NASA has successfully started shuttle Atlantis.

NASA has started on Monday shuttle Atlantis to the International space station. By initial estimations of experts of the American space department, start from the cosmodrome to Cape Canaveral in Florida has passed regularly, Reports ITAR-TASS.

Onboard Atlantis  six astronauts led by the commander of the ship Charles Khobak  have gone. The shuttle will deliver to an orbital complex more than 13 tons of the scientific equipment, spare parts and necessary supplies.

The crew of the mission calculated for 11 days, it is necessary to make three outputs in a free space. For the beginning they will establish a number of aerials on external surface МКС, will repair the tank with the oxygen and will execute a number of other works.

Besides participants of outputs in space should carry out installation on an orbital complex of two platforms which will arrive into an orbit in a cargo compartment of a shuttle. These platforms in the further will be used for storage of the equipment, gyroscopes, cylinders with oxygen, nitrogen and ammonia, other cargoes.

“Flight” Atlantis which should land in Florida on November, 27th, on the ground astronaut NASA Nicole Stott who bears watch in an orbit since August, 30th will return. Present flight to МКС will be the last for shuttles in it to year. In 2010 NASA expects to carry out five more starts of “shuttles” to an orbital complex before to shuttles which program of operation is realized already during 30 years, it is necessary “to retire”. On change by it the booster rocket of new generation and a capsule for crew Orion should come.

This “sheaf” NASA expects to use for the further flights to МКС, and then – returning to the Moon and other projects within the limits of an outer space exploration.