Rocket Launch Events

Dynamic images showcasing various rocket launches against a clear sky, highlighting powerful liftoffs and smoke trails from vehicles like the Space Shuttle and Atlas V.

High School and College students from around the U.S. came together at Bragg Farms in Toney, Alabama for the 2019 Student Launch Initiative. The students launched their rockets to their own predetermined altitude with various payloads including remote rovers and unmanned aerial vehicles.

STS129-S-043 (16 Nov. 2009) --- Space Shuttle Atlantis and its six-member STS-129 crew head toward Earth orbit and rendezvous with the International Space Station. Liftoff was on time at 2:28 p.m. (EST) on Nov. 16, 2009 from launch pad 39A at NASAs Kennedy Space Center, Florida. Onboard are astronauts Charles O. Hobaugh, commander; Barry E. Wilmore, pilot; along with Leland Melvin, Mike Foreman, Robert L. Satcher Jr. and Randy Bresnik, all mission specialists. Atlantis will deliver two Express Logistics Carriers to the station, the largest of the shuttle's cargo carriers, containing 15 spare pieces of equipment including two gyroscopes, two nitrogen tank assemblies, two pump modules, an ammonia tank assembly and a spare latching end effector for the station's robotic arm. Atlantis will return to Earth a station crew member, Nicole Stott, who has spent more than two months aboard the orbiting laboratory. STS-129 is slated to be the final space shuttle Expedition crew rotation flight.

High School and College students from around the U.S. came together at Bragg Farms in Toney, Alabama for the 2019 Student Launch Initiative. The students launched their rockets to their own predetermined altitude with various payloads including remote rovers and unmanned aerial vehicles.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- The United Launch Alliance Atlas V-551 launch vehicle carrying NASA's Juno planetary probe is off to a roaring start on its five-year journey from Space Launch Complex 41 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.Liftoff was at 12:25 p.m. EDT Aug. 5. The solar-powered spacecraft will orbit Jupiter's poles 33 times to find out more about the gas giant's origins, structure, atmosphere and magnetosphere and investigate the existence of a solid planetary core. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif., manages the Juno mission for the principal investigator, Scott Bolton, of Southwest Research Institute in San Antonio. The Juno mission is part of the New Frontiers Program managed at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala. Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Denver, built the spacecraft. Launch management for the mission is the responsibility of NASA's Launch Services Program at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

A United Launch Alliance Atlas V 541 rocket soars upward after lifting off from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida on July 30, 2020, at 7:50 a.m. EDT, carrying NASAs Mars Perseverance rover and Ingenuity helicopter. The rover is part of NASAs Mars Exploration Program, a long-term effort of robotic exploration of the Red Planet. The rovers seven instruments will search for habitable conditions in the ancient past and signs of past microbial life on Mars. The Launch Services Program at Kennedy is responsible for launch management.

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifts off from Launch Complex 39A at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 10:30 a.m. EST on Jan. 19, 2020, carrying the Crew Dragon spacecraft on the companys uncrewed In-Flight Abort Test. The flight test demonstrated the spacecrafts escape capabilities in preparation for crewed flights to the International Space Station as part of the agencys Commercial Crew Program.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - The Ares I-X test rocket launches into a bright Florida sky from Launch Pad 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 11:30 a.m. EDT on Oct. 28. NASAs Constellation Program's 327-foot-tall rocket produces 2.96 million pounds of thrust at liftoff and reaches a speed of 100 mph in eight seconds. This was the first launch from Kennedy's pads of a vehicle other than the space shuttle since the Apollo Program's Saturn rockets were retired. The parts used to make the Ares I-X booster flew on 30 different shuttle missions ranging from STS-29 in 1989 to STS-106 in 2000. The data returned from more than 700 sensors throughout the rocket will be used to refine the design of future launch vehicles and bring NASA one step closer to reaching its exploration goals.

A United Launch Alliance Atlas V 541 rocket, carrying the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administrations (NOAA) Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite-T (GOES-T), soars upward after lifting off from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on March 1, 2022. Liftoff was at 4:38 p.m. EST. GOES-T is the third satellite in the GOES-R series that will continue to help meteorologists observe and predict local weather events that affect public safety. GOES-T will be renamed GOES-18 once it reaches geostationary orbit. GOES-18 will go into operational service as GOES West to provide critical data for the U.S. West Coast, Alaska, Hawaii, Mexico, Central America, and the Pacific Ocean. The launch was managed by NASAs Launch Services Program based at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, Americas multi-user spaceport.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - A Delta IV rocket roars into the sky with the GOES-O satellite aboard. Liftoff was at 6:51 p.m. EDT from Launch Complex 37 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. The first attempt to launch GOES-O, on June 26, was scrubbed due to thunderstorms in the vicinity of Cape Canaveral. The latest Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite, GOES-O was developed by NASA for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA. Each of the GOES satellites continuously provides observations of 60 percent of the Earth including the continental United States, providing weather monitoring and forecast operations as well as a continuous and reliable stream of environmental information and severe weather warnings. Once in orbit, GOES-O will be designated GOES-14, and NASA will provide on-orbit checkout and then transfer operational responsibility to NOAA.

VANDENBERG AFB, Calif. -- The Landsat Data Continuity Mission spacecraft lifted off at 1 02 p.m. EST, 10 02 a.m. PST) atop a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket from Space Launch Complex 3 at California's Vandenberg Air Force Base. The Landsat Data Continuity Mission LDCM is the future of Landsat satellites. It will continue to obtain valuable data and imagery to be used in agriculture, education, business, science, and government. The Landsat Program provides repetitive acquisition of high resolution multispectral data of the Earth's surface on a global basis. The data from the Landsat spacecraft constitute the longest record of the Earth's continental surfaces as seen from space. It is a record unmatched in quality, detail, coverage, and value.

