The last mission
The Discovery is carrying six astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS) and all of them have prior experience in space travel. The commander of the mission is Steven Lindsay who thanked everyone for getting the shuttle ready.

“Discovery now making one last reach for the stars,” said the Mission Control commentator, as the space shuttle blasted off from its launch tower.

This was the 39th launch of Discovery.

The trouble occurred just one day after the Space Shuttle Discovery hit its launch pad.

NASA spokesman Allard Beutel (byoo-TEHL) explained the reason of leak to the AP and said that it happened when a backhoe struck a natural gas line.

No injuries or damages were sustained and NASA staffs have been back on the work.

Just after the leak was noticed, all the workers were emptied from several key facilities, including the Orbiter Processing Facilities, hangars housing the space shuttles Atlantis and Endeavor.

Recalling the space shuttle Challenger disaster, the NASA team still admitted not getting over the horror of it, even after so many years.

Only two days before Challenger had made its doomful flight, Carl McNair had a telephonic conversation with his brother Ron McNair, wherein both discussed Super Bowl XX and the weather.

“He said, “The weather is not looking good and things are icing up and I don't think we are going to launch,”” said Carl McNair.