NASA STS-129 Report #01 2 p.m. CST Monday, Nov. 16, 2009

Mission Control Center, Houston, Texas

HOUSTON Space shuttle Atlantis launched at 1:28 p.m. CST on its way to store supplies onboard the International Space Station.

Commander Charles Hobaugh, Pilot Barry Wilmore and Mission Specialists Mike Foreman, Robert Satcher, Jr., Randy Bresnik and Leland Melvin reached orbit eight and a half minutes later as the space station flew 220 miles over the South Pacific Ocean.

Aboard the station watching Atlantis launch on a live feed from Mission Control were Commander Frank De Winne of the European Space Agency and Flight Engineers Jeffrey Williams, Nicole Stott, Roman Romanenko, Maxim Suraev and Robert Thirsk of the Canadian Space Agency.

Following Atlantis docking and hatch opening Wednesday, Stott officially becomes a shuttle crew member to return home aboard Atlantis after nearly three months aboard the station.

Shortly after reaching orbit, Atlantis crew began procedures to ensure the spaceship is healthy for on-orbit operations and is scheduled to open the payload bay doors at about 2:53 p.m.

The crews launch day ends with a thorough checkout of the robotic arm and survey of the payload bay before heading to bed about 7:28 p.m.

Following wakeup at 3:28 a.m. Tuesday, the crew will spend the majority of the day assessing the health of Atlantis wing leading edge panels and nosecap using the boom/sensor extension and checking out the spacesuits to be worn during three planned spacewalks later in the mission. The crew also will test rendezvous tools and prepare the docking system ahead of arrival at the station.

Atlantis mission is the 129th in shuttle program history and the 31st dedicated to station assembly, resupply and maintenance. The mission is focused on storing supplies on the exterior of the station to sustain operations after the space shuttle is retired.

The next shuttle status report will be issued after crew wakeup or earlier if warranted.