Cape Canaveral (Florida): The space shuttle Atlantis thundered into the sky over Kennedy Space Centre Monday carrying six crew members on a mission to the International Space Station.

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The mission is part of the US space agency's efforts to stock up the ISS reserves as the shuttle programme enters its expected final year in 2010. After this week's mission there are just five more flights scheduled.

Text: DPA/IANS

Images: AP

Image: The space shuttle Atlantis lifts off on Nov. 16, 2009, from Kennedy Space Center's Launch Pad 39-A in Cape Canaveral, Fla.