SUBMITTED BY ARTHUR N1ORC - AMSAT A/C #31468

*Liftoff! Atlantis is Space Station Bound *

/ Sept. 9, 11:15 a.m. EDT (1515 UTC)/ 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 spacewalks to install the P3/P4 integrated truss and solar arrays on the station, doubling the current power generating capability of the orbiting outpost.

NASA TV will carry a post-launch news conference at approximately one hour after liftoff. + Watch NASA TV http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/index.html