Atlantis lifts off on final space mission

The US space shuttle Atlantis lifted off yesterday on its final mission, carrying six astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS).

The shuttle blasted off from Cape Canaveral, Florida into a clear blue sky on time at 2.20 p.m. (1820 GMT).

Several minutes after the launch, Atlantis's twin white solid rocket boosters were separated and dropped into the Atlantic Ocean.

The shuttle's three engines propelled the vehicle on its eight-and-a-half-minute climb to orbit, assisted by the two orbital manoeuvring system engines.

The 32nd and final voyage for Atlantis, first launched in 1985, will take six astronauts to the orbiting space research facility, delivering an integrated cargo carrier and a Russian-built mini research module.

"On behalf of all the manufacturing, processing and flight launch teams who worked on Atlantis since March of 1980 we wish you good luck and godspeed have a little fun up there," launch director Mike Leinbach said just ahead of the liftoff.

Based on current plans, Atlantis's launch will be one of the last three missions of Nasa's shuttle programme due to be mothballed at the end of the year.

After this mission, only two more shuttle launches remain, one in September for Discovery and the final blast off for Endeavour in November.

Early yesterday the shuttle's external tank was filled with over two million litres of liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen in an operation lasting some two hours, Nasa said.

The 32nd and final voyage for Atlantis, first launched in 1985, will take six astronauts to the orbiting space research facility, delivering an integrated cargo carrier and a Russian-built mini research module.

In a poignant moment for Nasa as the US space agency counts down towards the end of an era in human spaceflight, Atlantis will be retired upon its safe return home after a 25-year career.

During a 12-day mission largely spent moored to the ISS, Atlantis and the crew will deliver over 12 tonnes of equipment, as astronauts seek to complete the $100-billion International Space Station.

"Twelve days, three (spacewalks), tons of robotics... We're putting on spares that make us feel good about the long-term sustainability of the ISS, replacing batteries that have been up there for a while, and docking a Russian-built ISS module," said space shuttle program manager John Shannon.

"This flight has a little bit of everything, and it's been a great preparation for the team."

President Barack Obama effectively abandoned in February plans by his predecessor George W. Bush to send astronauts back to the moon by 2020 and perhaps on to Mars.

Constrained by soaring deficits, Mr Obama submitted a budget to Congress that encouraged Nasa to focus instead on developing commercial transport alternatives to ferry astronauts to the ISS after the shuttle program ends.

Nonetheless, President Obama set a bold new course in April for the future of US space travel, laying out a vision to send American astronauts into Mars orbit by the mid-2030s.