A United Launch Alliance Atlas V 541 rocket soars upward after lifting off from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida on July 30, 2020, at 7:50 a.m. EDT, carrying NASAs Mars Perseverance rover and Ingenuity helicopter. The rover is part of NASAs Mars Exploration Program, a long-term effort of robotic exploration of the Red Planet. The rovers seven instruments will search for habitable conditions in the ancient past and signs of past microbial life on Mars. The Launch Services Program at Kennedy is responsible for launch management.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Through a slight haze of clouds, Space Shuttle Atlantis hurtles toward space for a rendezvous with the International Space Station on mission STS-115. Liftoff was on-time at 11:14:55 a.m. EDT. After launch attempts were scrubbed Aug. 27 and 29 and Sept. 3 and 8 due to weather and technical concerns, this launch was executed perfectly. Mission STS-115 is the 116th space shuttle flight, the 27th flight for orbiter Atlantis, and the 19th U.S. flight to the International Space Station. During the mission, Atlantis' astronauts will deliver and install the 17.5-ton, bus-sized P3/P4 integrated truss segment on the station. The girder-like truss includes a set of giant solar arrays, batteries and associated electronics and will provide one-fourth of the total power-generation capability for the completed station. STS-115 is scheduled to last 11 days with a planned landing at KSC.

A Falcon 9 rocket carrying 23 starlink satellites launches from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida, Jan. 7, 2024. This was the 16th flight for the first stage booster supporting this mission, which previously launched CRS-22, Crew-3, Turksat 5B, Crew-4, CRS-25, Eutelsat HOTBIRD 13G, mPOWER-a, PSN SATRIA, and now eight Starlink missions.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- A Space Exploration Technologies, or SpaceX, Falcon 9 rocket races into a cloudy sky over Space Launch Complex 40 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, carrying a Dragon capsule filled with cargo to orbit. Launch was at 10 10 a.m. EST. The SpaceX Dragon capsule is making its third trip to the International Space Station, following a demonstration flight in May 2012 and the first resupply mission in October 2012. The mission is the second of 12 SpaceX flights contracted by NASA to resupply the orbiting laboratory.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - A fiery blaze trails the Ares I-X test rocket as it takes off from Launch Pad 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 11:30 a.m. EDT Oct. 28. Constellation Program's 327-foot-tall rocket produces 2.96 million pounds of thrust at liftoff and reaches a speed of 100 mph in eight seconds. This was the first launch from Kennedy's pads of a vehicle other than the space shuttle since the Apollo Program's Saturn rockets were retired. The parts used to make the Ares I-X booster flew on 30 different shuttle missions ranging from STS-29 in 1989 to STS-106 in 2000. The data returned from more than 700 sensors throughout the rocket will be used to refine the design of future launch vehicles and bring NASA one step closer to reaching its exploration goals.

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifts off from Launch Complex 39A at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 10:30 a.m. EST on Jan. 19, 2020, carrying the Crew Dragon spacecraft on the companys uncrewed In-Flight Abort Test. The flight test demonstrated the spacecrafts escape capabilities in preparation for crewed flights to the International Space Station as part of the agencys Commercial Crew Program.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- With NASA's Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) spacecraft sealed inside its payload fairing, the United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket rides a tall pillar of smoke and flames as it soars over Space Launch Complex-41 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida at 10:02 a.m. EST Nov. 26.MSL's components include a car-sized rover, Curiosity, which has 10 science instruments designed to search for signs of life, including methane, and help determine if the gas is from a biological or geological source.

Ares I-X -- First Flight of a New Moon Rocket

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- NASA's Juno planetary probe, enclosed in its payload fairing atop a United Launch Alliance Atlas V-551 launch vehicle, rushes above the towers of the lightning protection system at Space Launch Complex 41 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.Liftoff was at 12:25 p.m. EDT Aug. 5. The solar-powered spacecraft will orbit Jupiter's poles 33 times to find out more about the gas giant's origins, structure, atmosphere and magnetosphere and investigate the existence of a solid planetary core. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif., manages the Juno mission for the principal investigator, Scott Bolton, of Southwest Research Institute in San Antonio. The Juno mission is part of the New Frontiers Program managed at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala. Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Denver, built the spacecraft. Launch management for the mission is the responsibility of NASA's Launch Services Program at the Kennedy Space Center in

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- A Space Exploration Technologies, or SpaceX, Falcon 9 rocket lifts off Space Launch Complex 40 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida at 10 10 a.m. EST, carrying a Dragon capsule filled with cargo. The SpaceX Dragon capsule is making its third trip to the International Space Station, following a demonstration flight in May 2012 and the first resupply mission in October 2012. The SpaceX-2 mission is the second of 12 SpaceX flights contracted by NASA to resupply the orbiting laboratory.

High School and College students from around the U.S. came together at Bragg Farms in Toney, Alabama for the 2019 Student Launch Initiative. The students launched their rockets to their own predetermined altitude with various payloads including remote rovers and unmanned aerial vehicles.

A SpaceX Falcon-9 rocket carrying Starlink mission 3-4 launches from Space Launch Complex-4E on Aug. 30, 2022, at 10:40 p.m. PDT, Vandenberg Space Force Base, Calif. The first ever Starlink satellites launched from Vandenberg on Feb. 22, 2018!

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - A Delta IV rocket soars away from its launch pad with the GOES-O satellite aboard. Liftoff was at 6:51 p.m. EDT from Launch Complex 37 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. The first attempt to launch GOES-O, on June 26, was scrubbed due to thunderstorms in the vicinity of Cape Canaveral. The latest Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite, GOES-O was developed by NASA for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA. Each of the GOES satellites continuously provides observations of 60 percent of the Earth including the continental United States, providing weather monitoring and forecast operations as well as a continuous and reliable stream of environmental information and severe weather warnings. Once in orbit, GOES-O will be designated GOES-14, and NASA will provide on-orbit checkout and then transfer operational responsibility to NOAA.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Rising from fire and smoke, the United Launch Alliance Delta II Heavy rocket lifted off at 9:08 a.m. EDT Sept. 10 from Space Launch Complex 17B on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida carrying NASAs twin Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) mission to the moon.GRAIL will fly twin spacecraft in tandem around the moon to precisely measure and map variations in the moon's gravitational field. The mission will provide the most accurate global gravity field to date for any planet, including Earth. This detailed information will reveal differences in the density of the moon's crust and mantle and will help answer fundamental questions about the moon's internal structure, thermal evolution, and history of collisions with asteroids. The aim is to map the moon's gravity field so completely that future moon vehicles can safely navigate anywhere on the moons surface.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Against a clear blue Florida sky, the Lockheed Martin Atlas IIa rocket clears the tower as it lifts off from Launch Pad 36-A, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, with the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite-I (TDRS-1) aboard. TDRS-I replenishes the existing on-orbit fleet of six spacecraft. The TDRS System is the primary source of space-to-ground voice, data and telemetry for the Space Shuttle. It also provides communications with the International Space Station and scientific spacecraft in low-Earth orbit such as the Hubble Space Telescope. This new advanced series of satellites will extend the availability of TDRS communications services until about 2017. Liftoff occurred at 5:59 p.m. EST

