KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Guests at the VIP viewing site on the Banana River at NASA's Kennedy Space Center watch as space shuttle Atlantis leaps through the clouds after launch, leaving a long, curling contrail behind. Atlantis is racing to the International Space Station on mission STS-122. Liftoff was on time at 2:45 p.m. EST. The launch is the third attempt for Atlantis since December 2007 to carry the European Space Agency's Columbus laboratory to the International Space Station. During the 11-day mission, the crew's prime objective is to attach the laboratory to the Harmony module, adding to the station's size and capabilities. Photo credit: NASA/George Shelton
Location Kennedy Space Center, FL
Date February 7, 2008