Snapshots from Atlas 5 launch

United Launch Alliance is preparing an Atlas 5 rocket to boost an undercover satellite into orbit for national security later this month.

The Crew Dragon mission was delayed a day due to cumulus clouds, but had enough clearance to allow for a launch on August 1. The Falcon 9 rocket lifted off from Launch Complex 39A at 11:43 a.m. EDT (1543 UTC).

Japanese astronaut Soichi Noguchi has traveled to the International Space Station on a space shuttle and a Russian capsule. He’s now gearing up to launch on a SpaceX Crew Dragon spaceship, becoming only the third person to launch from Earth into orbit on three different types of spacecraft.