Rocket Launch Preparations

Scenes of SpaceX rockets on launch pads, showcasing preparations and atmospheric conditions for upcoming space missions.

NASAs Space Launch System (SLS) rocket with the Orion spacecraft aboard atop the mobile launcher is seen illuminated by spotlights at Launch Pad 39B as the launch countdown continues, Monday, Aug. 29, 2022, at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida. NASAs Artemis I flight test is the first integrated test of the agencys deep space exploration systems: the Orion spacecraft, SLS rocket, and supporting ground systems. Launch of the uncrewed flight test is targeted for 8:33 a.m. ET.

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with the company's Crew Dragon spacecraft onboard is seen on the launch pad at Launch Complex 39A as preparations continue for the Crew-2 mission, Wednesday, April 21, 2021, at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida. NASAs SpaceX Crew-2 mission is the second crew rotation mission of the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft and Falcon 9 rocket to the International Space Station as part of the agencys Commercial Crew Program. NASA astronauts Shane Kimbrough and Megan McArthur, ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Thomas Pesquet, and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut Akihiko Hoshide are scheduled to launch at 5:49 a.m. EDT on Friday, April 23, from Launch Complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Center.

SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket is staged for launch on Launch Pad 39A at the National Aeronautical and Space Administration's Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canveral, Florida, October 4, 2022. Falcon 9, commanded by U.S. Marine Corps Col. Nicole Mann, will transport Crew-5 members to the International Space Station for a six-month mission in space.

A SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket carrying 24 satellites as part of the Department of Defense's Space Test Program-2 (STP-2) mission is seen illuminated by lights at Launch Complex 39A, Monday, June 24, 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 launched. The three hour launch window opens at 11:30pm EDT on June 24.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Storm clouds move over Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, postponing the retraction of the pad's rotating service structure, which would reveal space shuttle Discovery. The structure provides weather protection and access to the shuttle while it awaits lift off on the pad. RSS "rollback," as it's called, will begin again after the lightning-producing clouds pass. Launch of Discovery on the STS-133 mission to the International Space Station is set for 3:29 p.m. on Nov. 4. During the 11-day mission, Discovery and its six crew members will deliver the Permanent Multipurpose Module, packed with supplies and critical spare parts, as well as Robonaut 2, to the orbiting laboratory. Discovery, which will fly its 39th mission, is scheduled to be retired following STS-133. This will be the 133rd Space Shuttle Program mission and the 35th shuttle voyage to the space station.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Still water near Launch Pad 39A catches the reflection of space shuttle Endeavour as it leaps into the night sky over NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Launch of the STS-130 mission to the International Space Station was at 4:14 a.m. EST. This was the second launch attempt for space shuttle Endeavour's STS-130 crew and the final scheduled space shuttle night launch. The first attempt on Feb. 7 was scrubbed due to unfavorable weather. The primary payload for the STS-130 mission to the International Space Station is the Tranquility node, a pressurized module that will provide additional room for crew members and many of the station's life support and environmental control systems. Attached to one end of Tranquility is a cupola, a unique work area with six windows on its sides and one on top. The cupola resembles a circular bay window and will provide a vastly improved view of the station's exterior. The multi-directional view will allow the crew to monitor sp

NASAs SpaceX Crew-7 Preflight. A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with the company's Dragon spacecraft on top is seen after sunset on the launch pad at Launch Complex 39A as preparations continue for the Crew-7 mission, Wednesday, Aug. 23, 2023, at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida. NASAs SpaceX Crew-7 mission is the seventh crew rotation mission of the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft and Falcon 9 rocket to the International Space Station as part of the agencys Commercial Crew Program. NASA astronaut Jasmin Moghbeli, ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Andreas Mogensen, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut Satoshi Furukawa, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Konstantin Borisov are scheduled to launch at 3:50 a.m. EDT on Friday, August 25, from Launch Complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Center.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, space shuttle Discovery trails a column of smoke as it punches a hole through the fabric of clouds racing through the night sky on the STS-128 mission. Liftoff from Launch Pad 39A was on time at 11:59 p.m. EDT. The first launch attempt on Aug. 24 was postponed due to unfavorable weather conditions. The second attempt on Aug. 25 also was postponed due to an issue with a valve in space shuttle Discovery's main propulsion system. The STS-128 mission is the 30th International Space Station assembly flight and the 128th space shuttle flight. The 13-day mission will deliver more than 7 tons of supplies, science racks and equipment, as well as additional environmental hardware to sustain six crew members on the International Space Station. The equipment includes a freezer to store research samples, a new sleeping compartment and the COLBERT treadmill.

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with the company's Crew Dragon spacecraft onboard is seen illuminated on the launch pad by spotlights at Launch Complex 39A as preparations continue for the Demo-1 mission, Friday, March 1, 2019 at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The Demo-1 mission will be the first launch of a commercially built and operated American spacecraft and space system designed for humans as part of NASA's Commercial Crew Program. The mission, currently targeted for a 2:49am launch on March 2, will serve as an end-to-end test of the system's capabilities.

