August 26, 2026
Spaceflight Now
  • Home
  • News Archive
  • Launch Schedule
  • Mission Reports
    • Antares Launcher
    • 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
Breaking News
  • [ August 25, 2026 ] Live coverage: SpaceX to launch 27 Starlink satellites on Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Falcon 9
  • [ August 24, 2026 ] SpaceX launches Starlink mission on a Falcon booster’s record-breaking 37th flight Falcon 9
  • [ August 21, 2026 ] SpaceX launches 100th orbital mission of 2026 Falcon 9
  • [ August 20, 2026 ] SpaceX launches 29 Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral following last-minute scrub Falcon 9
  • [ August 19, 2026 ] LandSpace becomes first commercial Chinese company to land an orbital-class booster Mission Reports

mst rollback

Atlas 5

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.

Atlas 5

Photos: Pad gantry rolled back to reveal Atlas 5 for launch

March 1, 2017 Justin Ray

The mobile service tower retracts from the Atlas 5 rocket, revealing the 191-foot-tall vehicle for liftoff from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, carrying the classified NROL-79 national security payload for the U.S. government.

Atlas 5

Photos: Rollback of pad gantry to reveal Atlas 5 for launch

November 11, 2016 Justin Ray

Early Friday morning, the 8-million-pound mobile service tower was retracted from around the Atlas 5 rocket, revealing the 189-foot-tall vehicle for liftoff from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, carrying the commercial WorldView 4 Earth-imaging satellite.

Atlas 5

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

September 16, 2016 Justin Ray

The 8-million-pound mobile service tower is retracted from around the Atlas 5 rocket, revealing the 189-foot-tall vehicle for liftoff from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, carrying the commercial WorldView 4 Earth-imaging satellite.

Atlas 5

Photos: Gantry retracted from Atlas 5 rocket

October 8, 2015 Justin Ray

The 8-million-pound mobile service tower is retracted from around the Atlas 5 rocket, revealing the 19-story-tall vehicle for liftoff from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, on NROL-55.

Delta 2

Photos: Gantry rollback from Delta 2

January 29, 2015 Justin Ray

The mobile service tower is retracted from the United Launch Alliance Delta 2 rocket at Vandenberg Air Force Base in preparation for the first launch attempt of NASA’s SMAP spacecraft.

Atlas 5

Photos: Gantry retracted from Atlas 5

December 13, 2014 Justin Ray

The 8-million-pound mobile service tower is retracted from around the Atlas 5 rocket, revealing the 20-story-tall vehicle for liftoff from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California.

News Headlines

  • Live coverage: SpaceX to launch 27 Starlink satellites on Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg
    August 25, 2026
  • SpaceX launches Starlink mission on a Falcon booster’s record-breaking 37th flight
    August 24, 2026
  • SpaceX launches 100th orbital mission of 2026
    August 21, 2026
  • SpaceX launches 29 Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral following last-minute scrub
    August 20, 2026
  • LandSpace becomes first commercial Chinese company to land an orbital-class booster
    August 19, 2026
  • 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
  • Home
  • News Archive
  • Launch Schedule
  • Mission Reports
    • Antares Launcher
    • 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

© 1999-2026 Spaceflight Now Inc