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Launch Archives

    Check out detailed information about the spacecraft and launch vehicles that have lofted important scientific missions into Earth's orbit and to the outer reaches of our solar system.

Launch Vehicle Archives

  • GLAST Launches

    2008 Launch Archive

    A Delta II rocket boosted the GLAST spacecraft into orbit during the first launch of an expendable launch vehicle in 2008.

  • THEMIS launches from Kennedy Space Center

    2007 Launch Archive

    THEMIS kicked-off the ELV launch year with a mid-February liftoff to study the Northern Lights.

  • An aerial view of New Horizons atop an Atlas V rocket poised for launch.

    2006 Launch Archive

    This was a year of diverse scientific launches from a variety of launch vehicles -- delivering satellites into Earth's orbit and sending a spacecraft soaring through space to reach Pluto and beyond.

  • Launch of the MRO spacecraft atop an Atlas V rocket

    2005 Launch Archive

    The Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter was NASA's first launch of an Atlas V on an interplanetary mission.

  • Launch of NASA's MESSENGER spacecraft on a Delta II Heavy launch vehicle

    2004 Launch Archive

    NASA's Launch Services Program hosted a year of successful Delta II launches supporting groundbreaking science and spacecraft.

  • A L-1011 takes off from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. carrying the Pegasus XL GALEX under its belly.

    2003 Launch Archive

    This was an ambitious year for NASA with the liftoff of the Mars Exploration Rovers, Spirit and Opportunity and a total of five Delta II and Pegasus XL launches.

  • Artistic rendering of the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite

    2002 Launch Archive

    The Tracking and Relay Satellite (TDRS) system is a cluster of communication satellites that are used to relay voice, video and data. Two TDRS satellites were launched this year.

  • Artistic rendering of the 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft

    2001 Launch Archive

    Delivered into orbit around Mars, NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft has sent a profusion of information to Earth about Martian geology, climate and mineralogy.

  • Artistic drawing of the IMAGE spacecraft

    2000 Launch Archive

    The IMAGE spacecraft was the first satellite mission dedicated to imaging the Earth's magnetosphere -- the region of space controlled by the Earth's magnetic field.

  • Artistic rendering of the TERRA spacecraft

    1999 Launch Archive

    One of many important missions for 1999 was the flagship launch of TERRA into a sun-synchronous polar orbit, enabling scientists to study the interaction among the four features of the Earth system -- oceans, land, atmosphere and biosphere.