NASAs Space Launch System (SLS) rocket with the Orion spacecraft aboard atop the mobile launcher is seen illuminated by spotlights at Launch Pad 39B as the launch countdown continues, Monday, Aug. 29, 2022, at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida. NASAs Artemis I flight test is the first integrated test of the agencys deep space exploration systems: the Orion spacecraft, SLS rocket, and supporting ground systems. Launch of the uncrewed flight test is targeted for 8:33 a.m. ET.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- The umbilical tower drops away from a United Launch Alliance Atlas V 401 rocket as it lifts off Space Launch Complex 41 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. Launch, with NASA's Tracking and Data Relay Satellite-K or TDRS-K aboard, 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.

NASAs Space Launch System (SLS) rocket with the Orion spacecraft aboard is seen atop the mobile launcher as it rolls out to Launch Pad 39B, Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2022, at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida. NASAs Artemis I flight test is the first integrated test of the agencys deep space exploration systems: the Orion spacecraft, SLS rocket, and supporting ground systems. Launch of the uncrewed flight test is targeted for no earlier than Aug. 29.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Dual rocket engines roar to life under the United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket at Space Launch Complex 41 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida that will boost NASA's Tracking and Data Relay Satellite, or TDRS-L, to Earth orbit. Liftoff was at 9:33 p.m. EST Jan. 23 during a 40-minute launch window. The TDRS-L spacecraft is the second of three new satellites designed to ensure vital operational continuity for NASA by expanding the lifespan of the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System TDRSS fleet, which consists of eight satellites in geosynchronous orbit. The spacecraft provide tracking, telemetry, command and high-bandwidth data return services for numerous science and human exploration missions orbiting Earth. These include NASA's Hubble Space Telescope and the International Space Station. TDRS-L has a high-performance solar panel designed for more spacecraft power to meet the growing S-band communications requirements. TDRSS is one of three NASA S

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, space shuttle Discovery waits patiently on Launch Pad 39A for its STS-133 launch to the International Space Station. Managers scrubbed the Nov. 5 launch attempt because a hydrogen gas leak was detected at the Ground Umbilical Carrier Plate (GUCP) while Discovery's external fuel tank was being loaded. The GUCP is an attachment point between the external tank and a pipe that carries gaseous hydrogen safely away from the shuttle to the flare stack, where it is burned off. The next possible launch attempt would be Monday, Nov. 8, at 12:53 p.m. EST. After that, the launch window moves to Nov. 30 through Dec. 5.During the 11-day mission, Discovery and its six crew members will deliver the Permanent Multipurpose Module, packed with supplies and critical spare parts, as well as Robonaut 2, to the orbiting laboratory. Discovery, which will fly its 39th mission, is scheduled to be retired following STS-133. This will be the

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with the company's Crew Dragon spacecraft onboard is seen as it is rolled to the launch pad at Launch Complex 39A as preparations continue for the Demo-1 mission, Feb. 28, 2019 at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The Demo-1 mission will be the first launch of a commercially built and operated American spacecraft and space system designed for humans as part of NASA's Commercial Crew Program. The mission, currently targeted for a 2:49am launch on March 2, will serve as an end-to-end test of the system's capabilities.

A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket with Boeings CST-100 Starliner spacecraft launches from Space Launch Complex 41, Friday, Dec. 20, 2019, at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. After a successful launch at 6:36 a.m. EST, Boeings CST-100 Starliner is in an unplanned, but stable orbit. The team is assessing what test objectives can be achieved before the spacecrafts return to land in White Sands, New Mexico.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - The United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket carrying NASA's Radiation Belt Storm Probes, or RBSP, is a breath away from lifting off Space Launch Complex 41 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida at 4:05 a.m. EDT.RBSP will explore changes in Earth's space environment caused by the sun -- known as "space weather" -- that can disable satellites, create power-grid failures and disrupt GPS service. The mission also will provide data on the fundamental radiation and particle acceleration processes throughout the universe.

Powerful xenon floodlights illuminate Space Shuttle Endeavour on launch pad 39A and ready to depart on STS-131 at NASA Kennedy Space Center, Merritt Island, Florida, USA

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - As the sun sets behind Launch Complex 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the Ares I-X rocket awaits the approaching liftoff of its flight test.This is the first time since the Apollo Program's Saturn rockets were retired that a vehicle other than the space shuttle has occupied the pad. Part of the Constellation Program, the Ares I-X is the test vehicle for the Ares I. The Ares I-X flight test is set for Oct. 27.

NASAs Space Launch System (SLS) rocket with the Orion spacecraft aboard is seen atop a mobile launcher as it rolls out to Launch Complex 39B for the first time, Thursday, March 17, 2022, at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Ahead of NASAs Artemis I flight test, the fully stacked and integrated SLS rocket and Orion spacecraft will undergo a wet dress rehearsal at Launch Complex 39B to verify systems and practice countdown procedures for the first launch.

A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket with NASAs Mars 2020 Perseverance rover onboard is seen as it is rolled out of the Vertical Integration Facility to the launch pad at Space Launch Complex 41, Tuesday, July 28, 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. Launch is scheduled for Thursday, July 30.

The cables that make up the Emergency Egress System at Space Launch Complex 41 are in place as United Launch Alliance and Boeing continue modifications to the pad in order to host missions by the Boeing CST-100 Starliner carrying astronauts and crew. The system recently completed its final test. In the unlikely event of an emergency prior to liftoff, each person on the Crew Access Tower would get into their own seat attached to the wire and slide more than 1,340 feet to a safe area. The wires are situated 172 feet above the pad deck on level 12 of the tower. The Starliner will launch on a ULA Atlas V on mission to low-Earth orbit including those flying astronauts to the International Space Station during missions by NASA's Commercial Crew Program.

