Atlantis Space Station Bound!
Cheers and shouts can be heard throughout the Kennedy Space Center as Atlantis roars off the launch pad into a clear blue Florida sky!
Image above: Space Shuttle Atlantis lifts off on mission STS-117. Image credit: NASA
Within 10 minutes, the shuttle will be in orbit around the Earth. Within 24 hours Atlantis will undergo the rendezvous pitch maneuver and thermal protection system tile inspection. By flight day 3, Atlantis will be ready to dock with the International Space Station. |
