Liftoff Collection (#5)

An MH-53E Sea Dragon prepares to land aboard USS Bonhomme Richard
Pacific Ocean, October 3, 2011 - Marines practice takeoffs and landings from the amphibious assault ship USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) in an MH-53E Sea Dragon helicopter during exercise Dawn Blitz

A U. S. Marine Corps MV-22 Osprey lifts off during a successful biofuel test flight
Maryland, August 10, 2011 - A U.S. Marine Corps MV-22 Osprey lifts off from Naval Air Station Patuxent River during a successful biofuel test flight

n MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopter lifts off the flight deck of USS Essex
Philippine Sea, September 29, 2011 - An MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopter takes off from the forward-deployed amphibious assault ship USS Essex (LHD 2)

Space Shuttle Atlantis clears the tower at the Kennedy Space Center, Florida
November 16, 2009 - Space Shuttle Atlantis clears the tower at the Kennedy Space Center, Cape Canaveral, Florida, as it commences mission STS-129

Brigade aviation officer salutes as a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter lifts off
August 4, 2012 - Brigade aviation officer salutes as a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter lifts off from forward operating base Denver at the National Training Center

Space Shuttle Atlantis lifts off from its launch pad toward Earth orbit
Cape Canaveral, Florida, May 11, 2009 - Space Shuttle Atlantis lifts off from launch pad 39A at the Kennedy Space Center in to Earth orbit and rendezvous with the Hubble Space Telescope

A Delta II Heavy launch vehicle sits ready for launch
August 24, 2003 - The mobile service tower is rolled back at Launch Pad 17-B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, to reveal the Space Infrared Telescope Facility (SIRTF)

An OH-58D Kiowa helicopter prepares for liftoff from COB Speicher, Tikrit, Iraq, during Operation Iraqi Freedom

Space Shuttle Discovery launch
May 31, 2008 - Space Shuttle Discovery and its crew head toward Earth-orbit and a scheduled link-up with the International Space Station

Lift-off of Space Shuttle Discovery
Cape Canaveral, Florida, March 15, 2009 - Space Shuttle Discovery lifts off from launch pad 39A at the Kennedy Space Center into Earth orbit

Mercury-Redstone 3 missile on launch pad, Cape Canaveral, Florida
1961 - Mercury-Redstone 3 missile standing alone on launch pad, Cape Canaveral, Florida

Space Shuttle Atlantis and Endeavour sit on their launch pads at Kennedy Space Center
April 18, 2009 - On Launch Pad 39B (left) at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, space shuttle Endeavour stands just a few miles from space shuttle Atlantis on Launch Pad 39A (right)

An Atlas vehicle is shown as it is raised into its launch gantry. This Atlas attempted to launch a Mercury spacecraft (without any astronauts aboard) into orbital flight

Space Shuttle Atlantis lifts off from its launch pad at Kennedy Space Center, Florida
Cape Canaveral, Florida, November 16, 2009 - Space shuttle Atlantis lifts off from Kennedy Space Centers Launch Pad 39A into orbit

The Atlas-Centaur 10, carrying the Surveyor 1 spacecraft, lifting off from Pad 36A. The Surveyor 1 mission scouted the lunar surface for future Apollo manned lunar landing sites

Artist rendition of a crew launch of the new spaceship to the moon

Space shuttle Atlantis sits on Launch Pad 39A after rollout from the Vehicle Assembly
March 31, 2009 - Space shuttle Atlantis sits on Launch Pad 39A after rollout from the Vehicle Assembly Building. The shuttle sits atop the mobile launcher platform

Sailors leave the landing area of an HH-60H Sea Hawk helicopter
Pacific Ocean, June 17, 2012 - Sailors leave the landing area of an HH-60H Sea Hawk helicopter as it prepares to lift off the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68)

Sailors watch a helicopter lift off the flight deck of USS Bonhomme Richard
Pacific Ocean, January 17, 2012 - Sailors from the air department aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Bonhomme Richard stand position as a helicopter lifts off from the flight deck

An MH-60R Sea Hawk helicopter lifts off from USS Wayne E. Meyer
South China Sea, August 6, 2014 - An MH-60R Sea Hawk helicopter lifts off from the guided-missile destroyer USS Wayne E. Meyer (DDG 108)

AUDUBON: DUCK. Labrador Duck (Camptorhynchus labradorius). Engraving after John James Audubon for his Birds of America, 1827-38

CYRANO de BERGERAC (1619-1655). French writer and soldier. Travelling to the moon. Wood engraving from a 19th century edition of his L Autre monde, ou

Fly 1 the take-off signal officer gives a fighter plane the Go sign on an U. S. Navy aircraft carrier, 1942
U.S. NAVY AIRCRAFT CARRIER. Fly 1 the take-off signal officer gives a fighter plane the Go sign on an U.S. Navy aircraft carrier, 1942

A take-off signal officer gives a fighter plane the Go sign on board the military aircraft carrier, USS Yorktown
THE FIGHTING LADY, 1944. A take-off signal officer gives a fighter plane the Go sign on board the military aircraft carrier, USS Yorktown, in a scene from the American propaganda film

A signal officer directs a fighter plane on board the USS Yorktown in a scene from the American propaganda film
THE FIGHTING LADY, 1944. A signal officer directs a fighter plane on board the USS Yorktown in a scene from the American propaganda film, The Fighting Lady, 1944

Flight deck of an American aircraft carrier during World War II. Photograph, 1942
AIRCRAFT CARRIER, 1942. Flight deck of an American aircraft carrier during World War II. Photograph, 1942

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"Liftoff: A Journey Beyond Earth's Boundaries" Witness the awe-inspiring moment as Space Shuttle Discovery defies gravity, soaring into the vast expanse of space from Launch Pad 39A at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The sheer power of Atlantis' twin solid rocket boosters ignites, propelling this remarkable spacecraft towards the unknown. Captured in a breathtaking image, Space Shuttle Atlantis gracefully ascends from Kennedy Space Center, leaving behind a trail of wonder and anticipation for what lies ahead. As smoke envelops the Delta II rocket, we are reminded of the countless hours of meticulous preparation that lead to this defining moment. Every detail meticulously planned by brilliant minds like Robert Goddard - an American physicist whose groundbreaking work paved the way for such extraordinary achievements. Transporting us back in time to 1969, Apollo 11 lifts off with unparalleled determination and courage. Through iconic photographs frozen in history, we witness mankind's audacious leap towards reaching new frontiers. In black and white stillness, spectators anxiously await the launch of Apollo 11. Their faces filled with hope and excitement as they become partakers in a monumental event that would shape humanity's future forever. Even royalty couldn't resist being captivated by this historic feat. King Baudouin and Queen Fabiola of Belgium stand united with their eyes fixed on Apollo 10 lifting off from Florida's soil - a testament to how space exploration transcends borders and unifies nations. Political figures Spiro Agnew and Lyndon Johnson join millions around the world as they watch intently while Apollo 11 embarks on its epic journey. In their presence is proof that space exploration is not just about science but also about inspiring hearts across generations. July 16th, 1969 marks a date etched indelibly into our collective memory - it was when humanity dared to dream big enough to touch another celestial body.