Discovery leaps atop twin towers of flame as it races toward space on its STS-124 mission to the International Space Station.

At NASA's Kennedy Space Center, Space shuttle Discovery leaps from Launch Pad 39A atop twin towers of flame as it races toward space on its STS-124 mission to the International Space Station. Launch was on time at 5:02 p.m. EDT. At left is the fixed service structure with the 80-foot lightning mast on top. At far left is the open rotating service structure. Discovery is making its 35th flight. The STS-124 mission is the 26th in the assembly of the space station. It is the second of three flights launching components to complete the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Kibo laboratory. The shuttle crew will install Kibo's large Japanese Pressurized Module and its remote manipulator system, or RMS. The 14-day flight includes three spacewalks. Photo credit: courtesy of Scott Andrews