Rocket Launches

Dynamic images of various rockets launching into the sky, showcasing flames, smoke, and excitement during space missions.

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

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

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - With flames close behind it, the Boeing Delta IV rocket roars through the thin cloud cover, lifting the GOES-N satellite in to space. Liftoff from Launch Complex 37 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station was on time at 6:11 p.m. EDT. GOES-N is the latest in the Earth-monitoring series of Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites developed by NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. By maintaining a stationary orbit, hovering over one position on the Earth's surface, GOES will be able to provide a constant vigil for the atmospheric "triggers" for severe weather conditions such as tornadoes, flash floods, hail storms and hurricanes.

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 continues its assent 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.

STS-47 Endeavour, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 105, lifts off from KSC.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Trailing a twisting column of smoke, Space Shuttle Columbia hurtles toward space on mission STS-107. Following a flawless and uneventful countdown, liftoff occurred on-time at 10:39 a.m. EST. The 16-day research mission will include FREESTAR (Fast Reaction Experiments Enabling Science, Technology, Applications and Research) and the SHI Research Double Module (SHI/RDM), known as SPACEHAB. Experiments on the module range from material sciences to life sciences. Landing is scheduled at about 8:53 a.m. EST on Saturday, Feb. 1. This mission is the first Shuttle mission of 2003. Mission STS-107 is the 28th flight of the orbiter Columbia and the 113th flight overall in NASA's Space Shuttle program.

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

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Against a backdrop of clouds, space shuttle Atlantis hurtles into the sky atop a column of fire and smoke on the STS-122 mission. Liftoff was on time at 2:45 p.m. EST. This is the third launch attempt for Atlantis since December 2007 to carry the European Space Agency's Columbus laboratory to the International Space Station. During the 11-day mission, the crew's prime objective is to attach the laboratory to the Harmony module, adding to the station's size and capabilities.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Twitter followers and media representatives at the NASA Press Site witness space shuttle Atlantis cut its way through the blue skies 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

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

CAPE CANAERAL, Fla. -- With NASA's Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) spacecraft sealed inside its payload fairing, the United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket rides smoke and flames as it rises from 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.

STS-125 Launch May 11, 2009

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Erupting from the clouds of smoke below, Space Shuttle Endeavour roars into space on mission STS-111 to the International Space Station. Liftoff occurred at 5:22:49 p.m. EDT. The STS-111 crew includes Commander Kenneth Cockrell, Pilot Paul Lockhart, and Mission Specialists Franklin Chang-Diaz and Philippe Perrin (CNES), as well as the Expedition Five crew members Valeri Korzun, Peggy Whitson and Sergei Treschev. This mission marks the 14th Shuttle flight to the International Space Station and the third Shuttle mission this year. Mission STS-111 is the 18th flight of Endeavour and the 110th flight overall in NASA's Space Shuttle program

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. - Nearly twice as tall as the space shuttle, the Constellation Program's 327-foot-tall Ares I-X test rocket races off Launch Complex 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.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Space Shuttle Discovery shoots into Florida's blue sky over the blue Atlantic Ocean, kicking off Fourth of July fireworks with its own fiery display. History was made with the first ever launch on Independence Day. It was the third launch attempt in four days; the others were scrubbed due to weather concerns. Liftoff on mission STS-121 was on-time at 2:38 p.m. EDT. During the 12-day mission, the STS-121 crew of seven will test new equipment and procedures to improve shuttle safety, as well as deliver supplies and make repairs to the International Space Station. Landing is scheduled for July 16 or 17 at Kennedy's Shuttle Landing Facility. Photo courtesy of Nikon/Scott Andrews

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. - The GOES-N satellite roars through the thin cloud cover over the Space Coast atop a Boeing Delta IV rocket. Liftoff from Launch Complex 37 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station was on time at 6:11 p.m. EDT. GOES-N is the latest in the Earth-monitoring series of Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites developed by NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. By maintaining a stationary orbit, hovering over one position on the Earth's surface, GOES will be able to provide a constant vigil for the atmospheric "triggers" for severe weather conditions such as tornadoes, flash floods, hail storms and hurricanes.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. Viewed from the NASA News Center, NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft roars into the cloud-scattered sky trailing fire and smoke from the Atlas V rocket that propels it. 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 built by students at

