STS-121 was launched today (04 July, Eastern US time) with no apparent problems, despite a crack in the insulation foam having been found days earlier. Discovery carries seven astronauts and will deliver supplies to the International Space Station; it will also test several newly-developed safety procedures.
This was the first shuttle launch in over a year, and a lot was (and still is) riding on it. A serious problem, if found, will almost certainly end the shuttle program with no new vehicle to replace it, which would severely affect the (already delayed) cronogram for finishing the ISS. Should a problem be found in the insulation while the shuttle is attached to the ISS, the plans call for the astronauts to be rescued with other vehicles (possibly the remaining shuttle, Atlantis) and for Discovery to be landed by remote control.
You can track the shuttle's location in real time here. It will probably be interesting to look at this tracking during the ISS docking maneuvers.
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