KSC-06pp2158

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Space Shuttle Atlantis hurtles toward space, propelled by twin columns of fire from the solid rocket boosters, which are captured in the reflection on the water. The resulting clouds of smoke and steam billow across Launch Pad 39B and upward, obscuring the service structures on the pad. Atlantis is heading for a rendezvous with the International Space Station on mission STS-115. Liftoff was on-time at 11:14:55 a.m. EDT. After several launch attempts were scrubbed due to weather and technical concerns, this launch was executed perfectly. Mission STS-115 is the 116th space shuttle flight, the 27th flight for orbiter Atlantis, and the 19th U.S. flight to the International Space Station. During the mission, Atlantis' astronauts will deliver and install the 17.5-ton, bus-sized P3/P4 integrated truss segment on the station. The girder-like truss includes a set of giant solar arrays, batteries and associated electronics and will provide one-fourth of the total power-generation capability for the completed station. STS-115 is scheduled to last 11 days with a planned landing at KSC