Space — 2017 Photo Contest

Atlas V Poised For Blastoff

Ben Cooper, Orlando, Florida

A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket is poised on the launch platform at Complex 41 the night before sending NROL-52 into orbit for the National Reconnaissance Office.

Antares Rocket Rollout

Bill Ingalls, Arlington, Virginia

The Orbital ATK Antares rocket is rolled from the Horizontal Integration Facility (HIF) to launch Pad-0A on Oct. 13, 2016, at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia.

Preparing for First Start

Dylan Schwartz, Los Angeles

Stratolaunch's six Pratt & Whitney engines prepare for first start. Stratolaunch, founded in 2011 by Microsoft co-founder Paul G. Allen, is developing an air-launch platform to make access to space more convenient, reliable and routine.

Orion's Ogive From Above

Jordan Salkin, Cleveland Heights, Ohio

NASA Glenn Research Center, Space Power Facility. Engineers have been testing a part of the Orion spacecraft at the Reverberant Acoustic Test Facility. The testing involves different acoustic and vibration environments experienced during a launch. 

Atlas V Poised For Launch

Ben Cooper, Orlando, Florida

Surrounded by gaseous nitrogen pressure tanks, a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket is poised for blastoff with SBIRS-3 for the U.S. Air Force.

Expedition 50 Supermoon

Bill Ingalls, Arlington, Virginia

The Moon, or Supermoon, is seen rising behind the Soyuz rocket at the Baikonur Cosmodrome launch pad in Kazakhstan on Nov. 14, 2016. NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson, Russian cosmonaut Oleg Novitskiy of Roscosmos, and ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet launched from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan the morning of Nov. 18 Kazakh time.

Mojave Dawn On Stratolaunch Aircraft

Dylan Schwartz, Los Angeles

Sunrise at the Mojave Air & Space Port. Stratolaunch, founded in 2011 by Paul G. Allen, is developing an air-launch platform to make access to space more convenient, reliable and routine.

WGS8 Delta IV Launch

Michael Seeley, Melbourne, Florida

The streak to the right of Space Shuttle Atlantis' retirement home is a 143-sec. exposure of the WGS8 Delta IV rocket launched by United Launch Alliance at 6:53 p.m. on Dec. 7, 2016. 

Antares Rocket Prelaunch

Bill Ingalls, Arlington, Virginia

The Orbital ATK Antares rocket, with the Cygnus spacecraft onboard, is seen on launch Pad-0A during sunrise on Oct. 16, 2016, at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia.

Orion Egress Training

Josh Valcarcel, Houston

NASA astronaut Stan Love practices contingency egress from the Orion side hatch while Orion's post-landing survival equipment subsystem manager Cody Kelly observes hardware performance in a moderate sea state.

Start Your Engines

Dylan Schwartz, Los Angeles

Stratolaunch engines are started for the first time. Stratolaunch, founded in 2011 by Paul G. Allen, is developing an air-launch platform to make access to space more convenient, reliable and routine.

Expedition 52 Soyuz MS-04 Landing

Bill Ingalls, Arlington, Virginia

The Soyuz MS-04 spacecraft is seen as it lands with Expedition 52 Commander Fyodor Yurchikhin of Roscosmos and Flight Engineers Peggy Whitson and Jack Fischer of NASA near the town of Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan on Sept. 3, 2017 Kazakh time. 

Falcon Rising

Mary Ellen Jelen, Merritt Island, Florida

The transporter-erector lifts the SpaceX Falcon 9 into place on July 2, 2017. At the top of the Falcon 9 is Intelsat-35e. Taken at KSC Pad 39A during remote camera setup.

Early Morning Arrival Of SES10 Falcon9 First Stage

Michael Seeley, Melbourne, Florida

Pictures of the SpaceX SES10 Falcon9 "flight proven" first stage on its second launch and landing. This shot was taken from Jetty Park Pier and Port Canaveral as the "Of Course I Still Love You" drone ship carries the first stage home. 

