Atlantis Space Shuttle Launch Pictures and Details Emerge As The Shuttle Begins Its Journey

The space shuttle Atlantis started its journey to the International Space Station after it was successfully launched on Monday from the Kennedy Space Center by the United States Space agency NASA. The shuttle is on its eleven day journey with the aim of providing the requisite spare parts and supplies to the space station which would enable the space station to fulfill its purpose of operating as a orbiting lab for an extended period of time. Currently, the space station orbits the earth at an distance of about 350km from its surface. Several pictures have been put up on the web since its launch.

The success of this mission was immensely significant as this trip is the first among the five missions that are scheduled to take place till September next year which would be providing the International Space Station with all the necessary hardware.
In its mission, Atlantis carried six astronauts along with 27000 pounds of gyroscopes, ammonia tanks and a variety of other equipment. As the launch was about to take place, director Mike Leinback implied that the launch is expected to be go unhindered as the weather was perfect and other impediments have been taken care off.

It is being presumed that Atlantis would be encountering the space station around Wednesday and would provide the vital supplies which in turn would play a pivotal role in increasing the life span of the space station. Atlantis which is the fourth operational to be constructed,is scheduled to fly till the year 2010 when the shuttle program would come to its conclusion. The launching event was also attended by thousands of enthusiasts who cheered as the space shuttle blasted off and began its journey.