This week in 1984, space shuttle Discovery and STS-41D launched from Kennedy Space Center. This was the maiden voyage of Discovery. The mission deployed three satellites and extended the 102-foot Office of Application and Space Technology solar wing, also known as OSAT-1 — a demonstration of large, lightweight solar arrays for future facilities in space such as the International Space Station. Here, Discovery is prepared for rollout from Kennedy’s Vehicle Assembly Building. Today, the Payload Operations Integration Center at Marshall serves as “science central” for the space station, working 24/7, 365 days a year in support of the orbiting laboratory’s scientific experiments. The NASA History Program is responsible for generating, disseminating, and preserving NASA’s remarkable history and providing a comprehensive understanding of the institutional, cultural, social, political, economic, technological, and scientific aspects of NASA’s activities in aeronautics and space. For more pictures like this one and to connect to NASA’s history, visit the Marshall History Program’s webpage. (NASA)