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Breaking News
  • [ December 5, 2025 ] International Space Station prepares for new commander, heads into final five years of planned operations Mission Reports
  • [ December 4, 2025 ] SpaceX launches 28 Starlink satellites on Falcon 9 rocket from Vandengerg SFB Falcon 9
  • [ December 4, 2025 ] Orion hatch ‘blemish’ delays launch day rehearsal for Artemis 2 astronauts Mission Reports
  • [ December 3, 2025 ] Jared Isaacman makes second appeal for NASA administrator position News
  • [ December 2, 2025 ] Sunset SpaceX launch adds 29 more Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit Falcon 9

Photos: Gantry rolled back to reveal Atlas 5 rocket for launch

September 24, 2017 Justin Ray

The mobile service tower retracts from the Atlas 5 rocket, revealing the 197-foot-tall vehicle for liftoff from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, carrying the classified NROL-42 national security payload for the U.S. government.

Credit: United Launch Alliance

See earlier NROL-42 coverage.

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

Related Articles

Atlas 5

Live coverage: Atlas 5 rocket launches with navigation satellite

October 28, 2014 Spaceflight Now

A United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket lifted off from Cape Canaveral at 1:21 p.m. EDT (1721 GMT) with a satellite to replenish the U.S. Air Force’s Global Positioning System navigation network.

Atlas 5

Photos: Atlas launch seen from pad cameras

December 14, 2014 Justin Ray

Views of the Dec. 12 launch of a United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket from up-close remote cameras placed near the booster’s launch pad at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.

Atlas 5

Launch replays from Tuesday’s Atlas 5 flight with Cygnus

March 23, 2016 Justin Ray

Relive Tuesday night’s spectactular liftoff of the United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket carrying the Cygnus cargo ship with this series of replays.

News Headlines

  • International Space Station prepares for new commander, heads into final five years of planned operations
    December 5, 2025
  • SpaceX launches 28 Starlink satellites on Falcon 9 rocket from Vandengerg SFB
    December 4, 2025
  • Orion hatch ‘blemish’ delays launch day rehearsal for Artemis 2 astronauts
    December 4, 2025
  • Jared Isaacman makes second appeal for NASA administrator position
    December 3, 2025
  • Sunset SpaceX launch adds 29 more Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit
    December 2, 2025
  • Arianespace launches South Korean Earth observation satellite on Vega-C flight
    December 2, 2025
  • SpaceX launches evening Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg SFB
    December 1, 2025
  • SpaceX kicks off December with predawn Falcon 9 rocket launch
    November 30, 2025
  • SpaceX launches 140 spacecraft on Transporter-15 rideshare mission
    November 28, 2025
  • NASA astronaut, two cosmonauts take Thanksgiving Day ride to space station
    November 27, 2025
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