Atlantis Launch Gallery

By Nancy Atkinson - May 15, 2010 at 3:20 AM UTC | Missions
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Here's a gallery of images from the last scheduled launch of space shuttle Atlantis, taken by Universe Today photographer Alan Walters (

check out his website!

), writer Ken Kremer, and a few from NASA. It was a beautiful day and a beautiful launch. But was it really Atlantis' last? Only time will tell, but for now enjoy these great images.

[caption id="attachment_64394" align="aligncenter" width="580" caption="The STS-132 crew walkout. Image credit: Alan Walters (awaltersphoto.com) for Universe Today."]

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[caption id="attachment_64395" align="aligncenter" width="386" caption="Photographers vie for position at the crew walkout location. Credit: Alan Walters (awaltersphoto.com) for Universe Today."]

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[caption id="attachment_64396" align="aligncenter" width="580" caption="Birds take flight along with Atlantis. Image credit: Alan Walters for Universe Today. "]

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[caption id="attachment_64397" align="aligncenter" width="580" caption="Atlantis goes into the roll program during the STS-132 launch. Credit: Alan Walters for Universe Today"]

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[caption id="attachment_64490" align="aligncenter" width="386" caption="Ken Kremer captured this gorgeous image of Atlantis' launch. Credit: Ken Kremer"]

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[caption id="attachment_64398" align="aligncenter" width="580" caption="A crowd of media and Twitterers watch the launch from the Kennedy Space Center Press site. Credit: NASA"]

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[caption id="attachment_64399" align="aligncenter" width="386" caption="A close-up of Atlantis during launch. Credit: NASA"]

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[caption id="attachment_64400" align="aligncenter" width="580" caption="Another view of the launch from KSC. Credit: NASA"]

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For larger versions of the NASA images, see the

STS-132 gallery on NASA's Human Spaceflight website

. We'll keep you updated on the status of the mission.

Nancy Atkinson

Nancy Atkinson

Nancy Atkinson is a space journalist and author with a passion for telling the stories of people involved in space exploration and astronomy. She is currently retired from daily writing, but worked at Universe Today for 20 years as a writer and editor. She also contributed articles to The Planetary Society, Ad Astra (National Space Society), New Scientist and many other online outlets.

Her 2019 book, "Eight Years to the Moon: The History of the Apollo Missions,” shares the untold stories of engineers and scientists who worked behind the scenes to make the Apollo program so successful, despite the daunting odds against it. Her first book “Incredible Stories From Space: A Behind-the-Scenes Look at the Missions Changing Our View of the Cosmos” (2016) tells the stories of 37 scientists and engineers that work on several current NASA robotic missions to explore the solar system and beyond.

Nancy is also a NASA/JPL Solar System Ambassador, and through this program, she has the opportunity to share her passion of space and astronomy with children and adults through presentations and programs. Nancy's personal website is nancyatkinson.com