Spectators gather on the grounds in front of the bleachers at the turn basin to watch the launch of Space Shuttle Discovery.

Spectators gather on the grounds in front of the bleachers at the turn basin to watch the launch of Space Shuttle Discovery. A breeze from the southeast that has the flags snapping also kept gathering clouds away for the on-time liftoff at 5:10:14 p.m. EDT. Besides the Shuttle crew of four, Discovery carries the Expedition Three crew who will replace Expedition Two on the International Space Station. The mission includes the third flight of an Italian-built Multi-Purpose Logistics Module delivering additional scientific racks, equipment and supplies for the Space Station, and two spacewalks. Part of the payload is the Early Ammonia Servicer (EAS) tank, which will be attached to the Station during the spacewalks. The EAS will be installed on the P6 truss, which holds the Station’s giant U.S. solar arrays, batteries and the cooling radiators. The EAS contains spare ammonia for the Station’s cooling system. The three-member Expedition Two crew will be returning to Earth aboard Discovery after a five-month stay on the Station