Rocket Launches

Stunning imagery of rockets launching into the sky with contrails, showcasing various space missions and the excitement of space exploration.

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.

STS112-S-014 (7 October 2002) --- The Space Shuttle Atlantis shoots through the clear blue sky after launch on mission STS-112, the 15th assembly flight to the International Space Station. Liftoff from Launch Pad 39B occurred at 3:46 p.m. (EDT), October 7, 2002.. Atlantis carried the S1 Integrated Truss Structure and the Crew and Equipment Translation Aid (CETA) Cart A. The CETA is the first of two human-powered carts that will ride along the ISS railway, providing mobile work platforms for future spacewalking astronauts. On the 11-day mission, three spacewalks were successful in attaching the S1 truss to the Station and performing other scheduled ISS work. The STS-112 crew members of Atlantis are Jeffrey S. Ashby, commander; Pamela A. Melroy, pilot; and David A. Wolf, Piers J. Sellers, Sandra H. Magnus and Rosaviakosmos' Fyodor N. Yurchikhin, all mission specialists.

STS135-S-067 (8 July 2011) --- Space shuttle Atlantis and its four-member STS-135 crew head toward Earth orbit and rendezvous with the International Space Station. Liftoff was at 11:29 a.m. (EDT) on July 8, 2011 from Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center. Onboard are NASA astronauts Chris Ferguson, commander; Doug Hurley, pilot; Sandy Magnus and Rex Walheim, both mission specialists. STS-135 will deliver the Raffaello multi-purpose logistics module packed with supplies and spare parts for the space station. Atlantis also carries the Robotic Refueling Mission experiment that will investigate the potential for robotically refueling existing satellites in orbit. In addition, Atlantis will return with a failed ammonia pump module to help NASA better understand the failure mechanism and improve pump designs for future systems. STS-135 will be the 33rd flight of Atlantis, the 37th shuttle mission to the space station, and the 135th and final mission of NASA's Space Shuttle Program.

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.

STS119-S-019 (15 March 2009) --- The Space Shuttle Discovery and its seven-member STS-119 crew head toward Earth orbit and a scheduled link-up with the International Space Station. Liftoff was on time at 7:43 p.m. (EDT) on March 15, 2009 from launch pad 39A at NASAs Kennedy Space Center. Onboard are astronauts Lee Archambault, commander; Tony Antonelli, pilot; Joseph Acaba, Steve Swanson, Richard Arnold, John Phillips and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agencys Koichi Wakata, all mission specialists. Wakata will join Expedition 18 in progress to serve as a flight engineer aboard the space station. Discovery will deliver the final pair of power-generating solar array wings and the S6 truss segment. Installation of S6 will signal the station's readiness to house a six-member crew for conducting increased science.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The light at the end of a stem of smoke is Space Shuttle Endeavour as it hurtles 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. -- Rising on twin columns of fire, space shuttle Endeavour soars skyward after lifting off Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Endeavour began its final flight, the STS-134 mission to the International Space Station, on time at 8:56 a.m. EDT on May 16. Endeavour and its six-member crew are embarking on a mission to deliver the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer-2 (AMS), Express Logistics Carrier-3, a high-pressure gas tank and additional spare parts for the Dextre robotic helper to the space station. Endeavour's first launch attempt on April 29 was scrubbed because of an issue associated with a faulty power distribution box called the aft load control assembly-2 (ALCA-2).

STS118-S-029 (8 Aug. 2007) --- The Space Shuttle Endeavour and its seven-member STS-118 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 6:36 p.m. (EDT) on Aug. 8, 2007. Onboard are astronauts Scott Kelly, commander; Charlie Hobaugh, pilot; Tracy Caldwell, Rick Mastracchio, Canadian Space Agency's Dave Williams, Barbara R. Morgan and Alvin Drew, all mission specialists. Endeavour will link up with the International Space Station on Friday, Aug. 10, to begin a joint mission to continue 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 orbital complex.

