Christina Drain
The Corsair
Amid sun and billowing clouds, space shuttle Atlantis lifted off at 2:45 p.m. today.
The weather was a concern all day but a jubilant Kathy Winters, shuttle weather officer, made the announcement during the final planned hold at 9 minutes that weather was acceptable for launch.
A final check of the ECO sensors, which delayed the flight in December, also passed.
The flight will deliver the European Space Agency’s Columbus module.