Stunning Photos Of Saturday’s Mysterious Rocket Launch

Gaze upon the titanic beauty of a launching rocket

By Kelsey D. Atherton

Updated on May 26, 2021 2:39 AM EDT

Delta IV Heavy Smoke Trail After The Launch
One sudden cloud, made by a machine built my humans, marks a pathway to the stars. Copyright Kyle Brown, used with permission
Delta IV Heavy on a launch pad with the sun setting in the background

Last weekend, a United Launch Alliance Delta IV Heavy rocket hurtled a mysterious payload into orbit. The classified cargo, delivered on behalf of the National Reconnaissance Office, is possibly a spy satellite, though we may not know for years or more what it actually was. What we can do is bask in the beauty of a rocket hurtling an enigma into orbit.

Read about the project’s weird logo, watch Saturday’s launch, and enjoy the photos below:

Delta IV Heavy Rocket Waiting on a launch pad In Daylight
Delta IV Heavy Blastoff from the launch pad
Delta IV Heavy In The Air After The Launch