Shuttle Discovery lifts off for space station

Space shuttle Discovery with seven astronauts aboard blasted off on Monday on one of NASA's final servicing missions to the International Space Station. The shuttle lifted off at 6:21 am EDT (1021 GMT), shattering the pre-dawn calm around the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

"Enjoy the ride," shuttle test director Laurie Sally radioed the crew minutes before liftoff. The shuttle is carrying an Italian-built cargo hauler filled with equipment, experiments, food and supplies for the space station, which is expected to be finished in September after 12 years of construction about 220 miles (355 km) above Earth. (Reuters)