CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – In Firing Room 4 in the Launch Control Center at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the legacy consoles, Launch Processing System and cabling that once supported the Space Shuttle Program have been removed. The Ground Systems Development and Operations Program is overseeing the construction in progress on a multi-use control room that will support NASA and commercial launch needs. The design of Firing Room 4 will incorporate five control room areas that are flexible to meet current and future user requirements. The equipment and consoles from Firing Room 4 are being moved to Firing Room 2 for possible future reuse. Photo credit: NASA_Dimitri Gerondidakis

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – In Firing Room 4 in the Launch Control Center at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the legacy consoles, Launch Processing System and cabling that once supported the Space Shuttle Program have been removed. The Ground Systems Development and Operations Program is overseeing the construction in progress on a multi-use control room that will support NASA and commercial launch needs. The design of Firing Room 4 will incorporate five control room areas that are flexible to meet current and future user requirements. The equipment and consoles from Firing Room 4 are being moved to Firing Room 2 for possible future reuse. Photo credit: NASA_Dimitri Gerondidakis

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – In Firing Room 4 in the Launch Control Center at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the legacy consoles, Launch Processing System and cabling that once supported the Space Shuttle Program have been removed. The Ground Systems Development and Operations Program is overseeing the construction in progress on a multi-use control room that will support NASA and commercial launch needs. The design of Firing Room 4 will incorporate five control room areas that are flexible to meet current and future user requirements. The equipment and consoles from Firing Room 4 are being moved to Firing Room 2 for possible future reuse. Photo credit: NASA_Dimitri Gerondidakis

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - NASA officials including Bryan O'Connor, Chief of Safety and Mission Assurance (left), Richard Gilbrech, associate director of NASA’s Stennis Space Center, Robert Lightfoot director of NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center, Kennedy Center Director Bob Cabana, and Michael Coats, Johnson Space Center director monitor for the launch countdown of space shuttle Discovery's STS-131 mission. The seven-member STS-131 crew will deliver the multi-purpose logistics module Leonardo, filled with supplies, a new crew sleeping quarters and science racks that will be transferred to the International Space Station's laboratories. The crew also will switch out a gyroscope on the station’s truss, install a spare ammonia storage tank and retrieve a Japanese experiment from the station’s exterior. STS-131 is the 33rd shuttle mission to the station and the 131st shuttle mission overall. For information on the STS-131 mission and crew, visit http:__www.nasa.gov_mission_pages_shuttle_shuttlemissions_sts131_index.html. Photo credit: NASA_Kim Shiflett

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - NASA Commentator Mike Curie and Astronaut Kathryn 'Kay' Hire discuss the launch of space shuttle Discovery on the STS-131 mission in the Launch Control Center's Firing Room 4 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The seven-member STS-131 crew will deliver the multi-purpose logistics module Leonardo, filled with supplies, a new crew sleeping quarters and science racks that will be transferred to the International Space Station's laboratories. The crew also will switch out a gyroscope on the station’s truss, install a spare ammonia storage tank and retrieve a Japanese experiment from the station’s exterior. STS-131 is the 33rd shuttle mission to the station and the 131st shuttle mission overall. For information on the STS-131 mission and crew, visit http:__www.nasa.gov_mission_pages_shuttle_shuttlemissions_sts131_index.html. Photo credit: NASA_Kim Shiflett

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - NASA Administrator Charles Bolden congratulates the team in NASA Kennedy Space Center's Launch Control Center after space shuttle Discovery's majestic launch on the STS-131 mission. Seen in the left background is Steve Payne, shuttle test director. Shuttle Discovery lifted off at 6:21 a.m. EDT on April 5, 2010. The seven-member STS-131 crew will deliver the multi-purpose logistics module Leonardo, filled with supplies, a new crew sleeping quarters and science racks that will be transferred to the International Space Station's laboratories. The crew also will switch out a gyroscope on the station’s truss, install a spare ammonia storage tank and retrieve a Japanese experiment from the station’s exterior. STS-131 is the 33rd shuttle mission to the station and the 131st shuttle mission overall. For information on the STS-131 mission and crew, visit http:__www.nasa.gov_mission_pages_shuttle_shuttlemissions_sts131_index.html. Photo credit: NASA_Kim Shiflett