A crane lifts the Crew Access Arm and White Room for Boeing's CST-100 Starliner spacecraft to be attached to the Crew Access Tower at Cape Canaveral Air Force Stations Space Launch Complex 41. When attached to the 200-foot tall Crew Access Tower, the arm will serve as the connection that astronauts will walk through prior to boarding the Starliner spacecraft when stacked atop a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket. This installation completes the major construction of the first new Crew Access Tower to be built at the Cape since the Apollo era. Under a Commercial Crew Transportation Capability (CCtCap) contract with NASA, Boeings Starliner system will be certified by NASA's Commercial Crew Program to fly crews to and from the International Space Station.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - An unfavorable weather forecast as a result of Tropical Storm Isaac approaching Florida kept NASA's twin Radiation Belt Storm Probes, or RBSP, on Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. Managers decided to roll the Atlas V rocket off the launch pad and back to the Vertical Integration Facility to ensure the launch vehicle and RBSP spacecraft are secured and protected from inclement weather.RBSP will explore changes in Earth's space environment caused by the sun -- known as "space weather" -- that can disable satellites, create power-grid failures and disrupt GPS service. The mission also will provide data on the fundamental radiation and particle acceleration processes throughout the universe. The launch is rescheduled for 4:05 a.m. EDT on Aug. 30, pending approval from the range.

Air traffic control antenna against stormy sky

Artemis I Rollout. NASAs Space Launch System (SLS) rocket with the Orion spacecraft aboard is seen atop a mobile launcher as it rolls out of the Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Pad 39B, Friday, Nov. 4, 2022, at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida. NASAs Artemis I mission is the first integrated test of the agencys deep space exploration systems: the Orion spacecraft, SLS rocket, and supporting ground systems. Launch of the uncrewed flight test is targeted for Nov. 14 at 12:07 a.m. EST.

The Space Shuttle Enterprise in launch position on the Space Launch Complex (SLC) #6, commonly known as "SLICK 6", during the ready-to-launch checks to verify launch procedures. Exact Date Shot Unknown. Base: Vandenberg Air Force Base State: California (CA) Country: United States Of America (USA)

Lights shine on the umbilical tower shortly after a United Launch Alliance Delta II rocket launched with the Orbiting Carbon Observatory-2 (OCO-2)satellite onboard from Space Launch Complex 2 at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. on Wednesday, July 2, 2014. OCO-2 will measure the global distribution of carbon dioxide, the leading human-produced greenhouse gas driving changes in Earths climate.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Bathed in bright xenon lights, space shuttle Discovery makes its nighttime trek, known as "rollout," from the Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. It will take the shuttle, attached to its external fuel tank, twin solid rocket boosters and mobile launcher platform, about six hours to complete the move atop a crawler-transporter. Rollout sets the stage for Discovery's STS-133 crew to practice countdown and launch procedures during the Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test in mid-October. Targeted to liftoff Nov. 1, Discovery will take the Permanent Multipurpose Module (PMM) packed with supplies and critical spare parts, as well as Robonaut 2 (R2) to the International Space Station.

Virginia, Wallops Station. Partial Phase Of Solar Eclipse As It Passed Near Tracking Antenna. 3-70

The United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket, carrying the Solar Orbiter, lifts off Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida at 11:03 p.m. EST, on Feb. 9, 2020. Solar Orbiter is an international cooperative mission between ESA (European Space Agency) and NASA. The mission aims to study the Sun, its outer atmosphere and solar wind. The spacecraft will provide the first images of the Suns poles. The spacecraft was developed by Airbus Defence and Space. NASAs Launch Services Program based at Kennedy managed the launch.

Xenon lights illuminate the mobile launcher for the Artemis I mission, as it is carried slowly along the crawlerway atop crawler-transporter 2 at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Oct. 20, 2020. The nearly 400-foot-tall mobile launcher is being rolled to Launch Pad 39B. During its two-week stay at the pad, engineers with Exploration Ground Systems and Jacobs will perform several tasks, including a timing test to validate the launch teams countdown timeline, and a thorough, top-to-bottom wash down of the mobile launcher to remove any debris remaining from construction and installation of the umbilical arms. Artemis I will test the Orion spacecraft and Space Launch System as an integrated system ahead of crewed flights to the Moon. Under the Artemis program, NASA will land the first woman and the next man on the Moon in 2024.

Two engineers evaluate the Emergency Egress System as they ride in folding seats attached to slide wires at Space Launch Complex 41. United Launch Alliance and Boeing continue modifications to the pad in order to host missions by the Boeing CST-100 Starliner carrying astronauts and crew. The system recently completed its final test. In the unlikely event of an emergency prior to liftoff, each person on the Crew Access Tower would get into their own seat attached to the wire and slide more than 1,340 feet to a safe area. The wires are situated 172 feet above the pad deck on level 12 of the tower. The Starliner will launch on a ULA Atlas V on mission to low-Earth orbit including those flying astronauts to the International Space Station during missions by NASA's Commercial Crew Program.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - At NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida, a water truck leads the way spraying water on the dry crawlerway to reduce dust particles in the air, as the mobile launcher (ML) begins its move aboard a crawler-transporter. The ML is moving from next to Kennedy's Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Pad 39B, a distance of 4.2 miles. Data on the ML will be collected from structural and functional engineering tests and used for the next phases of construction. The 355-foot-tall ML structure, which took about two years to construct, is being modified to support NASAs Space Launch System (SLS), the heavy-lift rocket that will launch astronauts farther into space than ever before. SLS will also create high-quality jobs here at home, and provide the cornerstone for America's future human space exploration efforts.

