Speaking of launching…

(PHOTO: NASA.GOV)

It’s traffic chaos in space today. The 23 year old space shuttle Discovery kicked off its 34th flight, in the shape of a maintenance mission STS-120 to the International Space Station. This mission will install a new component of the ISS called ’Harmony‘ and allow astronaut Clayton Anderson to return home to his family after 5 months in space. Not even 24 hours after Discovery blasted off, China’s first ever moon orbiter Chang’e 1 started its year long (don’t worry, unmanned) lunar mission. And who said space was huge and empty?

PS How chuffed do these astronauts look? Particularly Stephanie Wilson, third from the left. But then again, do you blame her?