{CaptionsBy}    Information Dynamics, Inc.

{LastEditor}    Anita Barrett

{ScannedBy}     NASA/KSC Public Affairs Office

{author}        NASA or National Aeronautics and Space Administration

{date}          27-May-1999

{description}   On its perfect launch today, Space Shuttle Discovery's brilliant
                flames illuminate the tower at left, with the lightning mast on
                top, and the billows of smoke and steam at right. Liftoff into a
                gossamer dawn sky for mission STS-96 occurred at 6:49:42 a.m.
                EDT. The crew of seven begin a 10-day logistics and resupply
                mission for the International Space Station, carrying about 4,000
                pounds of supplies, to be stored aboard the station for use by
                future crews, including laptop computers, cameras, tools, spare
                parts, and clothing. The mission also includes such payloads as a
                Russian crane, the Strela; a U.S.-built crane; the Spacehab
                Oceaneering Space System Box (SHOSS), a logistics items carrier;
                and STARSHINE, a student-involved experiment. It will include a
                space walk to attach the cranes to the outside of the ISS for use
                in future construction. Landing is expected at the SLF on June 6
                about 1:58 a.m. EDT.

{highres}       1730 x 2617

{highsize}      3334237

{hightype}      JPEG

{lowres}        159 x 240

{lowsize}       54786

{lowtype}       GIF

{mediumres}     508 x 768

{mediumsize}    71048

{mediumtype}    JPEG

{number}        KSC-99PP-0595

{slideres}      110 x 156

{slidesize}     24880

{slidetype}     GIF

{tinyres}       66 x 100

{tinysize}      10072

{tinytype}      GIF

{title}         Space Shuttle Discovery is launched on mission STS-96

{type}          Image

{end}