Radio Towers high on Mt. Wilson in Fog

NASAs SpaceX Crew-6 Preflight. A heron is seen in silhouette in front of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with the company's Dragon spacecraft on top on the launch pad at Launch Complex 39A as preparations continue for the Crew-6 mission, Sunday, Feb. 26, 2023, at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida. NASAs SpaceX Crew-6 mission is the sixth crew rotation mission of the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft and Falcon 9 rocket to the International Space Station as part of the agencys Commercial Crew Program. NASA astronauts Stephen Bowen and Warren "Woody" Hoburg, UAE (United Arab Emirates) astronaut Sultan Alneyadi, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev are scheduled to launch at 1:45 a.m. EST on Feb. 27, from Launch Complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Center.

The Stennis Space Center conducted the final space shuttle main engine test on its A-1 Test Stand Friday. The A-1 Test Stand was the site of the first test on a shuttle main engine in 1975. Stennis will continue testing shuttle main engines on its A-2 Test Stand through the end of the Space Shuttle Program in 2010. The A-1 stand begins a new chapter in its operational history in October. It will be temporarily decommissioned to convert it for testing the J-2X engine, which will power the upper stage of NASA's new crew launch vehicle, the Ares I. Although this ends the stand's work on the Space Shuttle Program, it will soon be used for the rocket that will carry America's next generation human spacecraft, Orion.

Phone antenna on moutain with sunrise

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Vapor trails follow space shuttle Endeavour as it approaches Runway 15 on the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida for the final time. A vapor trail, known as a contrail, is a cloud of water vapor that condenses and freezes around the small particles in aircraft exhaust. Main gear touchdown was at 2:34:51 a.m. EDT, followed by nose gear touchdown at 2:35:04 a.m., and wheelstop at 2:35:36 a.m. On board are STS-134 Commander Mark Kelly, Pilot Greg H. Johnson, and Mission Specialists Mike Fincke, Drew Feustel, Greg Chamitoff and the European Space Agency's Roberto Vittori. STS-134 delivered the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer-2 (AMS) and the Express Logistics Carrier-3 (ELC-3) to the International Space Station. AMS will help researchers understand the origin of the universe and search for evidence of dark matter, strange matter and antimatter from the station. ELC-3 carried spare parts that will sustain station operations once the shuttle

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - At Launch Pad 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, xenon lights illuminate the Constellation Program's 327-foot-tall Ares I-X rocket after the rotating service structure, has been retracted from around it for launch.The transfer of the pad from the Space Shuttle Program to the Constellation Program took place May 31. Modifications made to the pad include the removal of shuttle unique subsystems, such as the orbiter access arm and a section of the gaseous oxygen vent arm, and the installation of three 600-foot lightning towers, access platforms, environmental control systems and a vehicle stabilization system. 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. The Ares I-X flight test is targeted for Oct. 27.

A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket with Boeings CST-100 Starliner spacecraft onboard is seen illuminated by spotlights on the launch pad at Space Launch Complex 41 ahead of the Orbital Flight Test mission, Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2019 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. The uncrewed Orbital Flight Test will be Starliners maiden mission to the International Space Station for NASA's Commercial Crew Program. The mission, currently targeted for a 6:26 a.m. EST launch on Dec. 20, will serve as an end-to-end test of the system's capabilities.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Space shuttle Atlantis, attached to its bright-orange external fuel tank and twin solid rocket boosters, is bathed in xenon lights and takes center stage on Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida in this aerial image taken from a NASA helicopter.Atlantis and its crew of four -- Commander Chris Ferguson, Pilot Doug Hurley and Mission Specialists Sandy Magnus and Rex Walheim -- are scheduled to lift off at 11:26 a.m. EDT on July 8 to deliver the Raffaello multi-purpose logistics module packed with supplies and spare parts to 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 t

The radar and navigator system for the ferry against with ble sky

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Space shuttle Discovery roars into the predawn sky over Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 6 21 a.m. EDT April 5 kicking off the STS-131 mission. 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.

NASAs Space Launch System (SLS) rocket with the Orion spacecraft aboard is seen atop the mobile launcher as it rolls out of the Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Pad 39B, Tuesday, Aug. 16, 2022, at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida. NASAs Artemis I mission is the first integrated test of the agencys deep space exploration systems: the Orion spacecraft, SLS rocket, and supporting ground systems. Launch of the uncrewed flight test is targeted for no earlier than Aug. 29.

