Clouds of smoke and steam reflect the fiery column beneath Discovery to the International Space Station.

Clouds of smoke and steam reflect the fiery column beneath space shuttle Discovery as it leaps off Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center on mission STS-120 to the International Space Station. Liftoff was on time at 11:38:19 a.m. EDT. Discovery carries the Italian-built U.S. Node 2, called Harmony. During the 14-day STS-120 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.