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CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida — Atlantis lifted off from Kennedy Space Center this morning on a somber day that marked the last launch in NASA’s shuttle program.

Rainy weather had threatened to delay the scheduled 10:36 a.m. launch, with only a 30 percent chance of being clear for liftoff. At 8:26 a.m. NASA reported Atlantis’ hatch was closed and latched for flight, but weather was still “red” because of thick clouds. By 9:32, the weather was changed to “green.”

NASA made the decision overnight to load Atlantis’ giant orange external tank with liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen to fuel the shuttle’s main engines during ascent. 

Update, 10:40 a.m. The shuttle’s solid rocket boosters have successfully separated. No issues have been reported.

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