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifts off from Launch Complex 39A at NASA's Kenney Space Center in Florida. This is the company's 10th commercial resupply services mission to the International Space Station. Liftoff was at 9:39 a.m. EST from the historic launch site now operated by SpaceX under a property agreement with NASA. The Dragon spacecraft will deliver about 5,500 pounds of supplies to the space station, including the Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiment (SAGE) III instrument to further study ozone in the atmosphere.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -Through a haze of clouds, Space Shuttle Atlantis hurtles toward space for a rendezvous with the International Space Station on mission STS-115. Liftoff was on-time at 11:14:55 a.m. EDT. After launch attempts were scrubbed Aug. 27 and 29 and Sept. 3 and 8 due to weather and technical concerns, this launch was executed perfectly. Mission STS-115 is the 116th space shuttle flight, the 27th flight for orbiter Atlantis, and the 19th U.S. flight to the International Space Station. During the mission, Atlantis' astronauts will deliver and install the 17.5-ton, bus-sized P3/P4 integrated truss segment on the station. The girder-like truss includes a set of giant solar arrays, batteries and associated electronics and will provide one-fourth of the total power-generation capability for the completed station. STS-115 is scheduled to last 11 days with a planned landing at KSC. Photo courtesy of Nikon/Scott Andrews

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - SpaceX rocket lifts off from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station carrying the Dragon resupply spacecraft to the International Space Station. Liftoff was at 4:47 a.m. EST. The commercial resupply mission will deliver 3,700 pounds of scientific experiments, technology demonstrations and supplies, including critical materials to support 256 science and research investigations that will take place on the space station.

A Delta IV Heavy rocket, NROL-91, launches at 3:25 p.m., PDT, from Space Launch Complex-6 on Vandenberg Space Force Base, Calif., Sept. 24, 2022. This is the last Delta IV Heavy to be launched on the West Coast.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Twin columns of fire rocket the Space Shuttle Atlantis into the sky above Kennedy Space Center. Liftoff of Atlantis on mission STS-117 to the International Space Station from Launch Pad 39A was on-time at 7:38:04 p.m. EDT. The shuttle is delivering a new segment to the starboard side of the International Space Station's backbone, known as the truss. Three spacewalks are planned to install the S3/S4 truss segment, deploy a set of solar arrays and prepare them for operation. STS-117 is the 118th space shuttle flight, the 21st flight to the station, the 28th flight for Atlantis and the first of four flights planned for 2007.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- With NASA's Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) spacecraft sealed inside its payload fairing, the United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket rides a plume of flames as it roars off the launch pad at Space Launch Complex-41 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida at 10:02 a.m. EST Nov. 26.MSL's components include a car-sized rover, Curiosity, which has 10 science instruments designed to search for signs of life, including methane, and help determine if the gas is from a biological or geological source.

A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket with NASAs Mars 2020 Perseverance rover onboard launches from Space Launch Complex 41, Thursday, July 30, 2020, at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. The Perseverance rover is part of NASAs Mars Exploration Program, a long-term effort of robotic exploration of the Red Planet.

A Falcon 9 rocket carrying supplies to the International Space Station launches from Space Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center, July 14, 2022. The Dragon spacecraft will carry supplies and equipment to aid in investigations such as testing the process of creating a biopolymer soil composite which is an alternative for concrete in a microgravity environment.

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifts off from Launch Complex 39A at NASA's Kenney Space Center in Florida, the company's 11th commercial resupply services mission to the International Space Station. Liftoff was at 5:07 p.m. EDT from the historic launch site now operated by SpaceX under a property agreement with NASA. The Dragon spacecraft will deliver 6,000 pounds of supplies, such as the Neutron star Interior Composition Explorer, or NICER, designed to study the extraordinary physics of these stars, providing insights into their nature and behavior.

The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying the Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich spacecraft lifts off from Space Launch Complex 4 at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, Nov. 21, 2020, at 9:17 a.m. PST (12:17 p.m. EST). The Sentinel-6/Jason-CS (Continuity of Service) mission consists of the Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich satellite, which will be followed by its twin, the Sentinel-6B satellite, in 2025. The Sentinel-6/Jason-CS mission is part of Copernicus, the European Unions Earth observation program, managed by the European Commission. Continuing the legacy of the Jason series missions, Sentinel-6/Jason-CS will extend the records of sea level into their fourth decade, collecting accurate measurements of sea surface height for more than 90% of the worlds oceans, and providing crucial information for operational oceanography, marine meteorology, and climate studies. NASAs Launch Services Program at Kennedy Space Center was responsible for launch management.

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying the GPS III SV06 payload launches from Space Launch Complex-40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Fla on Jan. 18, 2023. The overall objective of GPS III is to deliver sustained, reliable GPS capabilities to America's warfighters, our allies, and civil users. GPS provides positioning, navigation, and timing service to civil and military users worldwide.

A SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket begins its demonstration flight with liftoff at 3:45 p.m. EST from from Launch Complex 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. This is a significant milestone for the world's premier multi-user spaceport. In 2014, NASA signed a property agreement with SpaceX for the use and operation of the center's pad 39A, where the company has launched Falcon 9 rockets and prepared for the first Falcon Heavy. NASA also has Space Act Agreements in place with partners, such as SpaceX, to provide services needed to process and launch rockets and spacecraft.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Backdropped by a beautiful blue sky, the United Launch Alliance Delta II Heavy rocket propels NASAs twin Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) mission off Space Launch Complex 17B on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. The spacecraft launched at 9:08:52 a.m. EDT Sept. 10. GRAIL-A will separate from the second stage of the rocket at about one hour, 21 minutes after liftoff, followed by GRAIL-B at 90 minutes after launch. The spacecraft are embarking on a three-month journey to reach the moon.GRAIL will fly twin spacecraft in tandem around the moon to precisely measure and map variations in the moon's gravitational field. The mission will provide the most accurate global gravity field to date for any planet, including Earth. This detailed information will reveal differences in the density of the moon's crust and mantle and will help answer fundamental questions about the moon's internal structure, thermal evolution, and history of collisions

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - A Delta IV rocket roars into the sky with the GOES-O satellite aboard. Liftoff was at 6:51 p.m. EDT from Launch Complex 37 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. The first attempt to launch GOES-O, on June 26, was scrubbed due to thunderstorms in the vicinity of Cape Canaveral. The latest Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite, GOES-O was developed by NASA for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA. Each of the GOES satellites continuously provides observations of 60 percent of the Earth including the continental United States, providing weather monitoring and forecast operations as well as a continuous and reliable stream of environmental information and severe weather warnings. Once in orbit, GOES-O will be designated GOES-14, and NASA will provide on-orbit checkout and then transfer operational responsibility to NOAA.

The Atlas V 401 vehicle lifts off from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station carrying the Solar Dynamics Observatory on February 11, 2010.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Space shuttle Atlantis launches through the clouds from Launch Pad 39A on a balmy Florida afternoon at NASA's Kennedy Space Center. Liftoff on its STS-129 mission came at 2:28 p.m. EST Nov. 16. Aboard are crew members Commander Charles O. Hobaugh; Pilot Barry E. Wilmore; and Mission Specialists Leland Melvin, Randy Bresnik, Mike Foreman and Robert L. Satcher Jr. On STS-129, the crew will deliver two ExPRESS Logistics Carriers to the International Space Station, the largest of the shuttle's cargo carriers, containing 15 spare pieces of equipment including two gyroscopes, two nitrogen tank assemblies, two pump modules, an ammonia tank assembly and a spare latching end effector for the station's robotic arm. Atlantis will return to Earth a station crew member, Nicole Stott, who has spent more than two months aboard the orbiting laboratory. STS-129 is slated to be the final space shuttle Expedition crew rotation flight.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. Viewed from the top of the Vehicle Assembly Building at Kennedy Space Center, NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft roars off the launch pad aboard an Atlas V rocket spewing flames and smoke. Liftoff was on time at 2 p.m. EST from Complex 41 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. This was the third launch attempt in as many days after scrubs due to weather concerns. The compact, 1,050-pound piano-sized probe will get a boost from a kick-stage solid propellant motor for its journey to Pluto. New Horizons will be the fastest spacecraft ever launched, reaching lunar orbit distance in just nine hours and passing Jupiter 13 months later. The New Horizons science payload, developed under direction of Southwest Research Institute, includes imaging infrared and ultraviolet spectrometers, a multi-color camera, a long-range telescopic camera, two particle spectrometers, a space-dust detector and a radio science experiment. The dust counter was designed and

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- A United Launch Alliance Atlas V 401 rocket streaks into the night sky over Space Launch Complex 41 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, carrying NASA's Tracking and Data Relay Satellite-K, TDRS-K, to orbit. Launch was at 8 48 p.m. EST. The TDRS-K spacecraft is part of the next-generation series in the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System, a constellation of space-based communication satellites providing tracking, telemetry, command and high-bandwidth data return services.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- NASA's Juno planetary probe, enclosed in its payload fairing atop a United Launch Alliance Atlas V-551 launch vehicle, bounds from Space Launch Complex 41 into the clouds over Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.Liftoff was at 12:25 p.m. EDT Aug. 5. The solar-powered spacecraft will orbit Jupiter's poles 33 times to find out more about the gas giant's origins, structure, atmosphere and magnetosphere and investigate the existence of a solid planetary core. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif., manages the Juno mission for the principal investigator, Scott Bolton, of Southwest Research Institute in San Antonio. The Juno mission is part of the New Frontiers Program managed at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala. Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Denver, built the spacecraft. Launch management for the mission is the responsibility of NASA's Launch Services Program at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

The Orbital ATK Pegasus XL rocket carrying NASA's Cyclone Global Navigation Satellite System, or CYGNSS, spacecraft is released and the first stage ignites at 8:37 a.m. EST. The rocket was released from the Orbital ATK L-1011 Stargazer aircraft flying over the Atlantic Ocean offshore from Daytona Beach, Florida following takeoff from the Skid Strip at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. This image was taken from a NASA F-18 chase plane provided by Armstrong Flight Research Center in California. The CYGNSS satellites will make frequent and accurate measurements of ocean surface winds throughout the life cycle of tropical storms and hurricanes.

A United Launch Alliance Delta II rocket lifts off from Space Launch Complex 2 at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California carrying the Joint Polar Satellite System-1, or JPSS-1, spacecraft. Built by Ball Aerospace and Technologies Corp. of Boulder, Colorado, JPSS is the first in a series four next-generation environmental satellites in a collaborative program between NOAA and NASA. JPSS-1 will gather measurements of atmospheric, terrestrial and oceanic conditions, including sea and land surface temperatures, vegetation, clouds, rainfall, snow and ice cover, fire locations, atmospheric temperature, water vapor and ozone. Liftoff was at 1:47 a.m. PST (4:47 a.m. EST).

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - The SpaceX-3 mission lifts off into the clouds over Space Launch Complex 40 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station aboard a Falcon 9 rocket, carrying the Dragon resupply spacecraft to the International Space Station. Liftoff was during an instantaneous window at 3:25 p.m. EDT.Dragon is making its fourth trip to the space station. The SpaceX-3 mission, carrying almost 2.5 tons of supplies, technology and science experiments, is the third of 12 flights through a $1.6 billion NASA Commercial Resupply Services contract. Dragon's cargo will support more than 150 experiments that will be conducted during the station's Expeditions 39 and 40.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Space Shuttle Endeavour paints the still-blue evening sky as it leaves Earth behind on its journey into space on mission STS-118. Liftoff from Launch Pad 39A was on time at 6:36 p.m. EDT. The mission is the 22nd shuttle flight to the International Space Station. It will continue space station construction by delivering a third starboard truss segment, S5, and other payloads such as the SPACEHAB module and the external stowage platform 3. The 11-day mission may be extended to as many as 14 depending on the test of the Station-to-Shuttle Power Transfer System that will allow the docked shuttle to draw electrical power from the station and extend its visits to the orbiting lab.