White broadcast trucks recording and broadcasting a live event

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - On Launch Complex 37 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, the engines ignite on the United Launch Alliance Delta IV rocket carrying NASA's GOES-P meteorological satellite. Liftoff was at 6 57 p.m. EST. GOES-P, the latest Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite, was developed by NASA for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA. The GOES-P spacecraft will be placed in a 22,300-mile-high geosynchronous orbit where it will appear to hover over a single point on Earth. The spacecraft is outfitted with a complex suite of observation instruments and cameras so it can accurately report on weather and climate conditions on Earth.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Xenon lights illuminate space shuttle Endeavour's unfurled drag chute as the vehicle rolls to a stop on the Shuttle Landing Facility's Runway 15 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida for the final time. Main gear touchdown was at 2:34:51 a.m. EDT, followed by nose gear touchdown at 2:35:04 a.m., and wheelstop at 2:35:36 a.m. On board are STS-134 Commander Mark Kelly, Pilot Greg H. Johnson, and Mission Specialists Mike Fincke, Drew Feustel, Greg Chamitoff and the European Space Agency's Roberto Vittori. STS-134 delivered the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer-2 (AMS) and the Express Logistics Carrier-3 (ELC-3) to the International Space Station. AMS will help researchers understand the origin of the universe and search for evidence of dark matter, strange matter and antimatter from the station. ELC-3 carried spare parts that will sustain station operations once the shuttles are retired from service. STS-134 was the 25th and final flight for Endeavour, which has sp

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- A unique view from the ground looking up shows the Space Exploration Technologies Corp., or SpaceX, Falcon 9 rocket with Dragon capsule attached after it was lifted into the vertical position during a rollout demonstration test to Space Launch Complex-40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. Preparations continue for NASAs first Commercial Resupply Services, or CRS-1, mission to the International Space Station.The rollout to the pad for liftoff is planned for Sunday morning, Oct. 7. Liftoff from CCAFS is scheduled during an instantaneous window at 8:35 p.m. EDT Sunday evening. SpaceX CRS-1 is an important step toward making Americas microgravity research program self-sufficient by providing a way to deliver and return significant amounts of cargo, including science experiments, to and from the orbiting laboratory.

NASAs Space Launch System (SLS) rocket with the Orion spacecraft aboard is seen atop the mobile launcher as it rolls out of the Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Pad 39B, Tuesday, Aug. 16, 2022, at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida. NASAs Artemis I mission is the first integrated test of the agencys deep space exploration systems: the Orion spacecraft, SLS rocket, and supporting ground systems. Launch of the uncrewed flight test is targeted for no earlier than Aug. 29.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Under evening cloud-filled skies, Space Shuttle Discovery remains on the pad two days after the Shuttles launch on Return to Flight mission STS-114 was scrubbed. The July 13 mission was scrubbed when a low-level fuel cut-off sensor for the liquid hydrogen tank inside the External Tank failed a routine prelaunch check during the countdown July 13, causing mission managers to scrub Discovery's first launch attempt. The sensor protects the Shuttle's main engines by triggering their shutdown in the event fuel runs unexpectedly low. The sensor is one of four inside the liquid hydrogen section of the External Tank (ET).

NASAs Space Launch System (SLS) rocket with the Orion spacecraft aboard is seen atop the mobile launcher as it moves up the ramp at Launch Pad 39B, Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2022, at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida. NASAs Artemis I mission is the first integrated test of the agencys deep space exploration systems: the Orion spacecraft, SLS rocket, and supporting ground systems. Launch of the uncrewed flight test is targeted for no earlier than Aug. 29.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - With more than 12 times the thrust produced by a Boeing 747 jet aircraft, NASAs Ares I-X test rocket soars into blue skies above Launch Pad 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The rocket produces 2.96 million pounds of thrust at liftoff and reaches a speed of 100 mph in eight seconds.Liftoff of the 6-minute flight test was at 11:30 a.m. EDT Oct. 28. 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 close-up view of the front of the mast of the USNS HIDDENSEE (185NS9201) showing the High Pole-B EW antenna and the Square Head IFF receiver on the back side. On the front is the Plank Shave missile targeting radar antenna. Atop the bridge is a Kivach 3 surface search radar antenna. The dome unit above that is the Bass Tilt gunfire control radar antenna which controls both the AK-176 and the AK-630 gun systems. The ship is moored at the Naval Sea Systems Command facility at Solomons Annex. Country: Solomons

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Space shuttle Endeavour lights up the clouds over Launch Pad 39A as it lifts off from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Launch of the STS-130 mission to the International Space Station was at 4 14 a.m. EST. This was the second launch attempt for space shuttle Endeavour's STS-130 crew and the final scheduled space shuttle night launch. The first attempt on Feb. 7 was scrubbed due to unfavorable weather. The primary payload for the STS-130 mission to the International Space Station is the Tranquility node, a pressurized module that will provide additional room for crew members and many of the station's life support and environmental control systems. Attached to one end of Tranquility is a cupola, a unique work area with six windows on its sides and one on top. The cupola resembles a circular bay window and will provide a vastly improved view of the station's exterior. The multi-directional view will allow the crew to monitor spacewalks and docking operations,

The Northrop Grumman Antares rocket, with Cygnus resupply spacecraft onboard, is seen on Pad-0A as rain and high winds move through the area, Thursday, Nov. 15, 2018 at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. Northrop Grumman's 10th contracted cargo resupply mission for NASA to the International Space Station will deliver about 7,400 pounds of science and research, crew supplies and vehicle hardware to the orbital laboratory and its crew. Launch is currently targeted for Saturday, Nov. 17 at 4:01 a.m. EST.

The Giersberg transmitter in Siegen looks through a blanket of fog

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - The sun glares overhead as space shuttle Atlantis is on display for guests at Space Florida's Exploration Park where it paused during its 10-mile journey to the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. The stop will provide a viewing opportunity before completing the trip to its new home.As part of transition and retirement of the Space Shuttle Program, Atlantis is to be displayed at Kennedy's visitor complex beginning in the summer of 2013. Over the course of its 26-year career, Atlantis traveled 125,935,769 miles during 307 days in space over 33 missions.

