CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla.—The U.S. space shuttle Atlantis blasted off from its seaside Florida launch pad on Thursday to deliver a $1.9 billion European science laboratory to the International Space Station.
Defying a dismal weather forecast, the shuttle lifted off at 2:45 p.m. (1945 GMT) and headed toward a Saturday rendezvous with the station. Tucked into Atlantis' cargo bay is the European Space Agency's Columbus module, the centerpiece of a $5 billion program to give Europe a permanent toehold in space.
"Liftoff of space shuttle Atlantis, as Columbus sets sail on a voyage of science to the space station," said NASA commentator George Diller as the ship rose into the sky, trailing a tail of bright flame.
For more than 25 years, European space researchers have relied on the hospitality of others to operate their experiments in orbit. With Columbus, Europe will have a permanent laboratory in space for a variety of biology, physiology, fluid physics and other experiments.
" Columbus means so much to Europe," said Alan Thirkettle, ESA's space station program manager. "We finally will have our own real estate on orbit."
Installing Columbus, named after the 15th-century Italian explorer, is the primary goal of NASA's 121st space shuttle mission. Atlantis' seven-member crew includes two Europeans, both returning to space after debut flights a decade ago.
Germany's Hans Schlegel is a veteran of a 1993 shuttle research mission, and France's Leopold Eyharts spent three weeks aboard Russia's now-defunct Mir space station in 1998.
Eyharts will be staying aboard the station after the shuttle departs to begin running science experiments in Columbus. . He replaces returning space station flight engineer Dan Tani of the United States, who will fly home with Schlegel and the five U.S. astronauts aboard Atlantis.
Waiting Since 2002
Columbus is the heart of an ESA investment that is expected to reach about $13 billion by 2015. In addition to the module, Europe developed cargo ships to ferry fuel, supplies, food and water to the outpost. The first of five flights of the so-called Automated Transfer Vehicles is expected in March.
"We will be a more mature, a senior partner," Schlegel said in a preflight interview.
Europe is hoping for some direct spin-offs from its investments in terms of medical and technological advances that will benefit the taxpayers who have paid for the program, Thirkettle said.
The research initiatives include biological studies, materials development and fluid physics. Columbus can hold 10 refrigerator-sized experiment racks within its 23-foot- (7-metre) long, 15-foot (4.5-metre) diameter chamber.
The module also has attachments externally for four more experiments.
"We're very hopeful that the (money) we've spent will improve people's lives," Thirkettle said.
ESA has been waiting for the delivery of Columbus since 2002. It was first postponed by Russian delays launching the space station's service module, then by the 2003 destruction of space shuttle Columbia, which grounded the shuttle fleet for 2-1/2 years.
Columbus has room enough for three crewmembers to work on experiments and was launched with a biolab for cell and tissue studies and an experiment to study the effects of weightlessness on the human body.
Also flying on Atlantis are five U.S. astronauts: commander Stephen Frick, pilot Alan Poindexter and mission specialists Rex Walheim, Stanley Love and Leland Melvin.
NASA plans to quickly follow The agency has 13 remaining missions on the shuttle's roster before the fleet is retired in 2010.
In addition to 12 space station construction and resupply flights, NASA plans a mission in August or September to service the Hubble Space Telescope.
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