Up and Away!

Luke Vibal, a first-grade student at St. Mary of the Assumption School in Santa Maria, Calif., watches a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket blast into orbit carrying a NASA payload. Students from St. Mary's visited the base as part of a science field trip Feb. 11, 2013. Luke is the son of Natalie and Capt. Ludell Vibal, a launch mission manager. (U.S. Air Force Photo/Maj. Stacie N. Shafran)

Team V launches Atlas V

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. - Team V launched a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket carrying a NASA payload at 10:02 a.m. here Monday, Feb. 11, 2013. The Atlas V was launched from Space Launch Complex-3 and was the sixth launch for Vandenberg. (U.S. Air Force photo/Joe Davila)

Team V launches Atlas V rocket

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. - Team V launched a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket carrying a NASA payload at 10:02 a.m. here Monday, Feb. 11, 2013. The Atlas V was launched from Space Launch Complex-3 and was the sixth launch for Vandenberg. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Levi Riendeau)

Team V launches Atlas V rocket

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. - Team V launched a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket carrying a NASA payload at 10:02 a.m. here Monday, Feb. 11, 2013. The Atlas V was launched from Space Launch Complex-3 and was the sixth launch for Vandenberg. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Levi Riendeau)

Lift off

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif.-- Team Vandenberg launched a United Launch Alliance Delta IV Medium+ (5,2) from Space Launch Complex-6 here at 4:12 p.m. PDT Tuesday, April 3, 2012. The launch was the Department of Defense’s first-ever Delta IV Medium launch vehicle configured with a 5-meter payload fairing and two solid rocket motors. (U.S. Air Force photo/Rodney Jones)

First Delta IV Medium in 5/2 configuration launches from Vandenberg

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif.-- Team Vandenberg launched a United Launch Alliance Delta IV Medium+ (5,2) from Space Launch Complex-6 here at 4:12 p.m. PDT Tuesday, April 3, 2012. The launch was the Department of Defense?s first-ever Delta IV Medium launch vehicle configured with a 5-meter payload fairing and two solid rocket motors. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Levi Riendeau)