What kind of cloud is that? It’s the drifting smoke plume that resulted from the launch of Space Shuttle Atlantis. The twisted plume was captured shortly after launch high above NASA’s massive Vehicle Assembly Building, the largest single story building in the world. Rockets frequently create picturesque plumes during launch. The shuttle mission visited the International Space Station to deliver a new truss segment to the continually developing and occupied spaceport. This trip, officially labeled STS-117, was the 118th space shuttle flight overall and the 28th for the Atlantis Orbiter.Image Credit: NASA, Ken Thornsley
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