PHOTO FEATURE: Stunning Views of MAVEN’s Launch to Mars

The violent launch to send MAVEN to Mars begins.  Photo Credit: AmericaSpace / Alan Walters (www.AWaltersPhoto.com)
The violent launch to send MAVEN to Mars begins. Photo Credit: AmericaSpace / Alan Walters (www.AWaltersPhoto.com)

On Monday, Nov. 18 2013, NASA’s MAVEN spacecraft thundered off the surface of the Earth to begin its half-billion-mile journey to Mars. The $670 million Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution mission, or MAVEN, is the product of 10 years of work from people across the country, and Monday’s countdown to launch went about as smoothly as could be.

MAVEN’s ride to space, the 188-foot-tall workhorse United Launch Alliance Atlas-V 401 rocket, thundered out of Cape Canaveral’s Space Launch Complex 41 under overcast skies right on time at 1:28 p.m. EST. The 5,400-pound, bus-size spacecraft (with solar arrays deployed) roared into space on 860,000 pounds of thrust, pushing through the clouds and sending sonic booms out for miles around from the Atlas-V’s RD-180 engine.

Read our detailed launch story HERE!

The photographers at AmericaSpace put a lot of work into capturing the images that document our nation’s space program up close and personal, and presented here are some of the fantastic views captured by our team.

ALL images are © copyright to their respective photographers, all rights reserved. Please contact the photographer directly for permission to use or purchase, or email us via our contact page and we will forward your inquiry to the photographer.

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MAVEN's final night on Earth.  Photo Credit: AmericaSpace / Rob V. Mackelenbergh
MAVEN’s final night on Earth. Photo Credit: AmericaSpace / Rob V. Mackelenbergh
Photo Credit: AmericaSpace / Jeffrey Soulliere
Photo Credit: AmericaSpace / Jeffrey Soulliere
MAVEN's launch, as seen from Playalinda Beach 4 miles north of SLC-41.  Photo Credit: AmericaSpace / Alex Menendez (www.instinctfilms.com)
MAVEN’s launch, as seen from Playalinda Beach 4 miles north of SLC-41. Photo Credit: AmericaSpace / Alex Menendez (www.instinctfilms.com)
From the roof of NASA's 500+ foot tall Vehicle Assembly Building.  Photo Credit: AmericaSpace / Mike Killian (www.MikeKillianPhotography.com)
From the roof of NASA’s 500+ foot tall Vehicle Assembly Building. Photo Credit: AmericaSpace / Mike Killian (www.MikeKillianPhotography.com)
LIFTOFF!  Photo Credit: AmericaSpace / Alan Walters (www.AWaltersPhoto.com)
LIFTOFF! Photo Credit: AmericaSpace / Alan Walters (www.AWaltersPhoto.com)
Photo Credit: AmericaSpace / John Studwell
Photo Credit: AmericaSpace / John Studwell
Photo Credit: AmericaSpace / Mike Killian (www.MikeKillianPhotography.com)
Photo Credit: AmericaSpace / Mike Killian (www.MikeKillianPhotography.com)
Photo Credit: AmericaSpace / Alan Walters (www.AWaltersPhoto.com)
Photo Credit: AmericaSpace / Alan Walters (www.AWaltersPhoto.com)
Photo Credit: AmericaSpace / Hap Griffin
Photo Credit: AmericaSpace / Hap Griffin
Photo Credit: AmericaSpace / Jeff Seibert & Mike Barrett (www.Wired4Space.com)
Photo Credit: AmericaSpace / Jeff Seibert & Mike Barrett (www.Wired4Space.com)
Photo Credit: AmericaSpace / Rob V. Mackelenbergh
Photo Credit: AmericaSpace / Rob V. Mackelenbergh
MAVEN begins its half-billion mile journey to Mars.  Photo Credit: AmericaSpace / John Studwell
MAVEN begins its half-billion mile journey to Mars. Photo Credit: AmericaSpace / John Studwell
Photo Credit: AmericaSpace / Alan Walters (www.AWaltersPhoto.com)
Photo Credit: AmericaSpace / Alan Walters (www.AWaltersPhoto.com)
Photo Credit: AmericaSpace / Hap Griffin
Photo Credit: AmericaSpace / Hap Griffin
Photo Credit: AmericaSpace / John Studwell
Photo Credit: AmericaSpace / John Studwell
Photo Credit: AmericaSpace / John Studwell
Photo Credit: AmericaSpace / John Studwell
Wide-angle view from the roof of NASA's Vehicle Assembly Building.  Photo Credit: AmericaSpace / Mike Killian (www.MikeKillianPhotography.com)
Wide-angle view from the roof of NASA’s Vehicle Assembly Building. Photo Credit: AmericaSpace / Mike Killian (www.MikeKillianPhotography.com)

 

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