Preparing To Start Engines

Dylan Schwartz, Los Angeles

Technicians prepare Stratolaunch 6 engines for first start. Stratolaunch, founded in 2011 by Paul G. Allen, is developing an air-launch platform to make access to space more convenient, reliable and routine.

SOFIA - Triton Occultation

Robb Gessert, St Charles, Missouri

Daytona Beach, Florida

Expedition 52 Soyuz MS-04 Landing

Bill Ingalls, Arlington, Virginia

Expedition 52 Flight Engineer Peggy Whitson, left, Commander Fyodor Yurchikhin of Roscosmos, center, and  Fight Engineer Jack Fischer of NASA, are seen inside the Soyuz MS-04 spacecraft shortly after it landed near the town of Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan, on Sept. 3, 2017 Kazakh time.

Launch, Land, Repeat - SpaceX Achieves First Orbital Rocket Reuse

Mike Killian, Saint Cloud, Florida

The first reused orbital rocket in history makes a triumphant return to Port Canaveral after launching the SES-10 satellite from Kennedy Space Center Pad 39A and landing minutes later on an offshore autonomous drone ship.

Sunrise On World's Largest Aircraft

Dylan Schwartz, Los Angeles

Sunrises on Stratolaunch aircraft at the Mojave Air & Space Port. Stratolaunch, founded in 2011 by Paul G. Allen, is developing an air-launch platform to make access to space more convenient, reliable and routine.

ISS Lunar Transit of Full Moon

Michael Seeley, Melbourne, Florida

With a hurricane bearing down on Florida, the Space Coast was still able to see the International Space Station and astronauts Paolo Nespoli, Sergey Ryazanskiy and Commander Randy Bresnik meet the Full Corn Moon of Sept. 6, 2017, seen here from Titusville, Florida, just across the river from NASA's Kennedy Space Center. The transit occurred at 3:39 a.m., and it lasted for 1.06 sec. 

Preparing For Engine Start

Dylan Schwartz, Los Angeles

Technicians prepare the Stratolaunch aircraft's six engines for first start. Stratolaunch, founded in 2011 by Paul G. Allen, is developing an air-launch platform to make access to space more convenient, reliable, and routine.

Ariane 5 VA233 Goes To Launch Pad

Stephane Corvaja, Paris

Ariane 5 VA233 with Galileo satellite transfer from assembly building to launch pad on back of Devil's Island.

SOFIA - Triton Occultation

Robb Gessert, St. Charles, Missouri

Daytona Beach, Florida

Instructions Were Followed

Sam Sun, San Diego

Falcon 9 core No. 1041 on its landing platform "Just Read The Instructions" as it was towed back to Los Angeles on Oct. 11, 2017.

Ariane 5 VA233 At Launch Pad

Stephane Corvaja, Paris

Ariane 5 VA233 with Galileo satellite on launch pad the day before liftoff.

Space has become one of the most dynamic sectors of the aerospace and defense industry in recent years as upstarts challenge paradigms and traditional launch providers. Enjoy the beauty and power of the launch vehicles, spacecraft and their crews.

See Also

Winners of Aviation Week's 2017 Photo Contest

2017 Photo Contest Editor's Picks

Meet the Winning Photographers

Aviation Week's 2017 Photo Contest Judges

Commercial Aviation — 2017 Photo Contest Entries

Commercial: Widebody Aircraft — 2017 Photo Contest Submissions

Space: Launch Phase — 2017 Photo Contest

Defense: Rotary-Wing Aircraft — 2017 Photo Contest

Defense: Military Aerial Display Teams — 2017 Photo Contest

Defense: Combat-Ready Aircraft — 2017 Photo Contest

General Aviation: Vintage Fighter Aircraft — 2017 Photo Contest

General Aviation: Vintage Aircraft — 2017 Photo Contest

General Aviation: Aerobatics — 2017 Photo Contest Submissions

Descriptions of photos are provided by the photographers. Although we make corrections when possible, we are unable to verify every detail provided with the photos or to research photo subjects.