Photos: Shuttle Discovery Sets Sail on Final Voyage

In Launch Control, Watching Discovery's Last Flight

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.

Shuttle Discovery's Long Shadows

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.

Discovery Takes Flight One Last Time

A close-up view of shuttle Discovery's final launch on Feb. 24, 2011 to begin NASA's 133rd shuttle mission.

Traffic After the Launch

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.

Permission to Come Aboard

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.

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.

Shuttle Discovery on Launch Pad

Space shuttle Discovery stands tall at Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

STS-133 Mission Patch (Revised)

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.