US Space Shuttle Atlantis blasts off. This is the final American Space Shuttle flight in a long history of successful and unsuccessful space missions. Although this one was clouded by some weather problems, Atlantis shuttle has finally lifted off. The STS-135 Atlantis launch now marks the end of an era in space flight.
This the final flight of the shuttle program is a 12-day mission to the International Space Station.
NASA and many all over the entire world will be watching this last shuttle flight with special interest.
On the final mission of a 30-year space program, with a reduced crew of four, the shuttle is ferrying supplies on a mission, which was assembled in orbit from parts carried into orbit by earlier shuttles and other rockets and is now largely complete.
The Florida launch took off within minutes of its scheduled time, despite threatening weather, inaccurate news reporting and technical delays.