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. - The launch gantry is rolled back to reveal the United Launch Alliance Delta II rocket with the Soil Moisture Active Passive, or SMAP, satellite aboard, at Space Launch Complex 2 on Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. SMAP is a remote sensing mission designed to measure and map the Earth's soil moisture distribution and freeze/thaw stat with unprecedented accuracy, resolution and coverage.SMAP will provide global measurements of soil moisture and its freeze/thaw state. These measurements will be used to enhance understanding of processes that link the water, energy and carbon cycles, and to extend the capabilities of weather and climate prediction models. SMAP data also will be used to quantify net carbon flux in boreal landscapes and to develop improved flood prediction and drought monitoring capabilities. Launch is scheduled for Jan. 29, 2015.

NASAs Space Launch System (SLS) rocket with the Orion spacecraft aboard is seen prior to sunrise atop a mobile launcher at Launch Pad 39B as preparations for launch continue, Wednesday, Aug. 31, 2022, at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida. NASAs Artemis I flight test is the first integrated test of the agencys deep space exploration systems: the Orion spacecraft, SLS rocket, and supporting ground systems.

Cell tower under night sky

MOJAVE DESERT, Calif. - As the sun rises in the Mojave Desert in California, the Garvey Spacecraft Corporation's Prospector P-18D rocket is positioned for launch with the RUBICS-1 payload on a high-altitude, suborbital flight. The rocket will carry four satellites made from four-inch cube sections.Collectively known as CubeSats, the satellites will record shock, vibrations and heat inside the rocket. They will not be released during the test flight, but the results will be used to prove or strengthen their designs before they are carried into orbit in 2014 on a much larger rocket. A new, lightweight carrier is also being tested for use on future missions to deploy the small spacecraft. The flight also is being watched closely as a model for trying out new or off-the-shelf technologies quickly before putting them in the pipeline for use on NASA's largest launchers. Built by several different organizations, including a university, a NASA field center and a high school, the spacecraft

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - At the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the heat shield for the agency's Orion spacecraft arrived aboard the Super Guppy aircraft. The largest of its kind ever built, the heat shield is planned for installation on the Orion crew module in March next year. The Orion spacecraft is scheduled to make its first unpiloted flight test, Exploration Flight Test-1 EFT-1, in September 2014.The Orion spacecraft is designed to meet requirements for traveling beyond low-Earth orbit. The spacecraft will serve as the exploration vehicle that will carry crews to space, sustain the astronauts during the space travel and provide safe re-entry from deep space.

The electric cable is covered with frozen snow and frost after sleet precipitation The electric cable is covered with frozen snow and frost after sleet precipitation Copyright: xZoonar.com/AlexanderxOzerovx 18189708

A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket launches from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Fla., Aug. 4, 2022. The rocket carried the sixth Space Based Infrared System Geosynchronous Earth Orbit satellite and is a missile detection and early warning satellite for the U.S. Space Forces Space Systems Command.

At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the agency's Orion is transported to Launch Complex 37 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. After arrival at the launch pad, United Launch Alliance engineers and technicians will lift Orion and mount it atop its Delta IV Heavy rocket. Orion is the exploration spacecraft designed to carry astronauts to destinations not yet explored by humans, including an asteroid and Mars. It will have emergency abort capability, sustain the crew during space travel and provide safe re-entry from deep space return velocities. The first unpiloted flight test of Orion is scheduled to launch Dec. 4, 2014 atop a United Launch Alliance Delta IV Heavy rocket, and in 2018 on NASAs Space Launch System rocket.

Telephone towers with stars as background at night

A United Launch Alliance Atlas V first stage leaves the Atlas Spaceflight Operations Center aboard a transport trailer for delivery to the Vertical Integration Facility at Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. The rocket is being prepared to launch the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite, or GOES-S. It will be the second in a series of four advanced geostationary weather satellites and will significantly improve the detection and observation of environmental phenomena that directly affect public safety. GOES-S is slated to launch March 1, 2018.

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with the company's Crew Dragon spacecraft onboard is seen on the launch pad at Launch Complex 39A as preparations continue for the Demo-1 mission, Friday, March 1, 2019 at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The Demo-1 mission launched at 2:49am ET on Saturday, March 2 and was the first launch of a commercially built and operated American spacecraft and space system designed for humans as part of NASA's Commercial Crew Program. The mission will serve as an end-to-end test of the system's capabilities.

