Vandenberg launches Atlas V rocket
A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket carrying a National Reconnaissance Office payload successfully launches from Space Launch Complex-3 at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., Dec. 12, at 7:19 p.m. PDT. This is the most powerful Atlas V rocket launched from Vandenberg because it has four solid rocket boosters, producing approximately 250,000 pounds of thrust per solid rocket. These four solids along with the main engine of the Atlas V produced a total thrust around 2 million pounds at liftoff. (U.S. Air Force photo by Michael Peterson/Released)