The light from the flames behind space shuttle Atlantis glow in the lagoon as the shuttle hurtles at NASA's Kennedy Space Center.

The light from the flames behind space shuttle Atlantis glow in the lagoon as the shuttle hurtles into the sky from Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center. Atlantis is racing to the International Space Station on mission STS-122. Liftoff was on time at 2:45 p.m. EST. The launch is the third attempt for Atlantis since December 2007 to carry the European Space Agency's Columbus laboratory to the International Space Station. During the 11-day mission, the crew's prime objective is to attach the laboratory to the Harmony module, adding to the station's size and capabilities. Photo credit: NASA/Sandra Joseph, Tony Gray, Robert Murray