Return to Flight Space Shuttle Discovery launched from NASA's Kennedy Space Center July 26, ending a two-and-a-half year wait for the historic Return to Flight mission. ... Astronaut Soichi Noguchi, representing Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, and Steve Robinson, STS-114 mission specialist, did three successful spacewalks at the International Space Station and Discovery transported tons of equipment and supplies to and from the station. ... Discovery was about 600 feet from the station. ...