George Diller/STS-132 Launch Commentator: Firing chain is armed. Sound suppression water system activated.
T minus 13... 12... 11... 10... nine... eight... go for main engine start... six... five... four... three... two... one... and zero...
and liftoff of space shuttle Atlantis, reaching the crest of its historic achievements in space.
Launch Control Center: Houston, Atlantis is in a roll.
Charles Hobaugh/Capcom: Roger, roll, Houston.
Kyle Herring/STS-132 Ascent Commentator: Houston is now controlling. The roll maneuver is complete.
Atlantis is in a heads-down position on course for a 51.6 degree, 136 by 36 statute mile orbit.
The three main engines on Atlantis have now been throttled down to 72 percent of rated thrust as the orbiter
prepares to pass through the area of maximum dynamic pressure on the vehicle in the lower atmosphere.
Engine is now beginning to throttle back up. Charles Hobaugh/Capcom: Atlantis you are go at throttle up.
Ken Ham/STS-132 Commander: Copy, go at throttle up.
Kyle Herring/STS-132 Ascent Commentator: All three engines looking really good, back at full throttle now.
At liftoff, the fully fueled shuttle, boosters and external tank weighed 4.5 million pounds.
It now has burned half of that liftoff weight in propellant.
One minute, 30 seconds into the flight, all three auxiliary power units that provide hydraulic power to the
orbiter's systems in good shape as are the fuel cells providing electricity to all of the systems on board.
Atlantis is already 19 miles in altitude, downrange from the Kennedy Space Center 20 miles, traveling 2,500 mph.
Coming up on staging, the point of which the twin solid rocket boosters burn out and separate from the orbiter.