SWOT Launch. In this 8 minute exposure, A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launches with the Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) spacecraft onboard, right, Friday, Dec. 16, 2022, from Space Launch Complex 4E at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. The SpaceX Falcon 9 first-stage booster is also seen, left, as it returns to the landing pad following the launch. Jointly developed by NASA and Centre National D'Etudes Spatiales (CNES), with contributions from the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) and United Kingdom Space Agency, SWOT is the first satellite mission that will observe nearly all water on Earths surface, measuring the height of water in the planets lakes, rivers, reservoirs, and the ocean.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Space shuttle Endeavour is readied for its move out of the Vehicle Assembly Building to the Mate-Demate Device, or MDD, at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The MDD is located at the Shuttle Landing Facility at Kennedy. The shuttle will be lifted and connected to the top of NASA's Shuttle Carrier Aircraft SCA, a modified 747 jetliner. The shuttle has been fitted with an aerodynamic tailcone for its flight aboard the SCA to Los Angeles where it will be placed on public display.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - An unfavorable weather forecast as a result of Tropical Storm Isaac approaching Florida kept NASA's twin Radiation Belt Storm Probes, or RBSP, on Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. Managers decided to roll the Atlas V rocket off the launch pad and back to the Vertical Integration Facility to ensure the launch vehicle and RBSP spacecraft are secured and protected from inclement weather.RBSP will explore changes in Earth's space environment caused by the sun -- known as "space weather" -- that can disable satellites, create power-grid failures and disrupt GPS service. The mission also will provide data on the fundamental radiation and particle acceleration processes throughout the universe. The launch is rescheduled for 4:05 a.m. EDT on Aug. 30, pending approval from the range.

Cell tower, Schmachtenberg, Bavaria, Germany,

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Xenons light the way home for space shuttle Atlantis at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida for the final time. Securing the space shuttle fleet's place in history, Atlantis marked the 26th nighttime landing of NASA's Space Shuttle Program and the 78th landing at Kennedy. Main gear touchdown on the Shuttle Landing Facility's Runway 15 was at 5:57:00 a.m. EDT, followed by nose gear touchdown at 5:57:20 a.m., and wheelstop at 5:57:54 a.m. On board are STS-135 Commander Chris Ferguson, Pilot Doug Hurley, and Mission Specialists Sandra Magnus and Rex Walheim.On the 37th shuttle mission to the International Space Station, STS-135 delivered more than 9,400 pounds of spare parts, equipment and supplies in the Raffaello multi-purpose logistics module that will sustain station operations for the next year. STS-135 was the 33rd and final flight for Atlantis, which has spent 307 days in space, orbited Earth 4,848 times and traveled 125,935,769 miles.

Radio antenna on the Saentis, mobile phone antenna, Urnaesch, Canton of Appenzell Ausserrhoden, Switzerland, Europe

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - The payload canister rolls to Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Inside is the payload for space shuttle Discovery and the STS-128 mission, the Multi-Purpose Logistics Module Leonardo and the Lightweight Multi-Purpose Experiment Support Structure Carrier. Discovery's 13-day flight will deliver a new crew member and 33,000 pounds of equipment to the International Space Station. The equipment includes science and storage racks, a freezer to store research samples, a new sleeping compartment and the COLBERT treadmill. Launch of Discovery on its STS-128 mission is targeted for August 25.

Guitar

Internet and satellite towers on the mountains

TV Broadcast Tower

Detection system on a ship, radar

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - The deep-red sunset sky puts Launch pad 39A in silhouette. Space shuttle Atlantis is on the pad. Atlantis October target launch date for the STS-125 Hubble Space Telescope servicing mission was delayed after a device on board Hubble used in the storage and transmission of science data to Earth shut down on Sept. 27. Replacing the broken device will be added to Atlantis servicing mission to the telescope. In the interim, Atlantis will be rolled back to the Vehicle Assembly Building until a new target launch date can be set for the mission in 2009.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - At NASA Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the sun begins to set at Launch Pad 39B on the media representatives taking the 21st Century Ground Systems tour. This view was taken from the top of the 355-foot-tall mobile launcher at the pad. In the foreground is one of three lightning masts at the pad; in the distance is the Vehicle Assembly Building. Other stops on the tour include the Vehicle Assembly Building, a crawler-transporter parked on the crawlerway, and the Launch Control Center's Firing Room 1. These facilities and equipment will be used to prepare and launch NASA's new Orion spacecraft on the Space Launch System heavy-lift rocket.The tour was arranged as part of prelaunch media activities for the agency's Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) launch. Liftoff of MSL aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket from Space Launch Complex-41 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station is planned during a launch window which extends from 10:02 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. EST on

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Liftoff of NASA's Radiation Belt Storm Probes, or RBSP, lights up the sky near the NASA Press Site at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Launch was on time at 4:05 a.m. EDT from Space Launch Complex 41 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket. RBSP will explore changes in Earth's space environment caused by the sun -- known as "space weather" -- that can disable satellites, create power-grid failures and disrupt GPS service. The mission also will provide data on the fundamental radiation and particle acceleration processes throughout the universe.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the agency's Orion is transported to Launch Complex 37 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. After arrival at the launch pad, United Launch Alliance engineers and technicians will lift Orion and mount it atop its Delta IV Heavy rocket.Orion is the exploration spacecraft designed to carry astronauts to destinations not yet explored by humans, including an asteroid and Mars. It will have emergency abort capability, sustain the crew during space travel and provide safe re-entry from deep space return velocities. The first unpiloted flight test of Orion is scheduled to launch Dec. 4, 2014 atop a United Launch Alliance Delta IV Heavy rocket, and in 2018 on NASAs Space Launch System rocket.

NASAs Space Launch System (SLS) rocket with the Orion spacecraft aboard is seen during sunrise atop a mobile launcher at Launch Pad 39B as preparations for launch continue, Wednesday, Aug. 31, 2022, at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida. NASAs Artemis I flight test is the first integrated test of the agencys deep space exploration systems: the Orion spacecraft, SLS rocket, and supporting ground systems.