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Shuttle Launch Director Pete Nickolenko (right) and Mike Leinbach, assistant launch director, prepare for the liftoff of space shuttle Discovery on the STS-131 mission in Firing Room 4 in the Launch Control Center at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The seven-member STS-131 crew will deliver the multi-purpose logistics module Leonardo, filled with supplies, a new crew sleeping quarters and science racks that will be transferred to the International Space Station's laboratories. The crew also will switch out a gyroscope on the station’s truss, install a spare ammonia storage tank and retrieve a Japanese experiment from the station’s exterior. STS-131 is the 33rd shuttle mission to the station and the 131st shuttle mission overall. For information on the STS-131 mission and crew, visit http:__www.nasa.gov_mission_pages_shuttle_shuttlemissions_sts131_index.html. Photo credit: NASA_Kim Shiflett

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - NASA Launch Director Pete Nickolenko (left) and Assistant Launch Director Mike Leinbach, standing in Firing Room 4 in the Launch Control Center at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, watch space shuttle Discovery's liftoff off from Launch Pad 39A. Shuttle Discovery lifted off at 6:21 a.m. EDT on April 5, 2010. The seven-member STS-131 crew will deliver the multi-purpose logistics module Leonardo, filled with supplies, a new crew sleeping quarters and science racks that will be transferred to the International Space Station's laboratories. The crew also will switch out a gyroscope on the station’s truss, install a spare ammonia storage tank and retrieve a Japanese experiment from the station’s exterior. STS-131 is the 33rd shuttle mission to the station and the 131st shuttle mission overall. For information on the STS-131 mission and crew, visit http:__www.nasa.gov_mission_pages_shuttle_shuttlemissions_sts131_index.html. Photo credit: NASA_Kim Shiflett

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - In Firing Room 4 of the Launch Control Center at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, NASA managers monitor the countdown to launch of space shuttle Discovery's STS-131 mission. Shuttle Discovery lifted off at 6:21 a.m. EDT on April 5, 2010. The seven-member STS-131 crew will deliver the multi-purpose logistics module Leonardo, filled with supplies, a new crew sleeping quarters and science racks that will be transferred to the International Space Station's laboratories. The crew also will switch out a gyroscope on the station’s truss, install a spare ammonia storage tank and retrieve a Japanese experiment from the station’s exterior. STS-131 is the 33rd shuttle mission to the station and the 131st shuttle mission overall. For information on the STS-131 mission and crew, visit http:__www.nasa.gov_mission_pages_shuttle_shuttlemissions_sts131_index.html. Photo credit: NASA_Kim Shiflett

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Contrails from the launch of space shuttle Discovery on the STS-131 mission glow in rainbow colors in the early morning hours as the sun rises over the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Shuttle Discovery lifted off at 6:21 a.m. EDT on April 5, 2010. The seven-member STS-131 crew will deliver the multi-purpose logistics module Leonardo, filled with supplies, a new crew sleeping quarters and science racks that will be transferred to the International Space Station's laboratories. The crew also will switch out a gyroscope on the station’s truss, install a spare ammonia storage tank and retrieve a Japanese experiment from the station’s exterior. STS-131 is the 33rd shuttle mission to the station and the 131st shuttle mission overall. For information on the STS-131 mission and crew, visit http:__www.nasa.gov_mission_pages_shuttle_shuttlemissions_sts131_index.html. Photo credit: NASA_Kim Shiflett

