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"At 11:26 ET Friday, space shuttle Atlantis flew up in the sky toward the International Space Station, marking an end of an era: It was the last aircraft to launch as part of NASA's space shuttle program. \nAtlantis will carry four astronauts during the 12-day mission, bring supplies and spare parts to the International Space Station and conduct an experiment to test new refueling and repair technology for satellites in orbit, after which it will return to Earth and retire. \n\nSEE ALSO: Space Shuttle Launch: Photos from the Final Atlantis Flight\nIf you've missed the live stream of the launch, you can see it in the archived video below. The actual liftoff starts somewhere around 18:00 in the video. \n\n\n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n\nPhotos from the Final Atlantis Flight\nStay tuned. We'll keep updating this gallery with new photos.\n\n\nSpace Shuttle Launch: Photos from the Final Atlantis Flight\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n@schierholz's Badge\nPhoto courtesy of Ryan Matzner.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n@schierholz Tweeted\nPhoto courtesy of Ryan Matzner.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n@schierholz Handed Out M&amp;Ms\nPhoto courtesy of Ryan Matzner.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nTweetup Participants\nPhoto courtesy of Ryan Matzner.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nTweetup Participants\nPhoto courtesy of Ryan Matzner.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nTweetup Participants\nPhoto courtesy of Ryan Matzner.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nTweetup Badge\nPhoto courtesy of Ryan Matzner.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nTweetup Participants\nPhoto courtesy of Ryan Matzner.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nTweetup Participants\nPhoto courtesy of Ryan Matzner.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n@SethGreen Tweeted\nPhoto courtesy of Ryan Matzner.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMedia Getting Signals\nPhoto courtesy of Ryan Matzner.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nElmo Reports Launch\nPhoto courtesy of Ryan Matzner.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nOfficial Launch M&amp;Ms\nPhoto courtesy of Ryan Matzner.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nNPR Tweeted\nPhoto courtesy of Ryan Matzner.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMashable Media Badge\nPhoto courtesy of Ryan Matzner.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nLiftoff\nPhoto courtesy of Ryan Matzner.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nLiftoff\nPhoto courtesy of Ryan Matzner.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nLiftoff\nPhoto courtesy of Ryan Matzner.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nLiftoff\nPhoto courtesy of Ryan Matzner.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nLiftoff\nPhoto courtesy of Ryan Matzner.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nLiftoff\nPhoto courtesy of NASA.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nLiftoff\nPhoto courtesy of NASA.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nLiftoff\nPhoto courtesy of NASA.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nLiftoff\nPhoto courtesy of NASA.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSolid Rocket Booster Separation\nPhoto courtesy of NASA.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nLiftoff\nPhoto courtesy of Ryan Matzner.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nLiftoff\nPhoto courtesy of Ryan Matzner.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nLiftoff\nPhoto courtesy of Ryan Matzner.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nLiftoff\nPhoto courtesy of Ryan Matzner.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nLiftoff\nPhoto courtesy of Ryan Matzner.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nLiftoff\nPhoto courtesy of Ryan Matzner.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nLiftoff\nPhoto courtesy of Ryan Matzner.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nLiftoff\nPhoto courtesy of Ryan Matzner.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nShuttle Atlantis\n\nShuttle Atlantis moves into the Vehicle Assembly Building.\nPhoto courtesy of NASA.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAtlantis Sunrise\n\nThe sun rises over the launch pad at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.\nPhoto courtesy of NASA.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAtlantis Sunset\n\nSunset over Launch Pad 39A before the Raffaello multi-purpose logistics module (MPLM) is delivered.\nPhoto courtesy of NASA.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAtlantis Sunrise\n\nAnother sun rises over the Shuttle Atlantis.\nPhoto courtesy of NASA.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe Crew Celebrates\n\nThe STS-135 crew wave American flags in honor of Independence Day. From left: Commander Chris Ferguson, Pilot Doug Hurley, and Mission Specialists Sandy Magnus and Rex Walheim.\nPhoto courtesy of NASA.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe Crew Heads for Final Launch Preparation\n\nThe STS-135 team departs for the Astronaut Crew Quarters in Kennedy's Operations and Checkout Building.\nPhoto courtesy of NASA.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nFiring Room 4\n\nIn Firing Room 4, NASA team members prepare for launch.\nPhoto courtesy of NASA.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nLaunch Pad\n\nAtlantis was \"hard down\" at its seaside launch pad by 3:29 a.m. EDT on Wednesday, June 1.\nPhoto courtesy of NASA.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAtlantis Flag\n\nThe Atlantis flag flutters below the American flag.\nPhoto courtesy of Ryan Matzner.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nLaunch Pad\n\nA view of the launch pad from across the water.\nPhoto courtesy of Ryan Matzner.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMedia Gathers\n\nNews crews prepare their equipment at tents near the launch pad.\nPhoto courtesy of Ryan Matzner.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMedia Tents\n\nTwo-tier media tents provide better views of the Atlantis.\nPhoto courtesy of Ryan Matzner.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nLaunch Clock\n\nRyan Matzner, lead strategist at Fueled, a mobile app development firm, stands in front of the countdown-to-launch clock.\nPhoto courtesy of Ryan Matzner.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMedia Tripods\n\nMedia stakes out their turf with tripods aimed at the shuttle launch.\nPhoto courtesy of Ryan Matzner.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nTweetup\n\nMedia and spectators alike participate in the lunch Tweetup.\nPhoto courtesy of Ryan Matzner.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nEn Route\n\nThe van will lead the procession of astronauts to the shuttle.\nPhoto courtesy of Ryan Matzner.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nEn Route\n\nThe astronauts en route to the launch pad.\nPhoto courtesy of Ryan Matzner.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nEn Route\n\nPrecious cargo on the way to the launch pad.\nPhoto courtesy of Ryan Matzner.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nVehicle Assembly Building\n\nAn impressive spectacle in itself, the Vehicle Assembly Building has been used to assemble NASA vehicles since 1968. It is the largest single-story building in the world.\nPhoto courtesy of Ryan Matzner.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nVehicle Assembly Building\n\nA view of the vehicle assembly building.\nPhoto courtesy of Ryan Matzner.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nBONUS: Amazing Photographs From Endeavour's Last Voyage\nNASA recently released these breathtaking images from the last voyage of Endeavour following its return from space last month.  Until October 2010, it was believed that the Endeavour mission would be the last space shuttle flight \u2014 now Atlantis is set to take that honor.\n\n\nendeavour\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nEndeavour's final voyage\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nEndeavour's final voyage\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nEndeavour's final voyage\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nEndeavour's final voyage\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nEndeavour's final voyage\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nEndeavour's final voyage\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nEndeavour's final voyage\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nEndeavour's final voyage\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nEndeavour's final voyage\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nEndeavour's final voyage\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nEndeavour's final voyage\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nEndeavour's final voyage\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n"^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
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