Shuttle Plume
Shuttle Plume
Credit: NASA, Ken Thornsley
Explanation: What kind of cloud is that? Not a naturally occurring one.
Pictured above is the drifting smoke plume left over from last Friday's launch of the
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 Space Shuttle is currently visiting the
International Space Station and delivering a new backbone truss segment to the continually developing and
occupied spaceport. This trip, officially labeled
STS-117, is the 118th space shuttle
flight overall and the 28th for the Atlantis Orbiter.
Shuttle Plume
