Snapshots from Atlas 5 launch

NASA’s four Magnetospheric Multiscale mission spacecraft were encapsulated Feb. 23 in the United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket’s nose cone at the commercial Astrotech processing campus in Titusville. Delivery of the payload to the Atlas 5 assembly building for mating occurred on Friday, Feb. 27.

A Cargo Dragon spacecraft launched to begin its fifth journey to the International Space Station, carrying with it more than 6,000 pounds of science and supplies. Liftoff happened at 9:29 p.m. EST Monday (0229 UTC Tuesday).

Running through a practice countdown to check systems before launching a NASA sample-return probe to Asteroid Bennu in exactly two weeks, an Atlas 5 successfully completed its Wet Dress Rehearsal today.