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. - Looking like a sun riding a column of smoke, space shuttle Discovery hurtles into the evening sky on the STS-119 mission. Liftoff was on time at 7:43 p.m. EDT. The STS-119 mission is the 28th to the International Space Station and the 125th space shuttle flight. Discovery will deliver the final pair of power-generating solar array wings and the S6 truss segment. Installation of S6 will signal the station's readiness to house a six-member crew for conducting increased science.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - With more than 12 times the thrust produced by a Boeing 747 jet aircraft, the Constellation Program's Ares I-X test rocket roars off Launch Complex 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The rocket produces 2.96 million pounds of thrust at liftoff and goes supersonic in 39 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.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- After 30 years and 135 missions, residents and visitors to Florida's Space Coast see this rocket's red glare for the last time as space shuttle Atlantis soars toward space after lifting off Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 11:29 a.m. EDT on July 8. On board are four experienced astronauts -- STS-135 Commander Chris Ferguson, Pilot Doug Hurley, and Mission Specialists Sandy Magnus and Rex Walheim.STS-135 will deliver the Raffaello multi-purpose logistics module packed with supplies and spare parts for the International Space Station. Atlantis also is flying 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 is the 33rd flight of Atlantis, the 37th shuttle mission to the space statio

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

Space shuttle Atlantis is seen as it launches from pad 39A on Friday, July 8, 2011, at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla. The launch of Atlantis, STS-135, is the final flight of the shuttle program, a 12-day mission to the International Space Station.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Like a humming bird flying from the center of a hibiscus, Space Shuttle Endeavour roars away from Earth on the the ninth flight to the International Space Station. Liftoff occurred at 2 40 42 p.m. EDT. The 11-day mission will deliver and integrate the Spacelab Logistics Pallet_Launch Deployment Assembly, which includes the Space Station Remote Manipulator System and the UHF Antenna. The mission includes two planned spacewalks for installation of the SSRMS on the Station. Also onboard is the Multi-Purpose Logistics Module Raffaello, carrying resupply stowage racks and resupply_return stowage platforms

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Rising on twin columns of fire and kicking up a trail of smoke and steam, space shuttle Endeavour lifts off from its seaside launch pad at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Endeavour began its final flight, the STS-134 mission, to the International Space Station on time at 8:56 a.m. EDT on May 16.Endeavour and its six-member crew are embarking on a mission to deliver the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer-2 (AMS), Express Logistics Carrier-3, a high-pressure gas tank and additional spare parts for the Dextre robotic helper to the space station. Endeavour's first launch attempt on April 29 was scrubbed because of an issue associated with a faulty power distribution box called the aft load control assembly-2 (ALCA-2).

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - The United Launch Alliance Delta II rocket carrying the Space Tracking and Surveillance System - Demonstrator, or STSS-Demo, spacecraft rises from a mantle of smoke as it lifts off from Launch Pad 17-B at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. STSS-Demo was launched at 8:20:22 a.m. EDT by NASA for the U.S. Missile Defense Agency. The STSS-Demo is a space-based sensor component of a layered Ballistic Missile Defense System designed for the overall mission of detecting, tracking and discriminating ballistic missiles. STSS is capable of tracking objects after boost phase and provides trajectory information to other sensors.

July 8, 2011 - Space shuttle Atlantis is seen as it launches from pad 39A at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida. The launch of Atlantis, STS-135, is the final flight of the shuttle program, a 12-day mission to the International Space Station.

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

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. Into a blue, cloud-scattered sky, NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft lifts off on time at 2 p.m. EST aboard an Atlas V rocket 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 the University of Colorado, Boulder. The launch at this time allows New Horizons

The Orbital ATK Antares rocket, with the Cygnus spacecraft onboard, launches from Pad-0A, Sunday, Nov. 12, 2017 at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. Orbital ATKs eighth contracted cargo resupply mission with NASA to the International Space Station will deliver approximately 7,400 pounds of science and research, crew supplies and vehicle hardware to the orbital laboratory and its crew.

The Northrop Grumman Antares rocket, with Cygnus resupply spacecraft onboard, launches from Pad-0A of NASA's Wallops Flight Facility, Saturday, November 2, 2019, in Virginia. Northrop Grummans 12th contracted cargo resupply mission with NASA to the International Space Station will deliver about 8,200 pounds of science and research, crew supplies and vehicle hardware to the orbital laboratory and its crew.

