NSBNews.Net provides Volusia County with 24 / 7 Internet newspaper coverage for a 21st-century world. This website can also be accessed through VolusiaNews.Net
NEW SMYRNA BEACH --Mayor Adam Barringer was among thousands of greater New Smyrna Beach residents and tourists who flocked to the beach and the north and south causeway bridges to watch space shuttle Discovery's final launch into space.
"I thought it was awesome -- it was an awesome sight," Barringer said, accompanied by his girlfriend, Shannon Sumner, as they watched the blast off from the 27th Avenue Approach to the beach.
The mayor said "American pride" shines brightly with events like this..
Photo for NSBNews.Net by Dale Smith who contributed reporting for this story / Countless people took to the beach to watch the shuttle Discovery blast off.The oohs and ahhs could be heard up and down the beach Thursday afternoon as thousands of people's necks were craned upward watching the last Discovery shuttle mission blast off from Cape Canaveral destined for the International Space Station.
Local resident Peter Figueira watched the liftoff with his wife Linda. They've seen several shuttle launches over the years and each one has evoked the same reaction -- "awesome."
"It's always great," he said of the launches.
After several months of delays due to mechanical and fuel tank problems, NASA finally launched Discovery with hardly a cloud in the sky. Haze was the main nemesis for those watching from the beaches here. Visibility was limited along the ground, but with the sun starting to settle in the west, the shuttle shone like a beacon as it reached skyward followed by its long plume.
The after-shock of blast-off noise finally reached New Smyrna Beach about five minutes after it had already lifted off. Through the haze, the fiery rockets burned a rosy glow as the shuttle reached further toward leaving earth's gravity. Separation of the rockets could be seen, but soon disappeared as the haze and curvature of the earth prevented the actual visual evidence of the spectacular event.
The six astronauts for the mission will deliver the Permanent Multipurpose Module to the International Space Station. The PMM was converted from the multi-purpose logistics module Leonardo and will provide additional storage for the station crew. Experiments in such fields as fluid physics, materials science, biology and biotechnology may be conducted inside the module.
The PMM also carries Robonaut 2, the first human-like robot in space, which will become a permanent resident of the station. In addition, the flight will deliver critical spare parts and the Express Logistics Carrier 4, an external platform that holds large equipment.
STS-133 Commander Steve Lindsey is joined in Discovery's final mission by Pilot Eric Boe and Mission Specialists Alvin Drew, Steve Bowen, Michael Barratt and Nicole Stott.
Bowen and Drew will conduct two spacewalks to install new components and perform maintenance.
STS-133 is the first mission planned for 2011. It is Discovery's 39th flight and 35th shuttle mission to the station.