Atlas 5 NROL-55 launch full broadcast

A Delta 2 rocket lifted off from California’s Central Coast Saturday after back-to-back scrubbed launch attempts earlier this week. The Delta 2 delivered the JPSS 1 weather satellite to orbit for NOAA.

Take a look back at the Dec. 22 liftoff of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, a launch that was visible across Southern California and as far away as Arizona as the booster climbed into sunlight at dusk to deliver 10 commercial communications satellites to orbit.

The static fire test was conducted by Northrop Grumman, the manufacturer of the GEM 63XL solid rocket booster that can be used to help power United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan rockets. An in-flight anomaly was observed on one of those back in mid-February.