STS121-S-022 (4 July 2006) --- Space Shuttle Discovery and its seven-member crew launched at 2:38 p.m. (EDT) to begin the two-day journey to the International Space Station on the historic Return to Flight STS-121 mission. Discovery is slated to dock with the station at 10:52 a.m. (EDT) Thursday July 6, 2006. The shuttle made history as it was the first human-occupying spacecraft to launch on Independence Day. During the 12-day mission, the STS-121 crew of seven will test new equipment and procedures to improve shuttle safety, as well as deliver supplies and make repairs to the space station.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Under a cloud-washed sky, space shuttle Endeavour leaves a column of smoke as it rises from Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Today was the sixth launch attempt for the STS-127 mission. The launch was scrubbed on June 13 and June 17 when a hydrogen gas leak occurred during tanking due to a misaligned Ground Umbilical Carrier Plate. The mission was postponed July 11, 12 and 13 due to weather conditions near the Shuttle Landing Facility at Kennedy that violated rules for launching, and lightning issues. Endeavour will deliver the Japanese Experiment Module's Exposed Facility and the Experiment Logistics Module-Exposed Section in the final of three flights dedicated to the assembly of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Kibo laboratory complex on the International Space Station.

The Northrop Grumman Antares rocket, with Cygnus resupply spacecraft onboard, launches from Pad-0A, Wednesday, April 17, 2019 at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. Northrop Grumman's 11th contracted cargo resupply mission for NASA to the International Space Station will deliver about 7,600 pounds of science and research, crew supplies and vehicle hardware to the orbital laboratory and its crew.

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.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - The Falcon 9 rocket lifts off Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, carrying the SpaceX CRS-4 mission to orbit. Liftoff was at 1:52 a.m. EDT.The mission is the fourth of 12 SpaceX flights NASA contracted with the company to resupply the space station. It will be the fifth trip by a Dragon spacecraft to the orbiting laboratory. The spacecrafts 2.5 tons of supplies, science experiments, and technology demonstrations include critical materials to support 255 science and research investigations that will occur during the station's Expeditions 41 and 42.

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.

Artemis I Launch Imagery. Liftoff! NASAs Space Launch System carrying the Orion spacecraft soars upward after liftoff from the pad at Launch Complex 39B at the agencys Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 1:47 a.m. EST on Nov. 16, 2022. The first in a series of increasingly complex missions, Artemis I will provide a foundation for human deep space exploration and demonstrate our commitment and capability to extend human presence to the Moon and beyond. The primary goal of Artemis I is to thoroughly test the integrated systems before crewed missions by operating the spacecraft in a deep space environment, testing Orions heat shield, and recovering the crew module after reentry, descent, and splashdown.

A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket with Boeings CST-100 Starliner spacecraft aboard launches from Space Launch Complex 41, Thursday, May 19, 2022, at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. Boeings Orbital Flight Test-2 (OFT-2) is Starliners second uncrewed flight test and will dock to the International Space Station as part of NASA's Commercial Crew Program. OFT-2 launched at 6:54 p.m. ET, and will serve as an end-to-end test of the system's capabilities.

Lit by the glow of sunset, the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket climbs away from Space Launch Complex 40 at Floridas Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. On board is NOAAs Deep Space Climate Observatory spacecraft, or DSCOVR. Liftoff occurred at 6:03 p.m. EST. DSCOVR is a partnership between NOAA, NASA and the U.S. Air Force, and will maintain the nation's real-time solar wind monitoring capabilities.

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. - Space shuttle Atlantis emerges through the clouds over 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.

Ariane 6 lifts off from the Guiana Space Center in Kourou, French Guiana. The launcher carries the Sentinel-1D satellite, a radar-based Earth observation satellite.

At Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's Space Launch Complex 41, an Atlas V rocket with NOAA's Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite, or GOES-R, lifts off at 6:42 p.m. EST. GOES-R is the first satellite in a series of next-generation GOES satellites for NOAA, the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration. It will launch to a geostationary orbit over the western hemisphere to provide images of storms and help meteorologists predict severe weather conditionals and develop long-range forecasts.

STS124-S-009 (31 May 2008) --- The Space Shuttle Discovery and its seven-member STS-124 crew head toward Earth-orbit and a scheduled link-up with the International Space Station (ISS). Liftoff from Kennedy Space Center's launch pad 39A occurred at 5:02 p.m. (EDT). The STS-124 mission is the 26th in the assembly of the International Space Station. It is the second of three flights launching components to complete JAXA's Kibo laboratory. During the mission, the shuttle crew will install Kibo's large Japanese Pressurized Module and its remote manipulator system. Onboard are astronauts Mark Kelly, commander; Ken Ham, pilot; Karen Nyberg, Mike Fossum, Ron Garan, Greg Chamitoff and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut Akihiko Hoshide, all mission specialists. Chamitoff will join Expedition 17 in progress to serve as a flight engineer aboard the station.

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket soars into the sky after lifting off from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 11:17 a.m. EST on Dec. 6, 2020. The rocket is carrying the uncrewed cargo Dragon spacecraft on its journey to the International Space Station for NASA and SpaceXs 21st Commercial Resupply Services (CRS-21) mission. Dragon will deliver more than 6,400 pounds of science investigations and cargo to the orbiting laboratory. The mission marks the first launch for SpaceX under NASAs CRS-2 contract.

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying the company's Crew Dragon spacecraft is launched from Launch Complex 39A on NASAs SpaceX Demo-2 mission to the International Space Station with NASA astronauts Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley onboard, Saturday, May 30, 2020, at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The 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. Behnken and Hurley launched at 3:22 p.m. EDT on Saturday, May 30, 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.

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.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -- The plume of smoke grows behind Space Shuttle Discovery as it hurtles into space on mission STS-105. Liftoff occurred on time at 5:10:14 p.m. EDT. Besides the Shuttle crew of four, Discovery carries the Expedition Three crew who will replace Expedition Two on the International Space Station. The mission includes the third flight of an Italian-built Multi-Purpose Logistics Module delivering additional scientific racks, equipment and supplies for the Space Station, and two spacewalks. Part of the payload is the Early Ammonia Servicer (EAS) tank, which will be attached to the Station during the spacewalks. The EAS will be installed on the P6 truss, which holds the Stations giant U.S. solar arrays, batteries and the cooling radiators. The EAS contains spare ammonia for the Stations cooling system. The three-member Expedition Two crew will be returning to Earth aboard Discovery after a five-month stay on the Station

The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with the Dragon cargo module climbs upward after liftoff from Space Launch Complex 40 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida in the early afternoon on Dec. 5, 2019. Liftoff was at 12:29 p.m. EST. This is SpaceXs 19th Commercial Resupply Services (CRS-19) mission for NASA to the International Space Station. The Dragon cargo module will deliver more than 5,700 pounds of science and research, crew supplies and vehicle hardware to the orbital laboratory and its crew.

JSC2011-E-067590 (8 July 2011) --- The space shuttle Atlantis launches for the STS-135 mission to the International Space Station in the final mission of the Space Shuttle Program at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Liftoff was at 11:29 a.m. (EDT) on July 8, 2011. Onboard are NASA astronauts Chris Ferguson, STS-135 commander; Doug Hurley, pilot; Sandy Magnus and Rex Walheim, both mission specialists.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Rising from fire and smoke after liftoff, NASAs twin Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) mission launches atop a United Launch Alliance Delta II Heavy rocket leaving from Space Launch Complex 17B on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. At left is the pads mobile service tower. 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 inte

The United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket, carrying the Solar Orbiter, climbs upward after liftoff from Space Launch Complex 41 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in cmsFlorida on Feb. 9, 2020. Liftoff was at 11:03 p.m. EST. 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.