An Atlas V rocket launches from Space Launch Complex (SLC-41) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Fla. July 1, 2022. The Atlas V carries two satellites for the USSF-12 mission the Wide Field of View (WFOV) and the USSF-12 Ring.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -- Like a lighted taper, Space Shuttle Endeavour shines atop its twisted contrail as it soars into space on mission STS-108. Liftoff occurred at 5:19:28 p.m. EST (22:19 GMT). Endeavour will dock with the International Space Station on Dec. 7. STS-108 is the final Shuttle mission of 2001and the 107th Shuttle flight overall. It is the 12th flight to the Space Station. Landing of the orbiter at KSC's Shuttle Landing Facility is targeted for 1:05 p.m. EST (18:05 p.m. GMT) Dec. 16

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Seen from the roof of the Vehicle Assembly Building, space shuttle Atlantis thunders off Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Atlantis began its final flight, the STS-135 mission to the International Space Station, at 11:29 a.m. EDT on July 8.STS-135 will deliver the Raffaello multi-purpose logistics module packed with supplies and spare parts for the International Space Station. Atlantis also will fly the Robotic Refueling Mission experiment that will investigate the potential for robotically refueling existing satellites in orbit. In addition, Atlantis will return with a failed ammonia pump module to help NASA better understand the failure mechanism and improve pump designs for future systems. STS-135 will be the 33rd flight of Atlantis, the 37th shuttle mission to the space station, and the 135th and final mission of NASA's Space Shuttle Program.

The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, with the companys Crew Dragon atop, lifts off from Launch Pad 39A at Kennedy Space Center in Florida for NASAs SpaceX Crew-4 mission on April 27, 2022, at 3:52 a.m. EDT. Aboard the Dragon are NASA astronauts Kjell Lindgren, Bob Hines, and Jessica Watkins, and ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti. The spacecraft will carry the Crew-4 astronauts to the International Space Station as part of NASAs Commercial Crew Program. The Dragon spacecraft, named Freedom by the missions crew, is scheduled to dock to the space station today at 8:15 p.m. EDT.

A United Launch Alliance Atlas V 541 rocket, carrying the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administrations (NOAA) Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite-T (GOES-T), soars upward after lifting off from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on March 1, 2022. Liftoff was at 4:38 p.m. EST. GOES-T is the third satellite in the GOES-R series that will continue to help meteorologists observe and predict local weather events that affect public safety. GOES-T will be renamed GOES-18 once it reaches geostationary orbit. GOES-18 will go into operational service as GOES West to provide critical data for the U.S. West Coast, Alaska, Hawaii, Mexico, Central America, and the Pacific Ocean. The launch was managed by NASAs Launch Services Program based at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, Americas multi-user spaceport.

A SpaceX Falcon-9 rocket carrying Starlink mission 2-4 launches from Space Launch Complex-4E on Jan. 19, 2023, 7:43 a.m. PDT, Vandenberg Space Force Base, Calif. Since 1958, there have been 2,023 launches on base. This launch also makes it the 100th launch from SLC-4E since 1964.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Members of the media and employees gather near the countdown clock to see space shuttle Atlantis soar toward space after lifting off Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 11:29 a.m. EDT on July 8. On board are four experienced astronauts -- STS-135 Commander Chris Ferguson, Pilot Doug Hurley, and Mission Specialists Sandy Magnus and Rex Walheim. STS-135 will deliver the Raffaello multi-purpose logistics module packed with supplies and spare parts for the International Space Station. Atlantis also will fly the Robotic Refueling Mission experiment that will investigate the potential for robotically refueling existing satellites in orbit. In addition, Atlantis will return with a failed ammonia pump module to help NASA better understand the failure mechanism and improve pump designs for future systems. STS-135 will be the 33rd flight of Atlantis, the 37th shuttle mission to the space station, and the 135th and final mission of NASA's Space S

NASAs Lunar Prospector spacecraft launched successfully on its way to the moon from Launch Complex 46 (LC46) at Cape Canaveral Air Station on Jan. 6 at 9:28 p.m. EST. It was the inaugural launch of Lockheed Martin's Athena II launch vehicle and the first launch from LC46, operated by Spaceport Florida Authority. Lunar Prospector, built for the NASA Ames Research Center by Lockheed Martin, is a spin-stabilized spacecraft designed to provide NASA with the first global maps of the moons surface and its gravitational magnetic fields, as well as look for the possible presence of ice near the lunar poles. It will orbit the Moon at an altitude of approximately 63 miles during a one-year mission

Artemis I Launch. NASAs Space Launch System rocket carrying the Orion spacecraft launches on the Artemis I flight test, Wednesday, Nov. 16, 2022, from Launch Complex 39B at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida. NASAs Artemis I mission is the first integrated flight test of the agencys deep space exploration systems: the Orion spacecraft, Space Launch System (SLS) rocket, and ground systems. SLS and Orion launched at 1:47 a.m. EST, from Launch Pad 39B at the Kennedy Space Center.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- With NASA's Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) spacecraft sealed inside its payload fairing, the United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket rides a pillar of smoke and flames as it lifts off from Space Launch Complex-41 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida at 10:02 a.m. EST Nov. 26.MSL's components include a car-sized rover, Curiosity, which has 10 science instruments designed to search for signs of life, including methane, and help determine if the gas is from a biological or geological source.

The two-stage Falcon 9 launch vehicle lifts off Launch Complex 39A at NASA's Kenney Space Center carrying the Dragon resupply spacecraft to the International Space Station. Liftoff was at 12:31 p.m. EDT. On its 12th commercial resupply services mission to the International Space Station, Dragon will bring up more than 6,400 pounds of supplies and new science experiments and equipment for technology research.

