October 11, 2025
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Breaking News
  • [ October 9, 2025 ] U.S. Space Force picks Blue Origin bid for expanding satellite processing at Cape Canaveral News
  • [ October 9, 2025 ] SpaceX delays launching Amazon’s Project Kuiper satellites amid backdrop of poor weather Falcon 9
  • [ October 7, 2025 ] SpaceX launches 28 Starlink satellites with a Falcon 9 booster flying for a 29th time Falcon 9
  • [ October 6, 2025 ] SpaceX launches Falcon 9 rocket on 90th Starlink mission of 2025 Falcon 9
  • [ October 4, 2025 ] SpaceX to launch 4 Falcon Heavy rockets as part of newest U.S. national security missions award News

Photos: Atlas 5 powers NRO payload into the night

September 24, 2017 Justin Ray

The Atlas 5 rocket blasts off from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California for its late-night ascent to deploy the NROL-42 payload for the National Reconnaissance Office.

Credit: Alex Polimeni/Spaceflight Now

See earlier NROL-42 coverage.

  • Atlas 5
  • AV-072
  • Launch
  • National Reconnaissance Office
  • NROL-42
  • United Launch Alliance
  • Vandenberg Air Force Base

Related Articles

Falcon

First core of SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy rocket fired in Texas

May 10, 2017 Stephen Clark

The center section of SpaceX’s first Falcon Heavy rocket has been test-fired at the launch company’s test facility in Central Texas, a sign of progress toward the behemoth booster’s long-delayed maiden mission scheduled some time in the final months of 2017.

Falcon 9

SpaceX sets new mark in rocket reuse 10 years after first Falcon 9 launch

June 4, 2020 Stephen Clark

On the eve of the 10th anniversary of the Falcon 9 rocket’s debut flight, SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 from Cape Canaveral with a reused first stage Wednesday, then landed the previously-flown booster for a record fifth time after sending 60 more Starlink Internet satellites into space.

Antares Launcher

Launch of Northrop Grumman’s Antares rocket scrubbed in Virginia

October 2, 2020 Stephen Clark

Northrop Grumman called off the launch of an Antares rocket and a Cygnus space station cargo freighter Thursday night on Virginia’s Eastern Shore, the third aborted countdown in less than 24 hours for three different U.S. rockets.

News Headlines

  • U.S. Space Force picks Blue Origin bid for expanding satellite processing at Cape Canaveral
    October 9, 2025
  • SpaceX delays launching Amazon’s Project Kuiper satellites amid backdrop of poor weather
    October 9, 2025
  • SpaceX launches 28 Starlink satellites with a Falcon 9 booster flying for a 29th time
    October 7, 2025
  • SpaceX launches Falcon 9 rocket on 90th Starlink mission of 2025
    October 6, 2025
  • SpaceX to launch 4 Falcon Heavy rockets as part of newest U.S. national security missions award
    October 4, 2025
  • SpaceX launches 3rd consecutive Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg SFB, uninterrupted by a Cape mission
    October 2, 2025
  • ViaSat-3 F2 satellite arrives in Florida ahead of late October launch
    October 1, 2025
  • Report argues NASA is illegally using President’s Budget Request to circumvent Congress’ budgeting process
    October 1, 2025
  • Axiom Space taps Portuguese physiologist as first ‘Project Astronaut’
    September 30, 2025
  • Ground testing anomaly destroys Firefly Aerospace’s Alpha booster intended for next flight
    September 30, 2025
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  • Members
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