Sunday, March 06, 2011

The Atlas V rocket carrying the X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle (OTV) is launched from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, on March 5, 2011.
Pat Corkery / United Launch Alliance

PHOTOS OF THE DAY... Yesterday afternoon, an Atlas V rocket carrying the top-secret Orbital Test Vehicle (OTV) successfully launched from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. Also known as the X-37B, this is actually a different space plane from the one that flew into space in April of last year. If it’s anything like the first OTV, this vehicle will stay in Earth orbit for at least 220 days and land at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California as early as November. Awesome. You can check out more photos of the OTV's launch on SpaceflightNow.com.

The OTV is shown inside its Atlas V payload fairing during encapsulation, ahead of its March 2011 launch from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.
U.S. Air Force

The OTV is shown inside its Atlas V payload fairing during encapsulation, ahead of its March 2011 launch from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.
U.S. Air Force

The OTV is shown inside its Atlas V payload fairing during encapsulation, ahead of its March 2011 launch from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.
U.S. Air Force

With space shuttle Discovery in the background, the Atlas V payload fairing carrying the OTV is transported to its launch pad, ahead of its March 2011 liftoff from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.
U.S. Air Force

The Atlas V rocket carrying the OTV prepares to roll out of its Vertical Integration Facility at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, on March 3, 2011.
Pat Corkery / United Launch Alliance

The Atlas V rocket carrying the OTV rolls out to its launch pad at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, on March 3, 2011.
Pat Corkery / United Launch Alliance

The Atlas V rocket arrives at its launch pad at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, on March 3, 2011.
Pat Corkery / United Launch Alliance
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