Final Flight of Discovery

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After a number of postponements due to technical problems, the Space Shuttle Discovery is scheduled to lift-off for the last time from the Kennedy Space Centre tonight at 9.50pm [GMT].

After 38 missions to date and more than 5,600 trips around the Earth, it’s the final flight of Discovery – on Mission STS-133.  They’re heading to the International Space Station where ESA’s ATV Johannes Kepler has just docked.

Discovery will become the first shuttle to be retired.  Only two Space Shuttle missions remain scheduled – Endeavour on Mission STS-134 and Atlantis, reprieved after its ‘final’ flight, on Mission STS-135.

Here’s Nasa TV‘s Space Shuttle Discovery retrospective

Nasa’s launch blog here and there’s live coverage available via Nasa TV.

Update  A suitably stunning launch video for Discovery’s final flight.

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