The Frame: Discovery lifts off

Space shuttle Discovery and its crew of seven rocketed into orbit Sunday evening, setting off on a space station construction mission cut short by launch delays that dragged on for more than a month. The launch, though late, turned out to be flawless and the prettiest NASA managers had ever seen. Discovery rose from its seaside pad just as the sun was setting, an especially spectacular sight for a space agency anxious to get the flight going. As the shuttle sped away like a brilliant star, the upper part of the launch plume glowed pink, peach and golden. Launch controllers could see the shuttle for seven minutes, until it reached somewhere off the New York or New Jersey coast. "We were all rewarded with a beautiful, beautiful launch," said launch director Mike Leinbach. (18 images)

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Space Shuttle Discovery lifts off of launch pad 39-a on mission STS-119 on March 15, in Cape Canaveral, Florida. The shuttle is headed to the International Space Station with a crew of seven astronauts after it's lift-off was postponed on March 11 due to a leak discovered when fueling the shuttle's orange external fuel tank. Getty Images / Eliot J. Schechter

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The Space Shuttle Discovery sits on launch pad 39-A after the rotating service structure was rolled into launch position in preparation for a Sunday launch on pad 39-A on March 14, in Cape Canaveral, Fla. The Shuttle's lift-off was postponed on Wednesday, March 11, after ground crews, while filling the shuttle's orange external fuel tank for launch, discovered a leak. Getty Images / Eliot J. Schechter

The Space Shuttle Discovery sits on launch pad 39-A after the rotating service structure was rolled into launch position in preparation for a Sunday launch on pad 39-A on March 14, in Cape Canaveral, Fla. The Shuttle's lift-off was postponed on Wednesday, March 11 after ground crews, while filling the shuttle's orange external fuel tank for launch, discovered a leak Getty Images / Eliot J. Schechter

The Space Shuttle Discovery sits on launch pad 39-A before the rotating service structure is rolled into launch position in preparation for a Sunday launch on pad 39-A on March 14, in Cape Canaveral, Fla. The Shuttle's lift-off was postponed on Wednesday, March 11, after ground crews, while filling the shuttle's orange external fuel tank for launch, discovered a leak. Getty Images / Joe Raedle

The US Space Shuttle Discovery sits on the launch pad after the support structure has rolled back March 14, at Kennedy Space Center in Fla. The shuttle is due to launch at 7:43pm on March 15. AFP/ Getty Images / Don Emmert

Space Shuttle Discovery STS-119 commander Lee Archambault leads his mission specialists out of the Operations and Checkout Building to be transported to launch pad 39-a at the Kennedy Space Center on March 15, in Cape Canaveral, Fla. After lift-off delays caused by a leak in the shuttle's orange external fuel tank the Discovery astronauts are scheduled to lift off later today on a mission to the International Space Station. Getty Images / Eliot J. Schechter

Space Shuttle Discovery lifts off of launch pad 39-a on mission STS-119 on March 15, in Cape Canaveral, Fla. The shuttle is headed to the International Space Station with a crew of seven astronauts after it's lift-off was postponed on March 11 due to a leak discovered when fueling the shuttle's orange external fuel tank. Getty Images / Eliot J. Schechter

Space shuttle Discovery, STS-119, blasts off from Kennedy Space Center in Fla., Sunday, March 15. MCT / Orlando Sentinel / Red Huber

The space shuttle Discovery lifts off on March 15 from launch pad 39-A at Kennedy Space Center,Fla. The Discovery and her seven person crew are on an assembly mission to the ISS. AFP / Getty Images / Bruce Weaver

The space shuttle Discovery lifts off from launch pad 39A at the Kennedy Space Center March 15, in Cape Canaveral, Fla. The shuttle is headed to the International Space Station with a crew of seven astronauts after it's lift-off was postponed on March 11 due to a leak discovered when fueling the shuttle's orange external fuel tank. Getty Images / Eliot J. Schechter

In this 30 second time exposure, Space Shuttle Discovery lifts off of launch pad 39-a on mission STS-119 on March 15, in Cape Canaveral, Fla. The shuttle is headed to the International Space Station with a crew of seven astronauts after it's lift-off was postponed on March 11 due to a leak discovered when fueling the shuttle's orange external fuel tank. Getty Images / Matt Stroshane

Photographers take pictures as Space Shuttle Discovery lifts off of launch pad 39-a on mission STS-119 on March 15, in Cape Canaveral, Fla. The shuttle is headed to the International Space Station with a crew of seven astronauts after it's lift-off was postponed on March 11 due to a leak discovered when fueling the shuttle's orange external fuel tank. Getty Images / Matt Stroshane

With a banner showing the STS-119 crew hanging at the Banana Creek viewing site at the Kennedy Space Center, the space shuttle Discovery and a seven member crew liftoff from Cape Canaveral, Fla. on Sunday, March 15. AP / Terry Renna

The US Space Shuttle Discovery lifts off March 15, at Kennedy Space Center in Fla. Discovery's STS-119 flight is delivering the space station's fourth and final set of solar array wings, completing the station's truss, or backbone. AFP / Getty Images / Don Emmert

Space shuttle Discovery glows orange in the sky after blasting off from launch pad 39A at Kennedy Space Center in Fla., Sunday, March 15. MCT / Orlando Sentinel / Gary W. Green

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The Frame

March 15, 2009

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