These time-lapse images taken from the press viewing area northeast of the Delta 2 rocket's launch pad at Vandenberg Air Force Base show the vehicle soaring into the star-filled middle-of-the-night sky (top image), the rocket performing a "dog-leg maneuver" after dropping its spent solid propellant motors to reach the proper trajectory (middle image) and completing the first stage burn four-and-a-half-minutes into the flight (bottom image).

Photo credit: Chris Miller/Spaceflight Now

Photo credit: Chris Miller/Spaceflight Now   Photo credit: Chris Miller/Spaceflight Now   Photo credit: Chris Miller/Spaceflight Now

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