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. Liftoff was 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 is to map

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

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- A cloudy sky over Space Launch Complex 40 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida did not impede the launch of the Space Exploration Technologies, or SpaceX, Falcon 9 rocket carrying a Dragon capsule filled with cargo to orbit. Liftoff was at 10 10 a.m. EST. The SpaceX Dragon capsule is making its third trip to the International Space Station, following a demonstration flight in May 2012 and the first resupply mission in October 2012. The mission is the second of 12 SpaceX flights contracted by NASA to resupply the orbiting laboratory.

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

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

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Twin columns of fire propel space shuttle Atlantis into space on mission STS-122 to the International Space Station. Liftoff was on time at 2:45 p.m.The launch is the third 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.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. Viewed from a nearby vantage point, 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

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

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

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

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- The solid rocket boosters spew columns of fire as they help hurtle space shuttle Discovery toward space 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.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - With billows of smoke and steam below, Space Shuttle Atlantis roars into the sky on mission STS-110. Liftoff occurred at 4:44:19 p.m. EDT (20:41:19 GMT). STS-110 is the 13th assembly flight to the International Space Station, carrying the S0 Integrated Truss Structure and Mobile Transporter

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At the Press Site at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida, about 150 followers of the agencys Twitter account view the launch of NASA's Juno planetary probe atop a United Launch Alliance Atlas V-551 rocket. The tweeters, in turn, will share their experiences with followers through the social networking site Twitter.Liftoff was at 12:25 p.m. EDT Aug. 5 from Space Launch Complex 41 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. The solar-powered spacecraft will orbit Jupiter's poles 33 times to find out more about the gas giant's origins, structure, atmosphere and magnetosphere and investigate the existence of a solid planetary core. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif., manages the Juno mission for the principal investigator, Scott Bolton, of Southwest Research Institute in San Antonio. The Juno mission is part of the New Frontiers Program managed at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala. Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Denver,

VA257 - Ariane 5 in the sky over French Guiana. Guiana Space Center. French Guiana.

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

Launch of the Space Shuttle Endeavour for STS-123 mission to the International Space Station. John F. Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida. March 11, 2008.

Cape Canaveral, Florida, May 11, 2009 - From Launch Pad 39A at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, space shuttle Atlantis roars into the sky on a column of fire on the STS-125 mission to service the Hubble Space Telescope.

STS119-S-020 (15 March 2009) --- The Space Shuttle Discovery and its seven-member STS-119 crew head toward Earth orbit and a scheduled link-up with the International Space Station. Liftoff was on time at 7:43 p.m. (EDT) on March 15, 2009 from launch pad 39A at NASAs Kennedy Space Center. Onboard are astronauts Lee Archambault, commander; Tony Antonelli, pilot; Joseph Acaba, Steve Swanson, Richard Arnold, John Phillips and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agencys Koichi Wakata, all mission specialists. Wakata will join Expedition 18 in progress to serve as a flight engineer aboard the space station. Discovery will deliver the final pair of power-generating solar array wings and the S6 truss segment. Installation of S6 will signal the station's readiness to house a six-member crew for conducting increased science.

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.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Emerging from the billows of smoke below, Space Shuttle Endeavour hurtles into the sky on mission STS-118. Liftoff from Launch Pad 39A was on time at 6:36 p.m. EDT. 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

DN-ST-87-06504. Base: Cape Canaveral State: Florida (FL) Country: United States Of America (USA)

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The vulture in the foreground may have been startled to flight by the roar of space shuttle Discovery, in the background, as it hurtles into space atop a column of fire. Discovery is headed to the International Space Station on mission STS-120. Beyond the billows of smoke is the Atlantic Ocean. Liftoff was on time at 11:38:19 a.m. EDT. Discovery carries the Italian-built U.S. Node 2, called Harmony. During the 14-day STS-120 mission, the crew will install Harmony and move the P6 solar arrays to their permanent position and deploy them. Discovery is expected to complete its mission and return home at 4:47 a.m. EST on Nov. 6. Photo courtesy of Nikon/Scott Andrews.

STS122-S-036 (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 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. 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.

A Falcon 9 rocket launches from SLC-39A at Kennedy Space Center, Fla., April 8, 2022. The AXOIM-1 mission was the first all private astronaut mission to the International Space Station and the first crewed mission of 2022.

