The History of Rockets

1959: U.S. Air Force photo of Big Joe launch vehicle after launching at Cape Canaveral.
Source: JSC Digital Pictures Gallery

1960: Atlas launch from Cape Canveral carrying Mercury Program spacecraft.
Source: JSC Digital Pictures Gallery

1961: The Mercury-Redstone spacecraft, on the pad at Cape Canaveral, Florida.
Source: JSC Digital Pictures Gallery

1961: Launch of Little Joe 2 from Wallops Island carrying Mercury spacecraft test article.
Source: JSC Digital Pictures Gallery

1963: ASSET lifting body; first phase of US Air Force Spacecraft Technology and Advanced Re-entry Tests.
Source: USAF Museum Space Flight Gallery

1963: Soviet Soyuz launch vehicle.
Source: Marshall Space Flight Center History of Rocket Science

1965: First night time launching of a Saturn I launch vehicle 65, from Complex 37, Cape Kennedy, Florida.
Source: JSC Digital Pictures Gallery

1965: Liftoff of Gemini-Titan 3 mission from Cape Canaveral.
Source: JSC Digital Pictures Gallery

1969: Liftoff of Saturn V launch vehicle carrying Apollo 11 lunar landing mission.
Source: JSC Digital Pictures Gallery

1985: First launch of the shuttle orbiter Atlantis.
Source: JSC Digital Pictures Gallery

1988: The Russian Shuttle Buran-Energiya on the launch pad.
Source: Marshall Space Flight Center Russian Space Agency Site

1989: First flight of Pegasus air-launched booster vehicle.
Source: NASA Dryden Research Aircraft Photo Gallery

1990: Delta launch from Pad A, Complex 17, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.
Source: NASA Mixed Fleet - Delta

1992: Titan III rocket carrying Mars Observer satellite launches from Complex 40, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.
Source: NASA Mixed Fleet - Titan

1994: First launch of Taurus Launch vehicle.
Source: Orbital Sciences Corportation

1996: Atlantis landing at Edwards AFB, California.
Source: NASA Dryden Research Aircraft Photo Gallery

1996: Artist's concept of Lockheed Martin X-33 Reusable Launch Vehicle on launch pad.
Source: NASA Dryden Research Aircraft Photo Gallery

1996: Computer generated image of DC-XA vertical launch, vertical landing reusable launch vehicle.
Source: Marshall Space Flight Center Reusable Launch Vehicle Images