NASA's SpX-28 Liftoff. The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying the Dragon capsule soars upward after lifting off from Launch Complex 39A at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida on June 5, 2023, on the companys 28th Commercial Resupply Services mission for the agency to the International Space Station. Liftoff was at 11:47 a.m. EDT. Dragon will deliver more than XXX pounds of crew supplies, equipment, and science experiments to the orbiting laboratory. The spacecraft is expected to spend about a month attached to the orbiting outpost before it returns to Earth with research and return cargo, splashing down off the coast of 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.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- STS-52 Columbia

Ariane 6 lifts off from the Guiana Space Center in Kourou, French Guiana. The launcher carries the Sentinel-1D satellite, a radar-based Earth observation satellite.

Cape Canaveral, Florida, November 16, 2009 - Space shuttle Atlantis lifts off from Kennedy Space Center's Launch Pad 39A into orbit. 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.

The Northrop Grumman Antares rocket, with Cygnus resupply spacecraft onboard, launches from Pad-0A, Saturday, Feb. 15, 2020 at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. Northrop Grumman's 13th contracted cargo resupply mission for NASA to the International Space Station will deliver more than 7,500 pounds of science and research, crew supplies and vehicle hardware to the orbital laboratory and its crew.

Expedition 68 Launch. The Soyuz MS-22 rocket is launched to the International Space Station with Expedition 68 astronaut Frank Rubio of NASA, and cosmonauts Sergey Prokopyev and Dmitri Petelin of Roscosmos onboard, Wednesday, Sept. 21, 2022, from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Rubio, Prokopyev, and Petelin will spend approximately six months on the orbital complex, returning to Earth in March 2023.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -- The plume of smoke grows behind Space Shuttle Discovery as it hurtles into space on mission STS-105. Liftoff occurred on time at 5 10 14 p.m. EDT. Besides the Shuttle crew of four, Discovery carries the Expedition Three crew who will replace Expedition Two on the International Space Station. The mission includes the third flight of an Italian-built Multi-Purpose Logistics Module delivering additional scientific racks, equipment and supplies for the Space Station, and two spacewalks. Part of the payload is the Early Ammonia Servicer (EAS) tank, which will be attached to the Station during the spacewalks. The EAS will be installed on the P6 truss, which holds the Stations giant U.S. solar arrays, batteries and the cooling radiators. The EAS contains spare ammonia for the Stations cooling system. The three-member Expedition Two crew will be returning to Earth aboard Discovery after a five-month stay on the Station

The United Launch Alliance (ULA) Delta II rocket launches with the NASA Ice, Cloud and land Elevation Satellite-2 (ICESat-2) onboard, Saturday, Sept. 15, 2018, from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. The ICESat-2 mission will measure the changing height of Earth's ice.

The first West Coast Delta IV Heavy Launch Vehicle was launched from Space Launch Complex-6 at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., Jan. 20, 2011, at 1:10 p.m. Pacific Standard Time. The largest rocket ever to launch from the West Coast of the United States carried a national security payload for the National Reconnaissance Office.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Space shuttle Discovery leaps from the billows of smoke below into a clear blue sky over Central Florida on its STS-124 mission to the International Space Station. Launch was on time at 5:02 p.m. EDT. Discovery is making its 35th flight. The STS-124 mission is the 26th in the assembly of the space station. It is the second of three flights launching components to complete the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Kibo laboratory. The shuttle crew will install Kibo's large Japanese Pressurized Module and its remote manipulator system, or RMS. The 14-day flight includes three spacewalks.

A SpaceX Falcon-9 rocket carrying a Starlink mission launches from Space Launch Complex-4E on May 13, 2022, at 3:07 p.m. PDT, Vandenberg Space Force Base, Calif. This launch marks the fourth Starlink deployment from Vandenberg, and the twenty-third Falcon-9 launch from SLC-4E.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, a small rocket lifts off as part of Rocket University. The launch tests systems designed by the student engineers.As part of Rocket University, the engineers are given an opportunity to work a fast-track project to develop skills in developing spacecraft systems of the future. As NASA plans for future spaceflight programs to low-Earth orbit and beyond, teams of engineers at Kennedy are gaining experience in designing and flying launch vehicle systems on a small scale. Four teams of five to eight members from Kennedy are designing rockets complete with avionics and recovery systems. Launch operations require coordination with federal agencies, just as they would with rockets launched in support of a NASA mission.

