This is from the NASA website (with one or two of my own additions):
Space shuttle Atlantis, its crew of six astronauts
and a few insects are headed for
space, ready to begin their 11-day mission to the International Space
Station. The climb to orbit took about 8 1/2 minutes.
Following a
smooth countdown, with no technical issues and weather that steadily
improved throughout the afternoon, the shuttle lifted off on time from
Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 2:28 p.m.
EST.
I had not watched a launch live in a while. Glad I had an excuse to do so as the Leal butterflies-in-space specialist because it is an impressive sight.
M