Photos: Atlas 5 rocket soars from West Coast

The NROL-57 mission was the eighth launch supporting the National Reconnaissance Office’s proliferated architecture satellite constellation. Liftoff happened at 11:49 p.m. PDT (2:49 a.m. EDT, 0649 UTC).

Members of the news media — reporters and photographers — witnessed the United Launch Alliance Delta 4-Heavy rocket lifted off from the ITL Causeway on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, about 1.7 miles from the pad.

A 78-foot-tall Minotaur 4 rocket is poised for liftoff Wednesday from Virginia’s Eastern Shore carrying four top secret payloads into orbit for the National Reconnaissance Office.