PHOTOS: View from the VAB roof

NASA's newest communications satellite launched Wednesday aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket, and these views show the booster's fiery liftoff from the roof of the 52-story Vehicle Assembly Building at the Kennedy Space Center.

The first photo is a long exposure showing photographers as they set up to cover the launch.

See our Mission Status Center for the latest news on the launch.

Photo credit: Stephen Clark/Spaceflight Now

Space video for your computer, iPod or big screen TV

Mars Science Laboratory and Curiosity rover
NPP: Climate and weather observatory
GRAIL: Lunar gravity mappers
JUNO: Voyage to Jupiter
Space Station mission Expedition 28
STS-135: Final shuttle mission
STS-134: Endeavour's last launch
STS-133: Discovery's final space voyage
Space Station mission Expedition 27
Space Station mission Expedition 26
Space Station mission Expedition 25
Space Station mission Expedition 24
STS-132: Russia's mini module for station
STS-131: Delivering science and supplies
Shuttle Enterprise history flashback
STS-130: Bringing Tranquility to the station
Solar Dynamics Observatory
GOES P weather satellite
Ares 1-X: The rocket flight test
STS-129: Helping fortify future of the space station
STS-128: Bringing new science to the station
Moon-bound Atlas launches LRO and LCROSS
STS-127: Endeavour's space station mission
STS-125: Final Hubble Space Telescope servicing
STS-119: Finishing the station's power grid

Experience the space program like never before become a subscriber today