The majestic shot - NASA’s first on Independence Day - was only the second shuttle flight since the Columbia was brought down 3 1/2 years ago by a chunk of insulation foam breaking off the fuel tank. The foam problem resurfaced during last July’s flight of Discovery and again Monday, keeping the space agency debating safety all the way up to the eve of liftoff.

Commander Steven Lindsey, an Air Force fighter pilot, was at the controls and aiming for a linkup in two days with the international space station. Earlier, he and his crew waved small American flags on their way to the rocketship.

“Discovery’s ready, the weather’s beautiful, America is ready to return the space shuttle to flight. So good luck and Godspeed, Discovery,” launch director Mike Leinbach said just before liftoff.

“I can’t think of a better place to be here on the Fourth of July,” radioed Lindsey. “For all the folks on the Florida east coast, we hope to very soon get you an up-close and personal look at the rocket’s red glare.”

The Shuttle reached orbit safely about 9 minutes after launch.

Postponed twice during the weekend due to bad weather at the Kennedy Space Center, the launch was just the second since the destruction of the shuttle Columbia and the deaths of seven crew members in February 2003.

NASA’s top administrators decided to launch Discovery over the objections of some key safety and engineering officials who said the shuttle’s troubled fuel tank, which triggered the Columbia disaster, needed additional repairs.

Any serious problems with the mission would likely bring a premature end to the U.S. shuttle program and leave the $100-billion space station unfinished.

Discovery’s mission is to test the fuel tank, carry much-needed equipment and supplies to the space station and make repairs to the orbiting outpost.

Earlier, the US astronauts waved small American flags, while European Space Agency astronaut Thomas Reiter gripped a tiny German banner, as the crew of Discovery walked out to the astro van, which drove them to the launch pad.

"Way to go! Hi mom! I love you!" astronaut Mike Fossum said as he dressed in his neon orange spacesuit, giving a thumbs up.

Inspectors spotted the crack yesterday. A 3-inch (7.6-centimeter) piece of foam also popped out of the area, which covers a bracket holding a liquid oxygen feed line against Discovery's huge external fuel tank.

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