Space shuttle Discovery in orbit

1988 - The rebuilt space shuttle Discovery and its five-man crew rocketed into orbit, rising like a phoenix from the ashes of Challenger in the historic rebirth of America’s space programme. Discovery’s two redesigned solid fuel rocket boosters ignited with a rush of fire and thunder, and appeared to work perfectly, carrying the $2 billion (Dh7.35 billion) spaceship and its crew towards space in the first American manned spaceflight in more than two-and-a-half years.