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

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

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying the company's Crew Dragon spacecraft is launched on NASAs SpaceX Crew-4 mission to the International Space Station with NASA astronauts Kjell Lindgren, Robert Hines, Jessica Watkins, and ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti onboard, Wednesday, April 27, 2022, at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida. NASAs SpaceX Crew-4 mission is the fourth 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. Lindgren, Hines, Watkins, and Cristoforetti launched at 3:52 a.m. ET from Launch Complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Center to begin a six month mission onboard the orbital outpost.

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.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- A Press Site camera, 3.3 miles from Space Launch Complex 2 on Vandenberg AFB, Calif., captures the climb downrange of the Delta II carrying the Gravity Probe B spacecraft. Liftoff occurred at 9:57:24 a.m. PDT.

JSC2011-E-067611 (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.

STS117-S-008 (8 June 2007) --- The Space Shuttle Atlantis and its seven-member STS-117 crew head toward Earth-orbit and a scheduled link-up with the International Space Station. Liftoff from Kennedy Space Center's launch pad 39A occurred at 7:38 p.m. (EDT) on June 8, 2007. Onboard are astronauts Rick Sturckow, commander; Lee Archambault, pilot; Jim Reilly, Patrick Forrester, John "Danny" Olivas, Steven Swanson and Clayton Anderson, all mission specialists. Anderson will join Expedition 15 in progress to serve as a flight engineer aboard the station. Atlantis will dock with the orbital outpost on Sunday, June 10, to begin a joint mission that will increase the complex's power generation capability. Using the shuttle and station robotic arms and conducting three scheduled spacewalks, the astronauts will install another set of giant solar array wings on the station and retract another array, preparing it for a future move.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - As it arcs into space, space shuttle Discovery is lighted by sunlight after leaving the darker skies over NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida on the STS-119 mission. Liftoff was on time at 7:43 p.m. EDT. The STS-119 mission is the 28th to the International Space Station and the 125th space shuttle flight. Discovery will deliver the final pair of power-generating solar array wings and the S6 truss segment. Installation of S6 will signal the station's readiness to house a six-member crew for conducting increased science.

STS129-S-079 (16 Nov. 2009) --- Space Shuttle Atlantis and its six-member STS-129 crew head toward Earth orbit and rendezvous with the International Space Station. Liftoff was on time at 2:28 p.m. (EST) on Nov. 16, 2009 from launch pad 39A at NASAs Kennedy Space Center, Florida. Onboard are astronauts Charles O. Hobaugh, commander; Barry E. Wilmore, pilot; along with Leland Melvin, Mike Foreman, Robert L. Satcher Jr. and Randy Bresnik, all mission specialists. Atlantis will deliver two Express Logistics Carriers to the station, the largest of the shuttle's cargo carriers, containing 15 spare pieces of equipment including two gyroscopes, two nitrogen tank assemblies, two pump modules, an ammonia tank assembly and a spare latching end effector for the station's robotic arm. Atlantis will return to Earth a station crew member, Nicole Stott, who has spent more than two months aboard the orbiting laboratory. STS-129 is slated to be the final space shuttle Expedition crew rotation flight.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- A large bird appears to chase Space Shuttle Discovery as it roars into space and emblazons the night sky. This was the second launch attempt of Discovery on mission STS-116. Liftoff occurred on time at 8:47 p.m. EST. 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.

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 Russian-built Mini Research Module-1 known as Rassvet, or 'dawn,' is inside the shuttle's cargo bay. 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.

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.

NASA successfully launched a NASA Terrier-Improved Orion suborbital sounding rocket carrying student experiments with the RockOn/RockSat-C programs at 6 a.m., today More than 200 middle school and university students and instructors participating in Rocket Week at Wallops were on hand to witness the launch. Through RockOn and RockSat-C students are learning and applying skills required to develop experiments for suborbital rocket flight. In addition, middle school educators through the Wallops Rocket Academy for Teachers (WRATS) are learning about applying rocketry basics in their curriculum. The payload flew to an altitude of 71.4 miles and descended by parachute into the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Wallops. Payload recovery is in progress. The next launch from NASAs Wallops Flight Facility is a Black Brant IX suborbital sounding rocket currently scheduled between 6 and 10 a.m., July 7.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -- After a perfect on-time launch on mission STS-106 at 8:45:47 a.m. EDT, Space Shuttle Atlantis rolls and displays its external tank and solid rocket boosters. On the 11-day mission to the International Space Station, the seven-member crew will perform support tasks on orbit, transfer supplies and prepare the living quarters in the newly arrived Zvezda Service Module. The first long-duration crew, dubbed Expedition One,” is due to arrive at the Station in late fall. Landing of Atlantis is targeted for 4:45 a.m. EDT on Sept. 19