Low angle view of a Wind Turbine

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Outside the massive Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, members of the news media (foreground) wait in the dark for the rollout of the Ares I-X to begin. The rocket will travel the 4.2 miles to Launch Pad 39B atop the crawler-transporter. The transfer of the pad from the Space Shuttle Program to the Constellation Program took place May 31. Modifications made to the pad include the removal of shuttle unique subsystems, such as the orbiter access arm and a section of the gaseous oxygen vent arm, along with the installation of three 600-foot lightning towers, access platforms, environmental control systems and a vehicle stabilization system. Part of the Constellation Program, the Ares I-X is the test vehicle for the Ares I. The Ares I-X flight test is targeted for Oct. 27.

The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying the Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich spacecraft awaits liftoff from Space Launch Complex 4 at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, Nov. 21, 2020. 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.

NASAs Flight Opportunities funds flight of space technology on UP Aerospaces rocket poised to launch at Spaceport America in New Mexico.

Artemis II Orion Underway Recovery Test 10 (URT-10) - Day 8 - Night Ops. Members of NASAs Landing and Recovery team, along with partners from the Department of Defense, practice Artemis recovery procedures as part of Underway Recovery Test 10 (URT-10) off the coast of San Diego on Aug. 1, 2023. The event involved the use of the Crew Module Test Article (CMTA), a full-scale mockup of NASAs Orion spacecraft. URT-10 is the 10th in a series of Artemis recovery tests, but marked the first time NASA and its partners from the Department of Defense put their Artemis II recovery procedures to the test.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Space shuttle Atlantis returns to Earth for the last time on Runway 15 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida just before sunrise. Atlantis touched down on Runway 15 at 5:57 a.m., bringing an end to the STS-135 mission and NASA's Space Shuttle Program. On the 37th shuttle mission to the International Space Station, STS-135 delivered more than 9,400 pounds of spare parts, equipment and supplies in the Raffaello multi-purpose logistics module that will sustain station operations for the next year. STS-135 was the 33rd and final flight for Atlantis, which has spent 307 days in space, orbited Earth 4,848 times and traveled 125,935,769 miles.

Telecommunication wireless antennas on the tower. Communication concept. Telecommunication wireless antennas on the tower.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, space shuttle Endeavour is well on its way from Launch Pad 39B on its 3.4-mile rollaround to Launch Pad 39A. First motion was at 3:16 a.m. EDT. Endeavour was on standby on Pad 39B to be used in the unlikely event that a rescue mission was necessary during space shuttle Atlantis' STS-125 mission to NASA's Hubble Space Telescope. The payload on the STS-127 mission includes the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Kibo Exposed Facility and the Experiment Logistics Module Exposed Section of the International Space Station. They will be installed on the Kibo laboratory already on the station. Launch of STS-127 is targeted for June 13.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - NASAs Project Morpheus prototype lander soars 800 feet above the north end of the Shuttle Landing Facility at Kennedy Space Center in Florida on free flight test No. 15 at. During the 97-second test, onboard autonomous landing and hazard avoidance technology sensors, or ALHAT, surveyed the hazard field for safe landing sites, then guided the lander forward and downward to a successful landing.

Drop tower for experiments in zero gravity, Centre for Applied Space Technology and Microgravity, ZARM, Technology Centre, University of Bremen, Germany, Europe

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - NASAs Project Morpheus prototype lander soars 800 feet above the north end of the Shuttle Landing Facility at Kennedy Space Center in Florida on free flight test No. 15 at. During the 97-second test, onboard autonomous landing and hazard avoidance technology sensors, or ALHAT, surveyed the hazard field for safe landing sites, then guided the lander forward and downward to a successful landing.

The Boeing CST-100 Starliner spacecraft jettisons the heat shield before it lands in White Sands, New Mexico, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2019. The landing completes an abbreviated Orbital Flight Test for the company that still meets several mission objectives for NASAs Commercial Crew program. The Starliner spacecraft launched on a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket at 6:36 a.m. Friday, Dec. 20 from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with the company's Crew Dragon spacecraft onboard is seen on the launch pad at Launch Complex 39A at sunrise as preparations continue for the Demo-2 mission, Wednesday, May 27, 2020, at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida. NASAs SpaceX Demo-2 mission is the first launch with astronauts of the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft and Falcon 9 rocket to the International Space Station as part of the agencys Commercial Crew Program. The test flight serves as an end-to-end demonstration of SpaceXs crew transportation system. Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley are scheduled to launch at 4:33 p.m. EDT on Wednesday, May 27, from Launch Complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Center. A new era of human spaceflight is set to begin as American astronauts once again launch on an American rocket from American soil to low-Earth orbit for the first time since the conclusion of the Space Shuttle Program in 2011.

STS117-S-022 (8 June 2007) --- Framed here by Florida foliage, 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.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- A plume of exhaust and smoke engulfing Space Launch Complex 40 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida is evidence that the Space Exploration Technologies, or SpaceX, Falcon 9 rocket, carrying a Dragon capsule filled with cargo, is on its way 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.

A lightning strike is recorded at Launch Complex 39B at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida in May 2011. The event was captured by high-speed cameras stationed at the pad and mobile launcher. At pad 39B, there are three, 600-foot-tall masts with overhead wires used to transmit electrical energy around the perimeter of the pad to provide lightning protection for launch vehicles as they are processed and launched from the pad.

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