The shuttle lifted off without a hitch

clipped from www.space.com Shuttle Discovery Launches Toward Space Station CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - The space shuttle Discovery successfully launched into the clear evening sky above Florida late Sunday after a series of delays held it on the ground for more than a month. The shuttle lifted off without a hitch at 7:43 p.m. EDT (2343 GMT) from Launch Pad 39A here at NASA's seaside Kennedy Space Center. A hydrogen gas leak that foiled Discovery's first launch attempt last Wednesday did not pester the shuttle again and the weather was 100 percent perfect for the liftoff. A first for Japan Getting over glitches Today's flight is NASA's 125th shuttle flight and the 36th for Discovery.