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Reflected in water surrounding Space Launch Complex 41 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, fire lights up a crystal-clear blue sky as a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket lofts NASA's Juno planetary probe into space. Liftoff was at 12:25 p.m. EDT Aug. 5. The solar-powered spacecraft will orbit Jupiter's poles 33 times to find out more about the gas giant's origins, structure, atmosphere and magnetosphere and investigate the existence of a solid planetary core.

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

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket soars upward after its liftoff from Launch Complex 39A at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Thursday, Nov. 9, 2023, on the companys 29th Commercial Resupply Services mission for the agency to the International Space Station. The Dragon spacecraft will deliver scientific research, technology demonstrations, crew supplies, and hardware to the space station to support its Expedition 70 crew, including NASAs Integrated Laser Communications Relay Demonstration Low Earth Orbit User Modem and Amplifier Terminal (ILLUMA-T) and Atmospheric Waves Experiment (AWE). 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.

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

NASA's SpaceX Crew-5 Live Launch Coverage. SpaceXs Falcon 9 rocket, with the Dragon Endurance spacecraft atop, soars upward after lifting off from NASAs Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39A in Florida on Oct. 5, 2022, on the agencys SpaceX Crew-5 launch. Inside Endurance are NASA astronauts Nicole Mann, commander; Josh Cassada, pilot; and Mission Specialists Koichi Wakata, of JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency), and Roscosmos cosmonaut Anna Kikina. The crew is heading to the International Space Station for a science expedition mission as part of the agencys Commercial Crew Program. Liftoff occurred at noon EDT.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Fire and smoke light up the sky as a United Launch Alliance Delta II Heavy rocket propels NASAs Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) mission into space. Liftoff from Space Launch Complex 17B on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida was 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 aster

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

Erfolgreicher Start einer Weltraumrakete in den Weltraum. Raumschiff hebt ab in den Sternenhimmel. Reisen und Erforschung anderer Planeten, Konzept. *** Successful Start a Space rocket in the Space Spaceship lifts from in the Starry sky Travel and Research other Planets, Concept 1102805048

Space Shuttle Atlantis lifts off from Kennedy Space Center, Florida.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Fire lights up a blue sky on Space Launch Complex 17B on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida as a United Launch Alliance Delta II Heavy rocket lofts the Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) mission into space. Liftoff was 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 i

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying the company's Crew Dragon spacecraft is launched on Axiom Mission 1 (Ax-1) to the International Space Station with Commander Michael López-Alegría of Spain and the United States, Pilot Larry Connor of the United States, and Mission Specialists Eytan Stibbe of Israel, and Mark Pathy of Canada aboard, Friday, April 8, 2022, at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The Ax-1 mission is the first private astronaut mission to the International Space Station. López-Alegría, Connor, Pathy, Stibbe launched at 11:17 a.m. from Launch Complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Center to begin their 10-day mission.

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

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Viewed from the Operations Support Building II at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, space shuttle Discovery emerges from a cloud atop a column of smoke as it races toward space 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 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.

Filled with anticipation, students from two local universities, the University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH), and Alabama Agricultural Mechanical University (AM), counted down to launch the rockets they designed and built at the Army test site on Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama. The projected two-mile high launch culminated more than a year's work and demonstrated the student team's ability to meet the challenge set by the Marshall Space Flight Center's (MSFC) Student Launch Initiative (SLI) program to apply science and math to experience, judgment, and common sense, and proved to NASA officials that they have successfully built reusable launch vehicles (RLVs), another challenge set by NASA's SLI program. MSFC's SLI program is an educational effort that aims to motivate students to pursue careers in science, math, and engineering. It provides the students with hands-on, practical aerospace experience. In this picture, the combined efforts of students from UAH and AM sent this

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 until n

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - As if erupting from the earth and smoke, Space Shuttle Discovery vaults into the clear blue sky, trailing a fiery plume, on mission STS-121. The launch was the first ever made on Independence Day. Liftoff 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.

