Lifting Off Collection (#5)

Juno spacecraft launch C016 / 3060
Juno spacecraft launch. Launch of NASAs Juno spacecraft onboard an Atlas V rocket. Juno was launched on 5th August 2011, on a five-year flight to Jupiter

Soviet Luna 16 spacecraft, 1970
Soviet Luna 16 spacecraft model, showing its launch from the Moon. The Luna 16 unmanned space probe was launched by the Soviet Union on 12th September 1970

Viking 1 launch. Titan 3E rocket launching NASAs Viking 1 spacecraft on its mission to Mars. Viking 1 was the first of two spacecraft sent to Mars as part of NASAs Viking program

Moon rocket launch, 1950s artwork
Moon rocket launch. Artwork published in Germany in the 1950s, showing the launch of a rocket on a journey to the Moon, a feat that would be achieved in 1969

Apollo 17 ascent stage, artwork
Apollo 17 ascent stage. Artwork of the ascent stage of the Apollo 17 lunar module Challenger lifting off from the Moon at 22:54 UTC on 14 December 1972

Voskhod 2 spacecraft launch. Launch of the Soviet Voskhod 2 spacecraft carrying Pavel Belyaev and Alexei Leonov. Voskhod 2 was equipped with an inflatable airlock

Soyuz 13 rocket launch. Launch of the Soviet Soyuz 13 spacecraft carrying Pyotr Klimuk and Valentin Lebedev. Soyuz 13 was the Soviet Unions first dedicated science mission

Launch of Vostok 1 spacecraft, artwork
Launch of the Vostok-1 spacecraft carrying Yuri Gagarin on the first manned flight in space, April 12, 1961. Vostok-1 made one orbit of Earth

Frau im Mond artwork
Frau im Mond. Artwork of a Moon rocket, representing the story told in the film Woman in the Moon (German: Frau im Mond). This science fiction silent film, released in 1929

Launch pad model, Guiana Space Centre
Launch pad model. This launch pad, at the European Space Agencys (ESA) spaceport, the Centre Spatial Guyanais (CSG), in Kourou, French Guiana

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"Lifting off into the unknown: A journey beyond Earth's boundaries" In 1961, history was made as the first US manned space flight took place, marking a monumental step in human exploration. The world watched in awe as the Vostok 1 spacecraft also launched that same year, propelling humanity further into the cosmos. Decades later, at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, Space Shuttle Discovery gracefully lifted off from Launch Pad 39A. Its powerful engines ignited and roared to life, pushing against gravity's grasp with an indomitable force. The sight of Atlantis ascending from the same launch site left spectators breathless; its twin solid rocket boosters propelled it towards new frontiers. As each mission embarked on their celestial journeys, plumes of smoke enveloped rockets like a shroud of anticipation. Such was the case during Kepler Mission's rocket launch when excitement filled the air and dreams reached for distant stars. Yet amidst these remarkable feats of engineering and ambition lies nature's own breathtaking displays. Picture No. 11993381 captures a Snowy Egret fishing in Florida - a graceful creature taking flight just as humans do when they venture beyond our planet's atmosphere. Similarly, Picture No. 11993380 showcases a Great Blue Heron soaring through wetland marshes near Point Pelee National Park in Canada – reminding us that even within our earthly realms there is beauty to be found. Whether it be astronauts defying gravity or birds navigating their natural habitats, "lifting off" symbolizes not only physical ascension but also an intangible spirit of exploration ingrained within us all. It represents our innate curiosity to push boundaries and seek answers among the stars while appreciating the wonders closer to home.