ANN REALTIME UPDATE 07.04.06 1445 EDT: She's up!

Discovery lifted from the launch pad minutes ago, in what appears so far to be a picture-perfect launch.

"I can't think of a better place to be on the Fourth," said mission commander Steve Lindsey at T-minus six minutes to launch. "To everybody on Florida's east coast... we're about to give you an up close and personal look at the rocket's red glare."

Amen.

EARLIER REPORT

ANN REALTIME UPDATE 07.04.06 1408 EDT: T-Minus 30 minutes and counting... and all systems appear to be go for the launch of the shuttle Discovery.

While the clouds that have bedeviled the last two shuttle launch attempts are notably holding off for the time being, NASA is keeping its eyes on the winds at the Cape. Wind speeds are averaging close to 15 mph out of the south... and 17 mph is considered the near the upper limit for a "no go" launch decision.

For now, however, all looks good. Stay tuned to ANN for continuous coverage of Discovery's launch!

ORIGINAL REPORT

A five-inch long crack in the insulation foam on the shuttle Discovery's external fuel tank which caused a three-inch long piece of the foam to fall off during an inspection Sunday does not pose a threat to the shuttle or the seven astronauts on board.

Discovery is "go" for launch.

After two launches were scrubbed by weather Saturday and Sunday, Discovery was set to lift off at 1438 EDT Tuesday, the first-ever launch of a manned spacecraft on the nation's birthday.

NASA managers met into the night Monday, deliberating the threat posed to Discovery by the crack and the missing piece of foam, which covered an expandable bracket attached to a liquid oxygen line on the external fuel tank. Inspectors surmised the crack formed after rain on Sunday froze when it collected near the bracket.

After that night-time meeting of NASA managers, Associate Administrator Bill Gerstenmaier said, "They fully have shown that the foam is acceptable and ready to fly. There were no dissenters when we went around the room."

That decision made, weather is still a potentially foiling factor in Tuesday's launch. There's a 40-percent chance of storms over Cape Canaveral. A scrub today would mean another delay... at least one day closer to the end of the launch window, July 19th.

FMI: www.nasa.gov