Atlantis begins 'journey into history'. KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FL (by Horacio Cambeiro) - T' space shuttle Atlantis cleared t' tower o' t' Kennedy Space Center's Pad 39A for t' last time Friday, me hearties, endin' t' 30-year history o' America's first renewable spaceship. Aye aye! "And for t' final time ... Avast, me proud beauty! Good luck, God speed and have a little fun up there," Launch Director Mike D. Leinbach told t' crew o' STS-135 moments before launch. T' final mission o' t' shuttle, me hearties, STS-135, me bucko, and its crew o' four are en route t' t' International Space Station, shiver me timbers, deliverin' t' module filled with supplies and spare parts t' sustain station operations in t' shuttle's absence. Aye aye! Recent weather nearly stalled Atlantis' final launch as rain drenched t' space coast. Avast, me proud beauty! A lightnin' strike 515 feet from t' pad delayed final inspections, but t' orbiter was later cleared. Avast, me proud beauty! After a cloudy start Friday morning, arrr, t' weather cleared minutes before launch, me bucko, givin' t' needed window t' send t' orbiter on her final voyage. At about 31 seconds t' launch, however, a minor failure stalled t' launch for a short time, but t' countdown was resumed. With t' shuttle's departure, NASA looks towards a new future o' space exploration beyond t' shuttle's limit t' lower Earth orbit. Aye aye! It has been almost 40 years since men left Earth's orbit on t' last lunar mission on t' shuttle's predecessor, shiver me timbers, t' behemoth Saturn V. Aye aye! "Once again, we have t' opportunity t' raise t' bar, matey, t' demonstrate what human beings can do if we are ...