A fully functional Launch Abort System (LAS) with a test version of Orion attached, soars upward on NASAs Ascent Abort-2 (AA-2) flight test atop a Northrop Grumman provided booster on July 2, 2019, after launching 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.

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.

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

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - NASA's Swift spacecraft blasts off from Complex 17A into the beautiful blue sky above Cape Canaveral Air Force Station on Nov. 20 at 12 16 00.611 p.m. EST aboard a Boeing Delta II expendable launch vehicle. Swift is a first-of-its-kind multi-wavelength observatory dedicated to the study of gamma-ray burst science. Its three instruments will work together to observe GRBs and afterglows in the gamma ray, X-ray, ultraviolet and optical wavebands.

NASAs SpaceX Crew-5 Launch. A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying the company's Crew Dragon spacecraft is launched on NASAs SpaceX Crew-5 mission to the International Space Station with NASA astronauts Nicole Mann and Josh Cassada, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut Koichi Wakata, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Anna Kikina onboard, Wednesday, Oct. 5, 2022, at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida. NASAs SpaceX Crew-5 mission is the fifth 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. Mann, Cassada, Wakata, and Kikini launched at 12:00 p.m. EDT from Launch Complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Center to begin a six month mission onboard the orbital outpost.

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

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

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.

A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket carrying a National Reconnaissance Office payload launches, Dec. 12, 2014, at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif.

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

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

Following liftoff from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, the first stage of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket returns to Landing Zone 1 at the Cape. At 1:16 p.m. EST, Dec. 5, 2018, a two-stage Falcon 9 launch vehicle began SpaceX's 16th Commercial Resupply Services mission carrying more than 5,600 pounds of research investigations and equipment, cargo and supplies that will support some of the hundreds of investigations aboard the International Space Station.

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifts off from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, carrying NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS). Liftoff was at 6:51 p.m. EDT. TESS will search for planets outside of our solar system. The mission will find exoplanets that periodically block part of the light from their host stars, events called transits. The satellite will survey the nearest and brightest stars for two years to search for transiting exoplanets.

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

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Try as it may, the weather could not delay the launch of the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex 40 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, sending the Dragon resupply spacecraft on its way to the International Space Station. Liftoff was during an instantaneous window at 3:25 p.m. EDT.Dragon is making its fourth trip to the space station. The SpaceX-3 mission, carrying almost 2.5 tons of supplies, technology and science experiments, is the third of 12 flights through a $1.6 billion NASA Commercial Resupply Services contract. Dragon's cargo will support more than 150 experiments that will be conducted during the station's Expeditions 39 and 40.

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.

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.

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.

A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket with Boeings CST-100 Starliner spacecraft aboard launches from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Thursday, May 19, 2022, from NASAs Kennedy Space Center 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.

A US Air Force Quick Reaction Launch Vehicle launches its third sounding rocket in three years from Kodiak, Alaska in support of Exercise NORTHERN EDGE. The launch is part of the Ballistic Missile Range Safety Technology program flight safety demonstration. Subject Operation/Series: NORTHERN EDGE Base: Kodiak State: Alaska (AK) Country: United States Of America (USA)

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - With nearly 7 million pounds of thrust generated by twin solid rocket boosters and three main engines, space shuttle Atlantis roars into 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

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- NASAs Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN, or MAVEN, spacecraft begins its 10-month journey to Mars, launching atop a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket at 1:28 p.m. EST from Space Launch Complex 41 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.Launch was on schedule Nov. 18 at the opening of a two-hour launch window. After a 10-month journey to the Red Planet, MAVEN will study its upper atmosphere in unprecedented detail from orbit above the planet. Built by Lockheed Martin in Littleton, Colo., MAVEN will arrive at Mars in September 2014 and will be inserted into an elliptical orbit with a high point of 3,900 miles, swooping down to as close as 93 miles above the planet's surface.

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

THE 2016 ROOKIE OF THE YEAR TEAM FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI IN OHIO, LAUNCHES ITS ROCKET DURING THE STUDENT LAUNCH CHALLENGE

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