The NASA/German Research Centre for Geosciences GRACE Follow-On spacecraft launch onboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, Tuesday, May 22, 2018, from Space Launch Complex 4E at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. The mission will measure changes in how mass is redistributed within and among Earth's atmosphere, oceans, land and ice sheets, as well as within Earth itself. GRACE-FO is sharing its ride to orbit with five Iridium NEXT communications satellites as part of a commercial rideshare agreement.

Team Vandenberg launched a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket carrying the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Joint Polar Satellite System-2 (JPSS-2) and NASA's Low-Earth Orbit Flight Test of an Inflatable Decelerator (LOFTID) from Space Launch Complex-3 Thursday, Nov. 10, at 1:49 a.m. Pacific Time.

STS117-S-017 (8 June 2007) --- The Space Shuttle Atlantis and its seven-member STS-117 crew head toward Earth-orbit and a scheduled link-up with the International Space Station. Liftoff from Kennedy Space Center's launch pad 39A occurred at 7:38 p.m. (EDT) on June 8, 2007. Onboard are astronauts Rick Sturckow, commander; Lee Archambault, pilot; Jim Reilly, Patrick Forrester, John "Danny" Olivas, Steven Swanson and Clayton Anderson, all mission specialists. Anderson will join Expedition 15 in progress to serve as a flight engineer aboard the station. Atlantis will dock with the orbital outpost on Sunday, June 10, to begin a joint mission that will increase the complex's power generation capability. Using the shuttle and station robotic arms and conducting three scheduled spacewalks, the astronauts will install another set of giant solar array wings on the station and retract another array, preparing it for a future move.

A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket lifts off over Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida for NASA Boeings uncrewed Orbital Flight Test-2 (OFT-2). Launch for OFT-2 occurred at 6:54 p.m. EDT. Expected to arrive at the space station for docking about 24 hours later, the Starliner will carry more than 500 pounds of NASA cargo and crew supplies to the orbiting laboratory and return to Earth with more than 500 pounds of cargo. The flight test is designed to test the systems end-to-end capabilities for NASAs Commercial Crew Program providing valuable data towards NASA certifying Boeings crew transportation system for regular crewed flights to and from the International Space Station.

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, carrying the company's Crew Dragon spacecraft, soars into the sky from Launch Complex 39A at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 11:17 a.m. EST on April 8, 2022, on Axiom Mission 1 (Ax-1). Commander Michael López-Alegría of Spain and the United States, Pilot Larry Connor of the United States, and Mission Specialists Eytan Stibbe of Israel, and Mark Pathy of Canada are aboard the flight to the International Space Station. The Ax-1 mission is the first private astronaut mission to the space station.

a rocket start at the traditonal rocket festival or Bun Bang Fai in Ban Si Than in the Provinz Amnat Charoen in the northwest of Ubon Ratchathani in the Region of Isan in Northeast Thailand in Thailand.

A SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket carrying 24 satellites as part of the Department of Defense's Space Test Program-2 (STP-2) mission launches from Launch Complex 39A, Tuesday, June 25, 2019 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Four NASA technology and science payloads which will study non-toxic spacecraft fuel, deep space navigation, "bubbles" in the electrically-charged layers of Earth's upper atmosphere, and radiation protection for satellites are among the two dozen satellites that will be put into orbit.

The Soyuz rocket is launched with Expedition 57 Flight Engineer Nick Hague of NASA and Flight Engineer Alexey Ovchinin of Roscosmos, Thursday, Oct. 11, 2018 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Hague and Ovchinin will spend the next six months living and working aboard the International Space Station.

MA-9, liftoff. CAPE CANAVERAL, FL

Expedition 70 Launch. The Soyuz rocket is launched with Expedition 70 NASA astronaut Loral O'Hara, and Roscosmos cosmonauts Oleg Kononenko and Nikolai Chub, Friday, Sept. 15, 2023, at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Viewed from the top of the Vehicle Assembly Building, Space Shuttle Atlantis is a small tip on the trailing column of fire and smoke after launching on mission STS-117. Liftoff from Launch Pad 39A was on-time at 7:38:04 p.m. EDT. The shuttle is delivering a new segment to the starboard side of the International Space Station's backbone, known as the truss. Three spacewalks are planned to install the S3/S4 truss segment, deploy a set of solar arrays and prepare them for operation. STS-117 is the 118th space shuttle flight, the 21st flight to the station, the 28th flight for Atlantis and the first of four flights planned for 2007. Photo courtesy of Nikon/Scott Andrews

The Orbital Sciences Corporation Antares rocket, with the Cygnus spacecraft onboard suffers a catastrophic anomaly moments after launch from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport Pad 0A, Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2014, at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. The Cygnus spacecraft was filled with about 5,000 pounds of supplies slated for the International Space Station, including science experiments, experiment hardware, spare parts, and crew provisions.

A SpaceX Falcon-9 rocket carrying Starlink mission 2-4 launches from Space Launch Complex-4E on Jan. 19, 2023, 7:43 a.m. PDT, Vandenberg Space Force Base, Calif. Since 1958, there have been 2,023 launches on base. This launch also makes it the 100th launch from SLC-4E since 1964.

An Orbital Sciences Corporation Antares rocket is seen as it launches from Pad-0A at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility, Thursday, January 9, 2014, Wallops Island, VA. Antares is carrying the Cygnus spacecraft on a cargo resupply mission to the International Space Station. The Orbital-1 mission is Orbital Sciences' first contracted cargo delivery flight to the space station for NASA. Cygnus is carrying science experiments, crew provisions, spare parts and other hardware to the space station.

