Photos: Atlas 5 fulfills MUOS launch series with fifth successful launch

Bruno’s resignation from United Launch Alliance was announced just four days ago on Dec. 22. He led that company for nearly 12 years.

An Atlas 5 rocket and a Starliner crew capsule stand at pad 41 in these images taken at sunset Dec. 18.

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket is scheduled to take off Thursday from Florida’s Space Coast with a secret cargo for the National Reconnaissance Office, which broke with standard practice to procure the launch commercially, outside of the government’s established contracting schemes.