A Falcon 9 rocket carrying Starlink satellites launches from Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) at Kennedy Space Center, Florida, Jan. 28, 2024. This is the 18th flight for the first stage booster supporting this mission, which previously launched GPS III Space Vehicle 04, GPS III Space Vehicle 05, Inspiration4, Ax-1, Nilesat 301, OneWeb Launch 17, ARABSAT BADR-8, and now 11 Starlink missions.

A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket lifts off on May 19, 2022, from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida for NASA Boeings uncrewed Orbital Flight Test-2 (OFT-2) for the agencys Commercial Crew Program. Liftoff for OFT-2 occurred at 6:54 p.m. EDT. Starliner is expected to arrive at the space station for docking about 24 hours later with more than 500 pounds of NASA 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 fully functional Launch Abort System (LAS) with a test version of Orion attached, launches on NASAs Ascent Abort-2 (AA-2) atop a Northrop Grumman provided booster on July 2, 2019, at 7 a.m. EDT, from Launch Pad 46 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. During AA-2, the booster will send the LAS and Orion to an altitude of 31,000 feet, traveling at Mach 1.15 (more than 1,000 mph). The LAS three motors will work together to pull the crew module away from the booster and prepare it for splashdown in the Atlantic Ocean. The flight test will prove that the abort system can pull crew to safety in the unlikely event of an emergency during ascent.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Space Shuttle Columbia outraces the multi-colored clouds of smoke and steam rising below it from Launch Pad 39A as it races toward space on mission STS-107. Following a flawless and uneventful countdown, liftoff occurred on-time at 10:39 a.m. EST. The 16-day research mission includes FREESTAR (Fast Reaction Experiments Enabling Science, Technology, Applications and Research) and the SHI Research Double Module (SHI/RDM), known as SPACEHAB. Experiments on the module range from material sciences to life sciences.. Landing of Columbia is scheduled at about 8:53 a.m. EST on Saturday, Feb. 1. This mission is the first Shuttle mission of 2003. Mission STS-107 is the 28th flight of the orbiter Columbia and the 113th flight overall in NASA's Space Shuttle program.

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifts off from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida at 4:30 p.m. EST, carrying the SpaceX Dragon resupply spacecraft. On its 14th commercial resupply services mission for NASA, Dragon will deliver supplies, equipment and new science experiments for technology research to the space station.

Launch of Space Shuttle Discovery on STS-121

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The fiery liftoff of Space Shuttle Discovery from Launch Pad 39B on mission STS-116 is captured in the nearby water. Liftoff occurred on time at 8:47 p.m. EST. This was the second launch attempt for mission STS-116. The first launch attempt on Dec. 7 was postponed due a low cloud ceiling over Kennedy Space Center. This is Discovery's 33rd mission and the first night launch since 2002. The 20th shuttle mission to the International Space Station, STS-116 carries another truss segment, P5. It will serve as a spacer, mated to the P4 truss that was attached in September. After installing the P5, the crew will reconfigure and redistribute the power generated by two pairs of U.S. solar arrays. Landing is expected Dec. 21 at KSC.

The United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket with NASAs Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN (MAVEN) spacecraft launches from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station Space Launch Complex 41, Monday, Nov. 18, 2013, Cape Canaveral, Florida. NASAs Mars-bound spacecraft, the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN, or MAVEN, is the first spacecraft devoted to exploring and understanding the Martian upper atmosphere.

