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The NASA space shuttle Discovery was launched at 11.59 p.m. Friday (0359 GMT Saturday). The mission to International Space Station (ISS) finally happened with the midnight launch after days of putting off due to a questionable valve of the shuttle's external fuel tank and poor weather.
The space shuttle was blasted off from the launching pad at Cape Canaveral, Florida.
The planned launch on Tuesday was delayed due to weather and then problems with the valve compelled the cancellation of scheduled launch on Wednesday.
NASA then sought to fire up Discovery early Friday, but chose to postpone it again to review the data related to the valve.
NASA officials informed on Friday afternoon that the problem with the valve was resolved.
The current 13-day mission is intended to transport new equipment and experiments to the ISS. The mission also includes three space walks and Astronaut Nicole Stott is expected to relieve Timothy Kopra, aboard the ISS.
The crew members of discovery include six Americans and Swede Christer Fuglesang, flying for the European Space Agency.
