The third member of NASA’s space shuttle program, Discovery had a fraught journey to its launch. First, a test in June of 1984 found a flaw in the thermal shield; then a launch scheduled for later the same month was delayed due to a computer failure. Attempt No. 2 was halted only four seconds before Continue reading "Aug. 30, 1984: Space Shuttle Discovery launches" The post Aug. 30, 1984: Space Shuttle Discovery launches appeared first on Astronomy Magazine .