KSC-07pd2986

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Clouds of smoke and steam created by the fiery column beneath space shuttle Discovery billow across Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center as the vehicle races toward space on mission STS-120 to the International Space Station. Liftoff was on time at 11:38:19 a.m. EDT. The mission is the 23rd assembly flight to the space station and the 34th flight for Discovery. Payload on the mission is the Italian-built U.S. Node 2, called Harmony. During the 14-day mission, the crew will install Harmony and move the P6 solar arrays to their permanent position and deploy them. Discovery is expected to complete its mission and return home at 4:47 a.m. EST on Nov. 6. Photo courtesy of Nikon/Scott Andrews