The U.S. space shuttle Atlantis lifted off from its ocean-side launch pad of Kennedy Space Center at 11:15 p.m. EDT (1515 GMT) on Saturday, heading for the International Space Station to resume construction of the space outpost, according to NASA TV. (Xinhua Photo) Photo Gallery >>>

    WASHINGTON, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) -- NASA officials and mission managers, at the post-launch news conference on Saturday afternoon from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, expressed excitement at the successful launch of Atlantis and looked forward to the mission ahead, according to NASA TV.

NASA Administrator Michael Griffin smiles during the news conference after the launch of the space shuttle Atlantis at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida September 9, 2006.(Xinhua Photo) Photo Gallery >>>

    NASA Administrator Michael Griffin said, "Once again, it's an honor to be associated with this program and with this team and to watch them work. What you saw today was a flawless count and a majestic launch.

    "Not everything in the count leading up to this day was easy," Griffin said. "We had to dodge tropical storms, lightning strikes and things like that."

    However, Launch coordinator Leroy Cain said an insulation foam broke off the shuttle's fuel tanks, but probably too late into the launch to have done any serious damage.

    "It didn't look like there was any damage," Mission Control told the Atlantis crew.

    Bill Gerstenmaier, associate administrator for Space Operations added, "The team did an awesome job. It wasn't easy getting here. They hung together through a lot of adverse circumstances."

    Looking ahead to the work slated for the astronauts, Gerstenmaier said, "They've got a very busy mission ahead of them. They're ready to go."

    Space Shuttle Atlantis lifted off from Kennedy Space Center and charged into the midday Florida sky on a mission to boost power on the International Space Station. The launch was on time, with liftoff at 11:15 a.m. EDT. Over the 11-day mission, the six-member crew will perform three space walks to install the P3/P4 integrated truss and solar arrays on the station, doubling the current power-generating capability of the orbiting outpost. Enditem

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