Advanced Satellite Blasts Off from Cape Canaveral: Launch Gallery

By Nancy Atkinson - September 18, 2013 at 1:44 PM UTC | Space Exploration
AEHF-3_09a.jpg

Early this morning a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket blasted off from Cape Canaveral in a gorgeous pre-dawn launch, sending the third Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF-3) satellite for the United States Air Force to orbit. The rocket lifted off from Launch Complex-41 at 4:10 am EDT (08:10 UTC) on Wednesday, September 18, 2013. Thanks to John O'Connor from nasatech.net for sharing his beautiful launch images with Universe Today.

This launch leads the way for a second launch today: the historic Orbital Sciences Antares commercial rocket carrying the first fully functional Cygnus commercial resupply vehicle to orbit from NASA's Wallops Island Facility on a demonstration mission bound for the International Space Station.

The AEHF-3 will provide a state-of-the-art communications system for the US military and Department of Defense.

See more launches images below:

[caption id="attachment_104850" align="aligncenter" width="386"]

Awaiting its mission on Space Launch Complex 41, the Atlas 5 - 531/AEHF-3 stands ready as the weather slowly cleared. Credit and copyright: John O'Connor/nasatech.net,

Awaiting its mission on Space Launch Complex 41, the Atlas 5 - 531/AEHF-3 stands ready as the weather slowly cleared. Credit and copyright: John O'Connor/nasatech.net,[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_104851" align="aligncenter" width="580"]

As the furious vibrations shake cascades of ice off of the liquid oxygen tank the Atlas 5-531 reaches for the sky and its supersynchronous transfer orbit. Credit and copyright: John O'Connor/nasatech.net.

As the furious vibrations shake cascades of ice off of the liquid oxygen tank the Atlas 5-531 reaches for the sky and its supersynchronous transfer orbit. Credit and copyright: John O'Connor/nasatech.net.[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_104852" align="aligncenter" width="580"]

Halfway through the lightning wires, the Atlas 5 accelerates to its rendezvous with a supersynchronous transfer orbit. Credit and copyright: John O'Connor/nasatech.net.

Halfway through the lightning wires, the Atlas 5 accelerates to its rendezvous with a supersynchronous transfer orbit. Credit and copyright: John O'Connor/nasatech.net.[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_104854" align="aligncenter" width="580"]

Through a cloud on its way to orbit, the Atlas 5 - 531 vehicle and it AEHF-3 payload dapple the clouds with light.... Credit and copyright: John O'Connor/nasatech.net.

Through a cloud on its way to orbit, the Atlas 5 - 531 vehicle and it AEHF-3 payload dapple the clouds with light.... Credit and copyright: John O'Connor/nasatech.net.[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_104853" align="aligncenter" width="580"]

...and come out the top, amid the night, resplendent on a seething tower of dawn and thunder. Credit and copyright: John O'Connor/nasatech.net.

...and come out the top, amid the night, resplendent on a seething tower of dawn and thunder. Credit and copyright: John O'Connor/nasatech.net.[/caption]

Nancy Atkinson

Nancy Atkinson

Nancy Atkinson is a space journalist and author with a passion for telling the stories of people involved in space exploration and astronomy. She is currently retired from daily writing, but worked at Universe Today for 20 years as a writer and editor. She also contributed articles to The Planetary Society, Ad Astra (National Space Society), New Scientist and many other online outlets.

Her 2019 book, "Eight Years to the Moon: The History of the Apollo Missions,” shares the untold stories of engineers and scientists who worked behind the scenes to make the Apollo program so successful, despite the daunting odds against it. Her first book “Incredible Stories From Space: A Behind-the-Scenes Look at the Missions Changing Our View of the Cosmos” (2016) tells the stories of 37 scientists and engineers that work on several current NASA robotic missions to explore the solar system and beyond.

Nancy is also a NASA/JPL Solar System Ambassador, and through this program, she has the opportunity to share her passion of space and astronomy with children and adults through presentations and programs. Nancy's personal website is nancyatkinson.com