People watched from a nearby park

It will deliver a new crew - the third - to the International Space Station (ISS), where it is due to dock on Sunday.

As well as Expedition Three, the shuttle will also drop off a spare command-and-control computer, food, clothes, towels, tools, science experiments, photo equipment and a sleeping bunk.

The new ISS crew is made up of one American, Commander Frank Culbertson, and two Russians, Vladimir Dezhurov and Mikhail Tyurin.

They are accompanied by shuttle commander Scott Horowitz, pilot Rick Sturckow and two more astronauts, Daniel Barry and Patrick Forrester.

Spacewalks

"Let's go," Commander Horowitz said at the launch. "Tell the Expedition 2 guys: 'Stand by, we're on our way'."

"Nice to be back," said Commander Culbertson, who is making his first space flight for eight years.

The Discovery's mission will last 11 days, after which the four-man shuttle crew will return to earth with Expedition Two Commander Yury Usachev and his two flight engineers, Susan Helms and Jim Voss.

Barry and Forrester will conduct two spacewalks during the mission to attach cables and other gear to the space station.

The new ISS crew, meanwhile, will oversee the arrival of a Russian docking compartment and welcome the arrival of two Progress cargo ships.

Expedition Three will be relieved by Expedition Four in early December.