In photos: NASA launches Landsat 9 Earth observation satellite

(Image credit: ULA)

NASA launched its powerful new Landsat 9 Earth-observing satellite into orbit on Sept. 27, 2021, on a mission to monitor our planet's land resources. 

The mission rode to orbit on a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket, lifting off from Space Launch Complex 3 at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. See photos of the launch and mission preparations in this Space.com gallery!

Full story: NASA launches powerful Landsat 9 satellite to monitor climate change, forest cover and more

(Image credit: Bill Ingalls/NASA)

Together with its sister satellite Landsat 8, which launched in 2013, Landsat 9 will image all of Earth's land and coastal areas to provide a complete picture of the planet every eight days. Designed and built by NASA, Landsat 9 is operated by the United States Geological Survey (USGS), and data from the mission will be publicly available on the USGS website (opens in new tab). 

(Image credit: Randy Beaudoin/NASA)

Inside the Vertical Integration Facility at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, technicians work to attach the Landsat 9 spacecraft to the evolved expendable vehicle secondary payload adapter (ESPA), on Aug. 11, 2021. 

The ESPA connects Landsat 9 to the payload adapter so that it can be attached to the second stage of the Atlas V rocket.

(Image credit: USSF 30th Space Wing/Chris Okula)

Landsat 9 is secured inside its payload fairing at the Integrated Processing Facility at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, ahead of its planned September 2021 launch into orbit on a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket. The payload fairing, or "nose cone," helps to protect the spacecraft during the launch. 

(Image credit: Pedro Carillo/USAF 30th Space Wing)

Landsat 9 is lifted and mated to the United Launch Alliance's Atlas V rocket at Space Launch Complex 3 at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, on Sept. 15, 2021.

(Image credit: ULA)

The United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket stands at Space Launch Complex-3 (SLC-3) with the Landsat 9 spacecraft.

(Image credit: Bill Ingalls/NASA)

A view of the Atlas V rocket and Landsat 9 on the launchpad ahead of the Sept. 27, 2021 liftoff. 

(Image credit: Bill Ingalls/NASA)

This view from above shows the Atlas V rocket and Landsat 9 satellite as the mobile launcher platform rolled back ahead of the launch from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, on Sept. 27, 2021. 

(Image credit: Bill Ingalls/NASA)

The Atlas V rocket with the Landsat 9 satellite onboard is seen on the launchpad at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, after the mobile launcher platform (MLP) was rolled back on Sept. 27, 2021.

(Image credit: ULA)

The United Launch Alliance's Atlas V rocket takes to the skies with the Landsat 9 satellite after lifting off from Space Launch Complex 3 at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, at 2:12 p.m. EDT (11:12 a.m. local time; 1812 GMT) on Sept. 27, 2021.

(Image credit: ULA)

The Atlas V rocket leaves behind a plume of smoke as it launches the Landsat 9 satellite to orbit, on Sept. 27, 2021.

(Image credit: NASA)

An artist's illustration of NASA's Landsat 9 Earth observation satellite in orbit.