KSC-2010-2596

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - The launch of space shuttle Discovery on the STS-131 mission was captured from a field of Florida Power and Light solar panels (foreground) off of S.R. 3 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. NASA and FPL are members of a public-private partnership that promotes a clean-energy future and this site will produce an estimated 10 megawatts of emissions-free power for FPandL customers. Shuttle Discovery lifted off at 6:21 a.m. EDT on April 5, 2010. The seven-member STS-131 crew will deliver the multi-purpose logistics module Leonardo, filled with supplies, a new crew sleeping quarters and science racks that will be transferred to the International Space Station's laboratories. The crew also will switch out a gyroscope on the station’s truss, install a spare ammonia storage tank and retrieve a Japanese experiment from the station’s exterior. STS-131 is the 33rd shuttle mission to the station and the 131st shuttle mission overall. For information on the STS-131 mission and crew, visit http:__www.nasa.gov_mission_pages_shuttle_shuttlemissions_sts131_index.html. Photo credit: Courtesy of Adam Nehr