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.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - The United Launch Alliance Delta II Heavy rocket propels NASAs twin Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) mission into the clouds over 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 with asteroids. The aim

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The Delta II rocket with NASA's THEMIS spacecraft aboard begins its journey to orbit at 6:01 p.m. EST from Pad 17-B at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. THEMIS, an acronym for Time History of Events and Macroscale Interactions during Substorms, consists of five identical probes that will track violent, colorful eruptions near the North Pole. This will be the largest number of scientific satellites NASA has ever launched into orbit aboard a single rocket. The THEMIS mission aims to unravel the mystery behind auroral substorms, an avalanche of magnetic energy powered by the solar wind that intensifies the northern and southern lights. The mission will investigate what causes auroras in the Earths atmosphere to dramatically change from slowly shimmering waves of light to wildly shifting streaks of bright color.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Over a group of trees and bushes, the United Launch Alliance Delta II Heavy rocket carrying NASAs twin Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) mission launches 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 coll

UP Aerospace SpaceLoft rocket launched into space Sept 12, 2018 from Spaceport America in New Mexico carrying three NASA technologies onboard to test in microgravity.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket soars into the darkness over Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, carrying NASA's Tracking and Data Relay Satellite, or TDRS-L, to Earth orbit. Launch 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 Space Communication an

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- After being dropped from the L-1011 aircraft at 3:14 p.m. EST over the Atlantic Ocean, the Pegasus XL rocket fires, propelling NASA's Solar Radiation and Climate Experiment (SORCE) toward its orbit. Separation of the spacecraft from the rocket occurred 10 minutes and 46 seconds after launch at about 3:24 p.m. Initial contact with the satellite was made seven seconds after separation via a NASA communications satellite network. Over the next few days, the mission team will insure that the spacecraft is functioning properly. The SORCE science instruments will then be turned on and their health verified. Approximately 21 days after launch, if all is going well, the instruments will start initial science data collection and calibration will begin. The spacecraft will study the Sun's influence on our Earth and will measure from space how the Sun affects the Earth's ozone layer, atmospheric circulation, clouds, and oceans. This mission is a joint partnership

Launched on time at 6:49:42 a.m. EDT, Space Shuttle Discovery blasts through a gossamer sky on mission STS-96. A 10-day logistics and resupply mission for the International Space Station, STS-96 is carrying about 4,000 pounds of supplies, to be stored aboard the station for use by future crews, including laptop computers, cameras, tools, spare parts, and clothing. The mission also includes such payloads as a Russian crane, the Strela; a U.S.-built crane; the Spacehab Oceaneering Space System Box (SHOSS), a logistics items carrier; and STARSHINE, a student-involved experiment. It will include a space walk to attach the cranes to the outside of the ISS for use in future construction. Landing is expected at the SLF on June 6 about 1:58 a.m. EDT

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.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - With its engines burning bright against the late night sky, the United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket carrying NASA's Radiation Belt Storm Probes, or RBSP, travels upward after 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.

The Soyuz TMA-20 rocket launches from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on Thursday, December 16, 2010 carrying Expedition 26 Soyuz Commander Dmitry Kondratyev of Russia, NASA Flight Engineer Catherine Coleman and European Space Agency astronaut Paolo Nespoli to the International Space Station. (

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- A Delta II rocket appears to erupt from the undulating clouds of smoke below as it launches with the joint NASA/French Space Agency oceanography satellite Jason 1 and Thermosphere Ionosphere Mesosphere Energetics and Dynamics satellite aboard. Liftoff from Launch Complex 2W occurred at 7:07 a.m. PST (10:07 a.m. EST or 15:07 GMT). Jason 1 joins the orbiting Topex/Poseidon satellite to continue observations of the global climate interaction occurring between the sea and the atmosphere as a result of stored solar energy. Instruments on Jason 1 will map variations in ocean surface topography to monitor world ocean circulation, study interactions of the oceans and atmosphere, improve climate predictions and observe events like El Nino. The mission is expected to last three years. The TIMED satellite will study a little-known region above the atmosphere, some 40 to 110 miles from the Earth's surface. Studying this region has been nearly impossible u

STS124-S-022 (31 May 2008) --- The Space Shuttle Discovery and its seven-member STS-124 crew head toward Earth-orbit and a scheduled link-up with the International Space Station (ISS). Liftoff from Kennedy Space Center's launch pad 39A occurred at 5:02 p.m. (EDT). The STS-124 mission is the 26th in the assembly of the International Space Station. It is the second of three flights launching components to complete JAXA's Kibo laboratory. During the mission, the shuttle crew will install Kibo's large Japanese Pressurized Module and its remote manipulator system. Onboard are astronauts Mark Kelly, commander; Ken Ham, pilot; Karen Nyberg, Mike Fossum, Ron Garan, Greg Chamitoff and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut Akihiko Hoshide, all mission specialists. Chamitoff will join Expedition 17 in progress to serve as a flight engineer aboard the station.

