Photos: Atlas 5 rocket soars from West Coast

Playalinda Beach is an ideal public viewing spot for Friday morning’s Atlas 5 rocket launch of the Navy’s MUOS 5 communications satellite. The location puts you less than five miles from the launch pad to feel the 2.5 million pounds of liftoff thrust!

A Russian resupply and refueling freighter loaded with 2.7 tons of cargo, propellant, water and oxygen for the International Space Station is in position on a launch pad at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan for liftoff Friday aboard a Soyuz booster.

This photo gallery shows the commercial Cygnus cargo resupplier for the International Space Station on Monday at Kennedy Space Center being encapsulated in the United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket’s payload fairing for the planned Dec. 3 liftoff.