Photos: Thursday’s Atlas 5 rollout to launch pad

Another satellite to join the China’s independent global navigation network successfully launched Saturday from the mountainous Xichang spaceport in the southwest of the country.

Rollout of the Atlas 5 rocket from the Vertical Integration Facility to the launch pad at Complex 41 occurred at 10 a.m. on Monday. Liftoff is planned for Tuesday night to deliver the Cygnus resupply ship into orbit en route to the International Space Station.

A new solid rocket motor built by Northrop Grumman has aced its final test-firing before a scheduled debut on a United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket flight next year.