KSC-2010-3380

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates congratulates the launch team in Firing Room 4 of the Launch Control Center at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida after the successful launch of space shuttle Atlantis on its STS-132 mission to the International Space Station. In the background, at right, is Kennedy Center Director Bob Cabana. Launch was on time at 2:20 p.m. EDT. STS-132 is the 132nd shuttle flight, the 32nd for Atlantis and the 34th shuttle mission dedicated to station assembly and maintenance. For more information on the STS-132 mission objectives, payload and crew, visit www.nasa.gov_mission_pages_shuttle_shuttlemissions_sts132_index.html. Photo credit: NASA_Kim Shiflett