KSC-2015-1341 (02/11/2015) --- The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying NOAAs Deep Space Climate Observatory spacecraft, or DSCOVR, lifts off from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. Liftoff occurred at 6:03 p.m. EST. DSCOVR is a partnership between NOAA, NASA and the U.S. Air Force, and will maintain the nation's real-time solar wind monitoring capabilities.

A Falcon 9 rocket launches from SLC-40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Fla., April 1, 2022. The Transporter-4 mission carried numerous small microsatellites and nanosatellites for commercial and government customers.

The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with the Dragon cargo module climbs upward after liftoff from Space Launch Complex 40 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida in the early morning May 4, 2019. Liftoff was at 2:48 a.m. EDT. This is SpaceXs 17th Commercial Resupply Services (CRS-17) mission for NASA to the International Space Station. The Dragon cargo module will deliver about 5,500 pounds of science and research, crew supplies and vehicle hardware to the orbital laboratory and its crew.

A Falcon 9 rocket carrying SpaceXs Starlink broadband satellites launches from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida, July 7, 2022. This was the 13th flight for the Falcon 9 first stage booster supporting this mission.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Emerging from the billows of smoke below, Space Shuttle Endeavour clears the lightning mast on the fixed service structure below to begin its journey 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. Photo courtesy of Nikon/Scott Andrews

STS-125 Launch May 11, 2009

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- The United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket carrying NASA's Tracking and Data Relay Satellite, or TDRS-L, soars off Space Launch Complex 41 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. Launch 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 Space Communication and Navigation SCaN networks provid

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Boosted by the columns of flame from the solid rocket boosters, space shuttle Atlantis hurtles into space for a rendezvous with the International Space Station on mission STS-122. Liftoff was on time at 2:45 p.m. EST. This is the third launch attempt for Atlantis since December 2007 to carry the European Space Agency's Columbus laboratory to the station. During the 11-day mission, the crew's prime objective is to attach the laboratory to the Harmony module, adding to the station's size and capabilities.

A Falcon 9 rocket launches from SLC-40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Fla., April 21, 2022. The Starlink 4-14 mission carried the next batch of SpaceXs Starlink satellites into orbit.

The Soyuz MS-02 rocket is launched with Expedition 49 Soyuz commander Sergey Ryzhikov of Roscosmos, flight engineer Shane Kimbrough of NASA, and flight engineer Andrey Borisenko of Roscosmos, Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2016 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Ryzhikov, Kimbrough, and Borisenko will spend the next four months living and working aboard the International Space Station.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - NASAs Ares I-X test rocket soars above Launch Pad 39B as tracking cameras record the liftoff at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 11:30 a.m. EDT on Oct. 28. The 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 two-stage SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifts off from Launch Complex 39A at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida for Demo-1, the first uncrewed mission of the agencys Commercial Crew Program. Liftoff was at 2:49 a.m., March 2, 2019. The SpaceX Crew Dragons trip to the International Space Station is designed to validate end-to-end systems and capabilities, leading to certification to fly crew. NASA has worked with SpaceX and Boeing in developing the Commercial Crew Program spacecraft to facilitate new human spaceflight systems launching from U.S. soil with the goal of safe, reliable and cost-effective access to low-Earth orbit destinations, such as the space station.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - A Boeing Delta IV rocket roars off the launch pad to lift the GOES-N satellite on top into space. Liftoff from Launch Complex 37 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station was on time at 6:11 p.m. EDT. GOES-N is the latest in the Earth-monitoring series of Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites developed by NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. By maintaining a stationary orbit, hovering over one position on the Earth's surface, GOES will be able to provide a constant vigil for the atmospheric "triggers" for severe weather conditions such as tornadoes, flash floods, hail storms and hurricanes. Photo by Carleton Bailie for Boeing

SpaceX Falcon 9/COTS 2 Launch, DD025-203

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - It's "go for throttle up" as space shuttle Endeavour leaves Launch Pad 39A behind at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, delivering its six-member crew to orbit. 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 mo

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - In a blinding flash, space shuttle Endeavour races to orbit from Launch Pad 39A at 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, as

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.

