A 20-story Atlas 5 rocket ignited its Russian main engine and soared into a clear sky at 5:46 p.m. EST (2246 GMT) Saturday. The rocket sent the U.S. Air Force's second X-37B space plane into orbit for a top secret mission testing military technologies.

These photos were taken at the Kennedy Space Center press site about 3.8 miles from the Atlas launch pad.

Photo credit: Stephen Clark/Spaceflight Now   Photo credit: Steven Young/Spaceflight Now   Photo credit: Stephen Clark/Spaceflight Now   Photo credit: Stephen Clark/Spaceflight Now   Photo credit: Stephen Clark/Spaceflight Now   Photo credit: Stephen Clark/Spaceflight Now   Photo credit: Stephen Clark/Spaceflight Now   Photo credit: Steven Young/Spaceflight Now   Photo credit: Stephen Clark/Spaceflight Now   Photo credit: Stephen Clark/Spaceflight Now   Photo credit: Stephen Clark/Spaceflight Now   Photo credit: Stephen Clark/Spaceflight Now   Photo credit: Steven Young/Spaceflight Now   Photo credit: Steven Young/Spaceflight Now