High School and College students from around the U.S. came together at Bragg Farms in Toney, Alabama for the 2019 Student Launch Initiative. The students launched their rockets to their own predetermined altitude with various payloads including remote rovers and unmanned aerial vehicles.

jsc2020e017060 - Expedition 63 Launch - The Soyuz MS-16 lifts off from Site 31 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan Thursday, April 9, 2020 sending Expedition 63 crewmembers Chris Cassidy of NASA and Anatoly Ivanishin and Ivan Vagner of Roscosmos into orbit for a six-hour flight to the International Space Station and the start of a six-and-a-half month mission.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In a view from Press Site 1 at Cape Canaveral Air Station, a Boeing Delta II (7326) rocket lights up the ground as it propels Deep Space 1 into the sky after liftoff from Launch Complex 17A. The first flight in NASA's New Millennium Program, the spacecraft is designed to validate 12 new technologies for scientific space missions of the next century, including the ion propulsion engine. Propelled by the gas xenon, the engine is being flight-tested for future deep space and Earth-orbiting missions. Other onboard experiments include software that tracks celestial bodies so the spacecraft can make its own navigation decisions without the intervention of ground controllers. Deep Space 1 will complete most of its mission objectives within the first two months, but will also do a flyby of a near-Earth asteroid, 1992 KD, in July 1999

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Space shuttle Endeavour rises on twin columns of flame from Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.Endeavour began its final flight, the STS-134 mission to the International Space Station, at 8:56 a.m. EDT on May 16. Endeavour and its six-member crew will deliver the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer-2 (AMS), Express Logistics Carrier-3, a high-pressure gas tank and additional spare parts for the Dextre robotic helper to the space station.

Team Vandenberg launched a National Reconnaissance Office mission (NROL-91) aboard a United Launch Alliance Delta IV Heavy rocket from Vandenberg's Space Launch Complex-6 Saturday, Sept. 24, at 3:25 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time.

DN-ST-88-04105. Base: Cape Canaveral State: Florida (FL) Country: United States Of America (USA)

After eight months of designing, building and testing, the middle school, high school and college and university teams launched their rockets as part of NASA Student Launch on Sunday, April 8. The rockets and their payloads are designed to fly to 1-mile in altitude before deploying recovery systems that brings them safely to the ground.

NASAs SpaceX Crew-7 Launch. A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying the company's Dragon spacecraft is launched on NASAs SpaceX Crew-7 mission to the International Space Station with NASA astronaut Jasmin Moghbeli, ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Andreas Mogensen, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut Satoshi Furukawa, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Konstantin Borisov onboard, Saturday, Aug. 26, 2023, at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida. NASAs SpaceX Crew-7 mission is the seventh crew rotation mission of the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft and Falcon 9 rocket to the International Space Station as part of the agencys Commercial Crew Program. Moghbeli, Mogensen, Furukawa, and Borisov launched at 3:27 a.m. EDT from Launch Complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Center to begin a six month mission aboard the orbital outpost.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Space shuttle Atlantis leaves a contrail through the clouds over Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Liftoff on its STS-129 mission came at 2:28 p.m. EST Nov. 16. Aboard are crew members Commander Charles O. Hobaugh; Pilot Barry E. Wilmore; and Mission Specialists Leland Melvin, Randy Bresnik, Mike Foreman and Robert L. Satcher Jr. On STS-129, the crew will deliver two ExPRESS Logistics Carriers to the International Space Station, the largest of the shuttle's cargo carriers, containing 15 spare pieces of equipment including two gyroscopes, two nitrogen tank assemblies, two pump modules, an ammonia tank assembly and a spare latching end effector for the station's robotic arm. Atlantis will return to Earth a station crew member, Nicole Stott, who has spent more than two months aboard the orbiting laboratory. STS-129 is slated to be the final space shuttle Expedition crew rotation flight.

The two-stage Falcon 9 launch vehicle lifts off Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station carrying the SpaceXs Dragon resupply spacecraft to the International Space Station. Liftoff was at 1:16 p.m. EST, Dec. 5, 2018. On its 16th commercial resupply services mission to the space station, Dragon will deliver several science investigations to the space station, including the Global Ecosystem Dynamics Investigation lidar (GEDI). GEDI will provide high-quality laser ranging observations of the Earths forests and topography required to advance the understanding of important carbon and water cycling processes, biodiversity and habitat.

A Falcon 9 rocket carrying supplies to the International Space Station launches from Space Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center, July 14, 2022. The Dragon spacecraft will carry supplies and equipment to aid in investigations such as testing the process of creating a biopolymer soil composite which is an alternative for concrete in a microgravity environment.

A SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket carrying the U.S. Space Force 67 payload launches from Space Launch Complex-39A at Kennedy Space Center, Fla., on Jan. 15, 2023. The mission launched the Space Force's second Continuous Broadcast Augmenting SATCOM, or CBAS 2, communications satellite and the Long Duration Propulsive ESPA 3A, or LDPE 3A, rideshare satellite hosting multiple experimental payloads.

An Atlas V rocket carrying the Space Based Infrared System GEO Flight 4 satellite lifts off from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla., Jan. 19, 2018. The SBIRS program delivers timely, reliable and accurate missile-warning and infrared surveillance information to the president, the secretary of defense, combatant commanders, the intelligence community and other key decision makers.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - The light from the solid rocket boosters and main engines of space shuttle Discovery is blinding as the shuttle rushes to orbit from Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center. Liftoff on the STS-131 mission was on time at 6 21 a.m. EDT. The seven-member crew will deliver the multi-purpose logistics module Leonardo, filled with supplies, a new crew sleeping quarters and science racks that will be transferred to the International Space Station's laboratories. The crew also will switch out a gyroscope on the stations truss, install a spare ammonia storage tank and retrieve a Japanese experiment from the stations exterior. STS-131 is the 33rd shuttle mission to the station and the 131st shuttle mission overall.

The Soyuz MS-07 rocket is launched with Expedition 54 Soyuz Commander Anton Shkaplerov of Roscosmos, flight engineer Scott Tingle of NASA, and flight engineer Norishige Kanai of Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), Sunday, Dec. 17, 2017 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Shkaplerov, Tingle, and Kanai will spend the next five months living and working aboard the International Space Station.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -- As if bursting forth from a cushion of smoke and steam, the Boeing Delta II rocket propels NASAs Genesis spacecraft into the clear blue sky on a journey to collect and return to Earth just 10 to 20 micrograms of solar wind, invisible charged particles that flow outward from the Sun. The particles will be studied by scientists over the next century to search for answers to fundamental questions about the exact composition of our star and the birth of our solar system. The Genesis_Delta launch occurred ontime at 12 13 40 p.m. EDT from Launch Complex 17-A, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station

The Soyuz TMA-13M rocket is launched with Expedition 40 Soyuz Commander Maxim Suraev, of the Russian Federal Space Agency, Roscosmos, Flight Engineer Alexander Gerst, of the European Space Agency, ESA, and Flight Engineer Reid Wiseman of NASA, Thursday, May 29, 2014 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Suraev, Gerst, and Wiseman will spend the next five and a half months aboard the International Space Station.

