CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — The last space shuttle launch that will ever happen went off nearly on schedule Friday. It provided thrills on takeoff, and left many Utahns wondering what comes next.

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On the final mission after 30 years, Atlantis delivered delivered four astronauts to orbit Friday. One of those, the last woman who will ever fly on the shuttle, has a very special relationship with a Utah school.

Atlantis blasted off on NASA's last space shuttle launch Friday morning, 30 years and three months after the very first shuttle flight.

Four astronauts are riding Atlantis to orbit. The shuttle is bound for the International Space Station, making one final supply run.

For days many people doubted the shuttle would get off on schedule, but the rain eased up and cleared the way for launch.

Hundreds of thousands of spectators jammed Cape Canaveral and surrounding towns for the farewell. Kennedy Space Center itself was packed with shuttle workers, astronauts and 45,000 invited guests, the maximum allowed.

Among the many Utahns at Cape Canaveral were 24-year ATK employee Kay Anderson and former astronaut Scott Horowitz.

"At six seconds, the main engines light — and it's very impressive. The whole thing starts to rip itself off the launch pad," Horowitz explained. "Then you know something serious is going on when the solids light. You know you're going somewhere."

"It's pure acceleration," he continued." This 4 million-pound vehicle, it's like all this energy has suddenly been released under you and you're riding like you're in a man-made earthquake and being shot right off the pad."

"Well, I bawled like a baby when it went," Anderson said. "I wasn't planning on it, but when it went up I couldn't hold back. You know, I feel very sad. It's a bittersweet time."

The flight will last 12 days. Weather permitting, Atlantis will return to Kennedy, where it will end up on permanent display.

Meanwhile, hundreds of people showed up at the IMAX theater at the Gateway in Salt Lake City Friday morning to watch the final launch.

“I saw the first launch when I was in second grade,” Salt Lake City resident Ben Stringham said. “They had the whole school gathered around a little TV set, and we watched the first launch, the first shuttle go up.”

He brought his sons with him, so they could share the experience of watching the final launch.

The shuttle overcame lousy odds: a 70-percent chance of bad weather. “I felt happy that it didn’t get scrubbed,” said Alyssa Poll, also from Salt Lake City.

“I think it’s pretty cool,” added Shaleigh Poll. “It’s just a historical event, and to be here and say ‘I was there at the last shuttle launch,’ it’s going to be cool later.”

Written with contributions from John Hollenhorst and The Associated Press .

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