Updated: Shuttle blasts off on final flight
The space shuttle Atlantis lifts off from the Kennedy Space Center, in Cape Canaveral, Florida. Atlantis is the 135th and final space shuttle launch for NASA. Photo: John Raoux
Atlantis has blasted off on Nasa's last space shuttle launch.
The historic lift-off came 30 years and three months after the very first shuttle flight.
Four astronauts are riding Atlantis to orbit. The shuttle is bound for the International Space Station, making one final supply run.
Hundreds of thousands of spectators jammed Cape Canaveral in Florida and surrounding towns for the farewell.
Kennedy Space Centre itself was packed with shuttle workers, astronauts and 45,000 invited guests, the maximum allowed.
The flight will last 12 days. Weather permitting, Atlantis will return to Kennedy, where it will end up on permanent display.
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Jesmond Micallef
Jul 8th 2011, 14:20
Very nice evocative photographic shot of the Space Shuttle Atlantis on its launch pad. Interesting to note how the service structure rotates away from the vehicle. This can be clearly observed on yesterday's news item.
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20110707/world/Showers-storms-could-delay-shuttle-launch-Nasa.374295
The towering structure fitted with a tank on top of it seen on the background is one of two used in order to store and replenish the Main Fuel Tank with the liquid oxygen and hydrogen fuels for the Shuttle's main engines.
Good luck to all at Nasa on this final mission.
Jesmond Micallef
Jul 8th 2011, 18:57
Seen the final Nasa Space Shuttle lift off live on Nasa HD TV. As allways, a very impressive sight.
I gave a wrong piece of information in my previous comment. That is an elevated water tank used for the Sound Suppression System. The link below provides a better aerial picture of the two space shuttle launch pad areas. Each is equiped with two large spherical pressure vessels (painted white) containing the liquid oxygen and hydrogen rocket fuel which charge up the two seperate fuel comparments within the Main Fuel Tank of the Space Shuttle.
http://www-pao.ksc.nasa.gov/kscpao/images/large/08pd2726.jpg
I appologise for my previous incorrect information.