on Feb. 24, 2011 as seen from the roof of NASA's 52-story Vehicle Assembly Building.
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Off Like a Rocket
Credit: NASA/Jeff Marino
Taken from the roof of the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, space shuttle Discovery lifts off Launch Pad 39A atop twin columns of fire, creating rolling clouds of smoke and steam in its track. Launch of the STS-133 mission was at 4:53 p.m. EST on Feb. 24.
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In Launch Control, Watching Discovery's Last Flight
Credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett
In Firing Room 4 of the Launch Control Center at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, NASA's Discovery Flow Director Stephanie Stilson, left, STS-133 Assistant Shuttle Launch Director and lead NASA Test Director Charlie Blackwell-Thompson and Shuttle Launch Director Mike Leinbach watch space shuttle Discovery blaze a trail of smoke and steam as it heads toward orbit on the STS-133 mission to the International Space Station.
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Shuttle Discovery's Long Shadows
Credit: NASA/Jeff Marino
The exhaust plume of space shuttle Discovery casts a long shadow after the shuttle's final launch on Feb. 24, 2011 to kick of NASA's STS-133 mission to the International Space Station.
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Discovery Takes Flight One Last Time
Credit: Roger Guillemette for SPACe.
A close-up view of shuttle Discovery's final launch on Feb. 24, 2011 to begin NASA's 133rd shuttle mission.
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Traffic After the Launch
Credit: NASA
This image of U. S. Highway 1 and surrounding roadways in Titusville, Florida, was taken from a traffic survey helicopter after the successful launch of space shuttle Discovery at 4:53 p.m. EST.
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Permission to Come Aboard
Credit: NASA/Sandra Joseph and Kevin O'Connell
In the White Room at Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, United Space Alliance spacesuit technicians help STS-133 Mission Specialist Nicole Stott put on the parachute for her launch-and-entry suit before she enters space shuttle Discovery through the crew hatch in the background.
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Discovery's Final Crew Heads to Launch Pad
The space shuttle Discovery's final crew, the six astronauts of NASA's STS-133 mission, head to Launch Pad 39A at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida for launch on Feb. 24, 2011.
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Shuttle Discovery on Launch Pad
Credit: NASA/Frank Michaux
Space shuttle Discovery stands tall at Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
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STS-133 Mission Patch (Revised)
Credit: NASA
The STS-133 mission patch is based upon sketches from the late artist Robert McCall; they were the final creations of his long and prodigious career. In the foreground, a solitary orbiter ascends space. Stars surround the orbiter. The mission number, STS-133, is emblazoned on the patch center, with crewmembers' names bordering around the scene. This new patch replaces injured mission specialist Tim Kopra with NASA astronaut Steve Bowen.
