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Space: Launch Phase — 2017 Photo Contest

December 15, 2017

Faster Launch Cadence

Bill Jelen, Merritt Island, Florida

The SpaceX Transporter-Erector (T-E) moves out of the way of the Falcon 9 rocket in the first few seconds after liftoff. This minimizes damage to the T-E and allowed SpaceX to achieve a faster launch cadence in 2017. Shot at Kennedy Space Center Pad 39A on Aug. 14, 2017.

Falcon 9 Soars Under Full Moon

Mike Killian, St. Cloud, Florida

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launching the Echostar 23 satellite from Kennedy Space Center Pad 39A on March 16 marks the first night launch off the old Apollo/Shuttle pad in seven years.

3 min. to Space

Jared Haworth, Raleigh, North Carolina

This long-exposure photo depicts the first 3 min. of the SpaceX Falcon 9's flight from liftoff to the boundary of space. This is the second journey to space for the rocket, which previously lifted a resupply mission to the International Space Station in February 2017.

Expedition 53 Soyuz Launch

NASA/Bill Ingalls, Arlington, Virginia

The Soyuz MS-06 spacecraft launches from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan with Expedition 53 crewmembers Joe Acaba of NASA, Alexander Misurkin of Roscosmos and Mark Vande Hei of NASA, on Sept. 13, 2017. Acaba, Misurkin, and Vande Hei will spend approximately 5.5 months on the International Space Station.

Minotaur IV ORS-5 Launch by Orbital ATK

Michael Seeley, Melbourne, Florida

At 2:04am (ET) on Aug. 26, 2017, Orbital ATK successfully launched the ORS-5 satellite from Launch Complex 46 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. The satellite was launched atop a Minotaur IV missile/rocket. Many Space Coast residents stayed up late (or got up early) to watch the event. This was the first time since 1999 that SLC-46 has been used.

Out of a Sea of Fog

Sam Sun, San Diego

A Falcon 9 rises through the fog at Vandenberg AFB, California, as seen from an altitude of about 12,500 ft. This was the second in a series of launches carrying the Iridium NEXT satellites.

Delta IV launches WGS-8

Ben Cooper, Orlando, Florida

Through the giant arms of the Mobile Service Tower (MST), one of the world's largest movable structures, a United Launch Alliance Delta IV rocket roars off Complex 37B at Cape Canaveral with the WGS-8 satellite for the U.S. Air Force.

Atlas V launches Echostar 19

Ben Cooper, Orlando, Florida

Silhouetted against the winter afternoon Sun, a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket lifts off from Cape Canaveral's Complex 41 carrying Echostar 19 into orbit.

Atlas V launches NROL-52

Ben Cooper, Orlando, Florida

A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket blasts off Pad 41 at Cape Canaveral carrying NROL-52 for the National Reconnaissance Office.

Expedition 50 Soyuz Launch

NASA/Bill Ingalls, Arlington, Virginia

In this 1 sec.-exposure photograph, the Soyuz MS-03 spacecraft is seen launching from  Baikonur Cosmodrome with Expedition 50 crewmembers NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson, Russian cosmonaut Oleg Novitskiy of Roscosmos and ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet on Nov. 18, 2016.

Expedition 50 Soyuz Launch (streak)

NASA/Bill Ingalls, Arlington, Virginia

In this long-exposure photograph, the Soyuz MS-03 spacecraft is seen launching from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan with Expedition 50 crewmembers NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson, Russian cosmonaut Oleg Novitskiy of Roscosmos and ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet on Nov. 18, 2016.

Antares Rocket Launch

NASA/Bill Ingalls, Arlington, Virginia

The Orbital ATK Antares rocket, with the Cygnus spacecraft onboard, launches from Pad-0A, on Oct. 17, 2016, at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia.

SES-10 Engines Closeup

Bill Jelen, Merritt Island, Florida

A close-up of the Falcon 9 engines as SpaceX lifts SES-10 at KSC Pad 39A on March 30, 2017.

Fire and Fury

Jared Haworth, Raleigh, North Carolina

United Launch Alliance's Delta IV Medium+ (5,4) rocket lifts the Wideband Global SATCOM-9 payload to orbit on March 18, 2017. This mission was featured by the U.S. Air Force as part of their year-long birthday celebration honoring 70 years of "Breaking Barriers."

Delta Power

Jared Haworth, Raleigh, North Carolina

Delta IV Medium+ (5,4) rocket carrying WGS-8 to orbit. This variant of the Delta IV uses a 5-m (13-ft.) payload fairing and four Orbital ATK GEM-60 solid rocket boosters assisting the Aerojet Rocketdyne RS-68A main engine.