The two-stage Falcon 9 launch vehicle lifts off Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station carrying the Dragon resupply spacecraft to the International Space Station. Liftoff was at 10:36 a.m. EST. On its 13th commercial resupply services mission to the International Space Station, Dragon will bring up supplies, equipment and new science experiments for technology research. The SpaceX Dragon spacecraft will deliver about 4,800 pounds of cargo and material to support science investigations aboard the space station.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Space shuttle Atlantis soars to orbit from Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida on the STS-132 mission to the International Space Station at 2 20 p.m. EDT on May 14. The third of five shuttle missions planned for 2010, this was the last planned launch for Atlantis. The Russian-built Mini Research Module-1 is inside the shuttle's cargo bay. Also known as Rassvet, or 'dawn,' it will provide additional storage space and a new docking port for Russian Soyuz and Progress spacecraft. The laboratory will be attached to the bottom port of the station's Zarya module. The mission's three spacewalks will focus on storing spare components outside the station, including six batteries, a communications antenna and parts for the Canadian Dextre robotic arm. STS-132 is the 132nd shuttle flight, the 32nd for Atlantis and the 34th shuttle mission dedicated to station assembly and maintenance.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - The GOES-N satellite roars through the thin cloud cover over the Space Coast atop a Boeing Delta IV rocket. Liftoff from Launch Complex 37 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station was on time at 6:11 p.m. EDT. GOES-N is the latest in the Earth-monitoring series of Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites developed by NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. By maintaining a stationary orbit, hovering over one position on the Earth's surface, GOES will be able to provide a constant vigil for the atmospheric "triggers" for severe weather conditions such as tornadoes, flash floods, hail storms and hurricanes.

The Soyuz rocket with Expedition 33/34 crew members, Soyuz Commander Oleg Novitskiy, Flight Engineer Kevin Ford of NASA, and Flight Engineer Evgeny Tarelkin of ROSCOSMOS onboard the TMA-06M spacecraft launches to the International Space Station on Tuesday, October 23, 2012, in Baikonur, Kazakhstan. Ford, Novitskiy and Tarelkin will be on a five-month mission aboard the International Space Station.

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

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- The clouds over Space Launch Complex 40 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida light up as a Falcon 9 rocket passes through, carrying a Dragon capsule to orbit. Liftoff was at 8:35 p.m. EDT.Space Exploration Technologies Corp., or SpaceX, built both the rocket and capsule for NASA's first Commercial Resupply Services, or CRS-1, mission to the International Space Station. 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. NASA has contracted for 12 commercial resupply flights from SpaceX and eight from the Orbital Sciences Corp.

STS122-S-048 (7 Feb. 2008) --- The Space Shuttle Atlantis and its seven-member STS-122 crew head toward Earth-orbit and a scheduled link-up with the International Space Station (ISS). Liftoff from Kennedy Space Center's launch pad 39A occurred at 2:45 p.m. (EST). The launch is the third attempt for Atlantis since December 2007 to carry the European Space Agency's (ESA) Columbus laboratory to the station. During the mission, the crew's prime objective is to attach the laboratory to the Harmony module, adding to the station's size and capabilities. Onboard are astronauts Steve Frick, commander; Alan Poindexter, pilot; Leland Melvin, Rex Walheim, ESA's Hans Schlegel, Stanley Love and ESA's Leopold Eyharts, all mission specialists. Eyharts will join Expedition 16 in progress to serve as a flight engineer aboard the ISS.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket lights up the night sky over Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida as it carries NASA's Tracking and Data Relay Satellite, or TDRS-L, to Earth orbit. Launch 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 Space Communicatio

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