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Assistant Launch Director Mike Leinbach (right) speaks with NASA Commentator Mike Curie in Firing Room 4 in the Launch Control Center at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida prior to the launch of space shuttle Discovery's STS-131 mission. The seven-member STS-131 crew will deliver the multi-purpose logistics module Leonardo, filled with supplies, a new crew sleeping quarters and science racks that will be transferred to the International Space Station's laboratories. The crew also will switch out a gyroscope on the station’s truss, install a spare ammonia storage tank and retrieve a Japanese experiment from the station’s exterior. STS-131 is the 33rd shuttle mission to the station and the 131st shuttle mission overall. For information on the STS-131 mission and crew, visit http:__www.nasa.gov_mission_pages_shuttle_shuttlemissions_sts131_index.html. Photo credit: NASA_Kim Shiflett

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - NASA officials watch the liftoff of space shuttle Discovery through the windows of Firing Room 4 in the Launch Control Center at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Shuttle Discovery lifted off at 6:21 a.m. EDT on April 5, 2010. The seven-member STS-131 crew will deliver the multi-purpose logistics module Leonardo, filled with supplies, a new crew sleeping quarters and science racks that will be transferred to the International Space Station's laboratories. The crew also will switch out a gyroscope on the station’s truss, install a spare ammonia storage tank and retrieve a Japanese experiment from the station’s exterior. STS-131 is the 33rd shuttle mission to the station and the 131st shuttle mission overall. For information on the STS-131 mission and crew, visit http:__www.nasa.gov_mission_pages_shuttle_shuttlemissions_sts131_index.html. Photo credit: NASA_Kim Shiflett

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Bill Gerstenmaier, associate administrator for Space Operations intently watches the progress of space shuttle Discovery's STS-131 mission launch countdown in Firing Room 4 in the Launch Control Center at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The seven-member STS-131 crew will deliver the multi-purpose logistics module Leonardo, filled with supplies, a new crew sleeping quarters and science racks that will be transferred to the International Space Station's laboratories. The crew also will switch out a gyroscope on the station’s truss, install a spare ammonia storage tank and retrieve a Japanese experiment from the station’s exterior. STS-131 is the 33rd shuttle mission to the station and the 131st shuttle mission overall. For information on the STS-131 mission and crew, visit http:__www.nasa.gov_mission_pages_shuttle_shuttlemissions_sts131_index.html. Photo credit: NASA_Kim Shiflett

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Wispy contrails from the launch of space shuttle Discovery on the STS-131 mission hover over the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Shuttle Discovery lifted off at 6:21 a.m. EDT on April 5, 2010. The seven-member STS-131 crew will deliver the multi-purpose logistics module Leonardo, filled with supplies, a new crew sleeping quarters and science racks that will be transferred to the International Space Station's laboratories. The crew also will switch out a gyroscope on the station’s truss, install a spare ammonia storage tank and retrieve a Japanese experiment from the station’s exterior. STS-131 is the 33rd shuttle mission to the station and the 131st shuttle mission overall. For information on the STS-131 mission and crew, visit http:__www.nasa.gov_mission_pages_shuttle_shuttlemissions_sts131_index.html. Photo credit: NASA_Kim Shiflett

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - STS-131 Launch Director Pete Nickolenko (right) proudly stands next to Nita Collins with USA Firing Room Quality Control, Dallas McCarter, NASA Safety and Jim Marczak with USA Logistics, after presenting them with the Launch Director’s Flow award after the liftoff of shuttle Discovery on the STS-131 mission. Shuttle Discovery lifted off at 6:21 a.m. EDT on April 5, 2010. The seven-member STS-131 crew will deliver the multi-purpose logistics module Leonardo, filled with supplies, a new crew sleeping quarters and science racks that will be transferred to the International Space Station's laboratories. The crew also will switch out a gyroscope on the station’s truss, install a spare ammonia storage tank and retrieve a Japanese experiment from the station’s exterior. STS-131 is the 33rd shuttle mission to the station and the 131st shuttle mission overall. For information on the STS-131 mission and crew, visit http:__www.nasa.gov_mission_pages_shuttle_shuttlemissions_sts131_index.html. Photo credit: NASA_Kim Shiflett