Rocket Reflections

Jared Haworth, Raleigh, North Carolina

Standing rainwater at Space Launch Complex 41, dumped by Hurricane Irma, reflects the brilliance of an Atlas V rocket's liquid- and solid-fueled rocket engines as it carries a classified payload to orbit for the National Reconnaissance Office.

Into the Sunset

Jared Haworth, Raleigh, North Carolina

One of SpaceX's flight-proven Falcon 9 rockets lifts off from historic Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center on Oct. 11, 2017. LC-39A was host to the majority of NASA's Saturn V and Space Shuttle launches, and will be used by SpaceX for their upcoming Falcon Heavy rocket as well as crewed Dragon missions to the International Space Station.  

Atlas V GOES R

Jeffrey Spotts, Highlands Ranch, Colorado

Launch of the United Launch Alliance's Atlas V with GOES R.

Atlas V World View 3

Jeffrey Spotts, Highlands Ranch, Colorado

A United Launch Alliance's Atlas V launches World View 3.

WGS9 Launches

Jeffrey Spotts, Highlands Ranch, Colorado

A United Launch Alliance's Delta 4 launches WGS 9.

SES10 Falcon9 with Reused First Stage

Michael Seeley, Melbourne, Florida

The SES10 Falcon9 launch by SpaceX with the "flight-proven" CRS8 first stage, seen from the pad. 

BulgariaSat1 by SpaceX - Pad Streak

Michael Seeley, Melbourne, Florida

This is actually two frames, both of them 20-sec. exposures shot through a 10-stop ND filter. I'm using two frames to bring out some of the detail that was obscured in the first (the launch) frame; by the time the second exposure fired, much of the cloud had dissipated. Initial edits were done in Lightroom, the composite was done in Photoshop and then final edits were done (again) in Lightroom. 

Minuteman III and the Moon

Patrick Lee, Los Angeles

A test launch of an unarmed Minuteman III ICBM from Vandenberg AFB, California, was conducted on 12:03 a.m. on May 3, 2017. By sheer coincidence from my vantage point atop Santa Inez Peak, the trajectory of the ICBM intersected the Moon giving a starburst at the end of my exposure.  

Ariane 5 VA233 Areal View of Liftoff

Stephane Corvaja, Paris

Ariane 5 VA233 with Galileo satellite launch from helicopter.

Ariane 5 VA233 Areal View of Liftoff, 2nd photo

Stephane Corvaja, Paris

Ariane 5 VA233 with Galileo satellite launch photographed from a helicopter.

Ariane 5 VA233 Liftoff

Stephane Corvaja, Paris

Ariane 5 VA233 with Galileo satellite launch photographed using a remote camera.

Ariane 5 VA233 Liftoff, Clear The Tower

Stephane Corvaja, Paris

Ariane 5 VA233 with Galileo satellite launch photographed using a remote camera.

Ariane 5 VA233 Liftoff, Heading For Space

Stephane Corvaja, Paris

Ariane 5 VA233 with Galileo satellite launch photographed using a remote camera.

Ariane 5 VA233 Liftoff, Closer View

Stephane Corvaja, Paris

Ariane 5 VA233 with Galileo satellite launch photographed using a remote camera.

Vega VV09 with Sentinel-2B Liftoff

Stephane Corvaja, Paris

Vega VV09 with Sentinel-2B liftoff photographed by remote camera at Europe's Space Port.

Vanishing Merlins

Walter Scriptunas II, Charleston, West Virginia

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifts off on its maiden voyage from Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Feb. 19, 2017. The CRS-10 mission was the company's 10th commercial resupply service mission to the International Space Station.     

Blasted by Fire

Walter Scriptunas II, Charleston, West Virginia

A United Launch Alliance Delta IV rocket lifts off from Complex 37 at Cape Canaveral Air Force station in Florida at 8:18 pm on March 18, 2017. The 217-ft. tall Delta 4 rocket, flying in the Medium+ (5,4) configuration, with four solid rocket boosters and a 5-m (16-ft.) payload fairing, placed the U.S. Air Force's WGS-9 communications satellite into a geostationary orbit.

Atlas GOES-R

Walter Scriptunas II, Charleston, West Virginia

A United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket lifts off from Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral on Nov. 19, 2016, carrying GOES-R, the most advanced U.S. weather satellite ever made.

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The growing number of commercial launch companies means more rockets being sent into space and more compelling photos that show the immense power of launch vehicles ascending from the Earth's surface to orbit in a matter of minutes.

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

Defense: Rotary-Wing Aircraft — 2017 Photo Contest

Defense: Military Aerial Display Teams — 2017 Photo Contest

Defense: Combat-Ready Aircraft — 2017 Photo Contest

General: Aviation — 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.

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