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Breaking News
  • [ August 18, 2026 ] Astronauts remove failed antenna; run out of time to install a spare News
  • [ August 18, 2026 ] SpaceX exceeds 11,000 satellites in low Earth orbit Falcon 9
  • [ August 15, 2026 ] SpaceX launches record-breaking back-to-back Falcon 9 rockets for Globalstar, U.S. Space Force Falcon 9
  • [ August 14, 2026 ] NASA Administrator ‘extremely confident’ in Artemis 3 mission in 2027 Artemis
  • [ August 12, 2026 ] Mike Fincke, a 30-year astronaut with experience across four spacecraft, retires from NASA 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

Mission Reports

Progress resupply craft lifts off from Kazakhstan, heads for space station

November 16, 2018 Stephen Clark

A Russian Progress freighter loaded with nearly three tons of supplies, water and fuel lifted off on top of a Soyuz rocket Friday from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on a two-day trek to the International Space Station, clearing the way for the next Soyuz launch Dec. 3 with the next station-bound crew.

Atlas 5

NASA books nuclear-certified Atlas 5 rocket for Mars 2020 rover launch

July 25, 2016 Justin Ray

America’s next Mars rover, a $2.1 billion nuclear-powered vehicle to search for evidence that life once existed there, will be launched to the Red Planet in the summer of 2020 by a powerful Atlas 5 rocket.

Atlas 5

Photos: Predawn launch of Atlas 5

October 2, 2015 Justin Ray

A collection of liftoff photos from the United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket flight to deploy the Morelos 3 communications satellite for Mexico.

News Headlines

  • Astronauts remove failed antenna; run out of time to install a spare
    August 18, 2026
  • SpaceX exceeds 11,000 satellites in low Earth orbit
    August 18, 2026
  • SpaceX launches record-breaking back-to-back Falcon 9 rockets for Globalstar, U.S. Space Force
    August 15, 2026
  • NASA Administrator ‘extremely confident’ in Artemis 3 mission in 2027
    August 14, 2026
  • 006A0544.NEF
    Mike Fincke, a 30-year astronaut with experience across four spacecraft, retires from NASA
    August 12, 2026
  • Firefly Aerospace pushes debut of Alpha Block 2 rocket to the fourth quarter of 2026
    August 11, 2026
  • SpaceX launches 24 Starlink satellites on Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg SFB
    August 11, 2026
  • Window for 2026 launch debut of Rocket Lab’s Neutron rocket ‘is narrowing’ as development continues
    August 10, 2026
  • SpaceX launches Tuesday noontime Starlink mission following Monday scrub
    August 10, 2026
  • SpaceX West Coast launch surge continues with Starlink mission
    August 8, 2026
  • Home
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    • Ariane 5
    • Atlas 5
    • Delta 4
    • Falcon 9
    • Falcon Heavy
    • H-2A
    • Soyuz
    • Space Station
  • Members
    • Sign in
    • Become a member
    • Members Content
  • Live
  • Shop
  • Donate

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