SUBMITTED BY ARTHUR N1ORC - AMSAT A/C #31468

9:00 p.m. - After years in training and two launch countdowns, the crew of Space Shuttle Discovery has reached orbit and can get down to the business of completing the most challenging and complex International Space Station mission to date. Thank you for joining our coverage tonight. For the latest on this and future missions, visit NASA's Space Shuttle Web site http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/main/index.html.

8:56 p.m. - Main engine cut-off! Commander Mark Polansky confirms a good separation. "Discovery, Houston, we saw a nominal MECO," Houston Flight told Polansky.

"You've got a lot of smiling faces up here," Polanksy responded.

8:55 p.m. - Discovery's speed 14,000 miles per hour. The vehicle is downrange 643 miles from the launch site.

8:54 p.m. - Discovery could now reach Istres, France on one main engine at this point in the ascent. Discovery's speed is 11,000 miles per hour.

8:52 p.m. - The "Press to ATO" order has been given. Discovery now could land on two engines if necessary. The vehicle is now 290 miles downrange from the Kennedy Space Center with three good engines, three good auxiliary power units and three good fuel cells. So far all is going well and Discovery will roll into a heads-up orientation shortly.

8:50 p.m. - Five minutes remaining until Main Engine Cutoff. Discovery is downrange 110 miles from Kennedy Space Center as it climbs to orbit after lighting up the Central Florida sky.

8:47 p.m. - Ten... nine... eight... we have a go for main engine start... five... four... three... two... one... booster ignition and liftoff of the Space Shuttle Discovery, lighting up the night-time sky as we continue building the International Space Station.