Space shuttle Discovery on the morning of Monday, April 5th launched to International space station carrying seven astronauts on a mission to the International Space Station. The 6:21 a.m. launch was the first of four remaining NASA flights that are scheduled to finally retire America’s national shuttle fleet that served International space community for several years.

Discovery’s 13-day mission will carry up more than 17,000 pounds of equipment and supplies and a large coolant tank to the space station. The final missions of the discovery will deliver the heavy spare parts and supplies that only the shuttle has the capacity to carry, part of NASA’s mission to ensure the $100 billion station is buffered accordingly before the Discovery fleet stops flying.

The entire crew of seven members is headed by Commander Alan Poindexter and other members of the passion are Pilot James Dutton, mission specialists Rick Mastracchio, Dottie Metcalf-Lindebburger a former science teacher, Stephanie Wilson, Clay Anderson and Naoko Yamazaki of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency. On the arrival of Discovery crew at the space station, they further would create better ground. It is happening for the first time for any space journey there three female astronauts are included in the crew.

After the retirement of Discovery the task of carrying U.S. astronauts and equipments would be done by Russian Soyuz spacecrafts. It is also possible on someday U.S. crews may fly into space on commercial. Meanwhile Discovery crew is slated to return back on KSC at 8:29 a.m. on April 18.

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