The Soyuz MS-04 rocket launches from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on Thursday, April 20, 2017 Baikonur time carrying Expedition 51 Soyuz Commander Fyodor Yurchikhin of Roscosmos and Flight Engineer Jack Fischer of NASA into orbit to begin their four and a half month mission on the International Space Station. (

A Falcon 9 booster lands at Launch Zone 1 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida, Jan. 30, 2024. This was the tenth flight of the first stage booster supporting this mission, which previously launched Crew-5, GPS III Space Vehicle 06, Inmarsat I6-F2, CRS-28, Intelsat G-37, and four Starlink missions.

A Delta IV Heavy rocket lifts off from Space Launch Complex 37 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida carrying NASA's Orion spacecraft on an unpiloted flight test to Earth orbit. Liftoff was at 7:05 a.m. EST. During the two-orbit, four-and-a-half hour mission, engineers will evaluate the systems critical to crew safety, the launch abort system, the heat shield and the parachute system.

SpaceX Crew-6 streak shot from UCS-23. A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket soars upward after liftoff from the pad at Launch Complex 39A at 12:34 a.m. EST on March 2, 2023 carrying the Dragon spacecraft Endeavour for NASAs Crew-6 mission to the International Space Station. Aboard Dragon are NASA astronauts Stephen Bowen, spacecraft commander, and Warren Hoburg, pilot, along with mission specialists Sultan Alneyadi, UAE (United Arab Emirates) astronaut, and Andrey Fedyaev, Roscosmos cosmonaut. Crew-6 is the sixth crew rotation mission with SpaceX to the station, and the seventh flight of Dragon with people as part of the agencys Commercial Crew Program.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- With NASA's Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) spacecraft sealed inside its payload fairing, the United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket rides a plume of flames as it climbs into the blue sky over Space Launch Complex-41 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida at 10:02 a.m. EST Nov. 26.MSL's components include a car-sized rover, Curiosity, which has 10 science instruments designed to search for signs of life, including methane, and help determine if the gas is from a biological or geological source.

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket soars upward after its liftoff from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida at 6:01 p.m. EDT on July 25, 2019, carrying the Dragon spacecraft on the companys 18th Commercial Resupply Services (CRS-18) mission to the International Space Station. The uncrewed Dragon spacecraft will deliver about 5,000 pounds of science and research, crew supplies and vehicle hardware to the orbiting laboratory.

KODIAK ISLAND, Alaska -- A Lockheed Martin Athena I launch vehicle rockets off the launch pad at Kodiak Launch Complex (KSC) with the Kodiak Star spacecraft on board. Liftoff occurred at 10:40 p.m. EDT, Sept. 29. The Kodiak Star payload consists of four satellites: PICOSat, PCSat, Sapphire and Starshine 3. Starshine is sponsored by NASA. The 200-pound sphere will be used by students to study orbital decay. The other three satellites, also on educational missions, are sponsored by the department of defense. PICOSat is a technology demonstration satellite with four experiments on board. PCSat was designed by midshipmen at the U.S. Naval Academy, and will become part of the amateur radio community's automatic position reporting system. Sapphire is a micro-satellite built by students at Stanford University and Washington University - St. Louis to test infrared sensors for space use. KLC is the newest commercial launch complex in the United States, ideal for launch payloads requirin

The countdown clock at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida shows an elapsed time of 16 seconds as the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifts off from Launch Complex 39A on the uncrewed In-Flight Abort Test, Jan. 19, 2020. The rocket carried the companys Crew Dragon on a flight test that demonstrated the spacecrafts escape capabilities in preparation for crewed flights to the International Space Station as part of the agencys Commercial Crew Program.

NASA/SpaceX SWOT Liftoff. The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, carrying the Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) satellite, lifts off from Space Launch Complex-4 East at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California on Dec. 16, 2022, at 3:46 a.m. PST. A collaboration between NASA and the French space agency Centre National dÉtudes Spatiales (CNES), with contributions from the Canadian Space Agency and the UK Space Agency, SWOT will be the first satellite to survey nearly all water on Earths surface. The satellite will help researchers understand how much water flows in and out of Earths freshwater bodies and will provide insight into the oceans role in climate change. The instruments onboard will measure the height of water in lakes, rivers, reservoirs, and the ocean, and will observe ocean features in higher definition than ever before. NASAs Launch Services Program, based at the agencys Kennedy Space Center in Florida, is managing the launch service.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Space shuttle Discovery heads to space after lifting off from Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida to begin its final flight to the International Space Station on the STS-133 mission. Launch was at 4:53 p.m. EST. The six-member crew will deliver the Permanent Multipurpose Module, packed with supplies and critical spare parts, as well as Robonaut 2, the dexterous humanoid astronaut helper, to the orbiting outpost. Discovery is flying on its 39th and final mission and is scheduled to be retired following STS-133. This is the 133rd Space Shuttle Program mission and the 35th shuttle voyage to the space station.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Rising from fire and smoke, the United Launch Alliance Delta II Heavy rocket lifted off at 9:08 a.m. EDT Sept. 10 from Space Launch Complex 17B on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida carrying NASAs twin Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) mission to the moon.GRAIL will fly twin spacecraft in tandem around the moon to precisely measure and map variations in the moon's gravitational field. The mission will provide the most accurate global gravity field to date for any planet, including Earth. This detailed information will reveal differences in the density of the moon's crust and mantle and will help answer fundamental questions about the moon's internal structure, thermal evolution, and history of collisions with asteroids. The aim is to map the moon's gravity field so completely that future moon vehicles can safely navigate anywhere on the moons surface.

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