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Breaking News
  • [ October 4, 2026 ] SpaceX scrubs launch attempt for 21 data transport satellites for the Space Development Agency Falcon 9
  • [ October 1, 2026 ] Falcon Heavy flies its first mission for U.S. spy satellite agency Falcon Heavy
  • [ October 1, 2026 ] Fresh crew takes off for six-month stay aboard space station Falcon 9
  • [ October 1, 2026 ] Launch preview: NASA, SpaceX launch next crewed mission to the International Space Station Falcon 9
  • [ September 29, 2026 ] NASA plans unpiloted Starliner test flight at end of year News

Photos: More shots of Thursday’s Atlas 5 rocket launch

July 28, 2016 Justin Ray

Departing Cape Canaveral at 8:37 a.m. EDT Thursday, the United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket lifted a classified national security satellite into orbit for deployment.

Photos by Alex Polimeni/Spaceflight Now

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See earlier NROL-61 coverage.

Our Atlas archive.

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Related Articles

Atlas 5

Video: Atlas 5 rocket blasts off with AEHF 4 satellite

October 17, 2018 Stephen Clark

The U.S. Air Force’s fourth Advanced Extremely High Frequency spacecraft launched Wednesday from Cape Canaveral on top of a United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket, expanding the reach of the military’s most secure, jam-resistant satellite communications network.

News

Photos: Pad cameras capture Atlas 5 launch

May 21, 2015 Justin Ray

The United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket with the Air Force’s X-37B spaceplane lifts off at 11:05 a.m. EDT from Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.

Atlas 5

After foggy departure, it’s clear sailing to Mars for InSight lander

May 5, 2018 Stephen Clark

Making a fiery climb into a foggy sky Saturday over California’s Central Coast, a United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket dispatched NASA’s InSight lander on a 301-million-mile voyage to Mars with a package of European-built instruments to probe the inside of the Red Planet.

News Headlines

  • SpaceX scrubs launch attempt for 21 data transport satellites for the Space Development Agency
    October 4, 2026
  • Falcon Heavy flies its first mission for U.S. spy satellite agency
    October 1, 2026
  • Fresh crew takes off for six-month stay aboard space station
    October 1, 2026
  • Launch preview: NASA, SpaceX launch next crewed mission to the International Space Station
    October 1, 2026
  • NASA plans unpiloted Starliner test flight at end of year
    September 29, 2026
  • Starship returns to Earth; rocket splashes down north of Hawaii after three-hour flight
    September 28, 2026
  • Launch preview: SpaceX to launch first Starlink V3 satellites to orbit on Starship
    September 28, 2026
  • Next crew bound for the space station arrive in Florida
    September 26, 2026
  • SpaceX Falcon 9 launches classified mission for U.S. Space Force from West Coast
    September 25, 2026
  • NASA announces new space telescope ‘PRIMA’ to launch in 2033
    September 24, 2026
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