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Aerospace at night

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. — As the clouds of smoke and steam roll away beneath it, Space Shuttle Endeavour blazes into the night sky on mission STS-113. Liftoff from Launch Pad 39A occurred ontime at 7:49:47 p.m. EST. The launch is the 19th for Endeavour, and the 112th flight in the Shuttle program. Mission STS-113 is the 16th assembly flight to the International Space Station, carrying another structure for the Station, the P1 integrated truss. Also onboard are the Expedition 6 crew, who will replace Expedition 5. Endeavour is scheduled to land at KSC after an 11-day journey.
Night operations at McEntire Joint National Guard Base, S.C. as a 169th Fighter Wing F-16 makes final preparations for takeoff, Nov. 15, 2012. (National Guard photo by Senior Master Sgt. Edward Snyder/Released)
An F-14 “Tomcat” engages it’s afterburners prior to a night launch off the flight deck of the U.S. aircraft carrier USS THEODORE ROOSEVELT (CVN 71). ROOSEVELT and its embarked carrier air wing are participating in strikes missions over the former Yugoslavia in support of NATO Operation Allied Force.
A Marine with Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 211, Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 21, launches an F-35B Lightning II aboard HMS Queen Elizabeth at sea on May 06, 2021. VMFA-211 was conducting night carrier qualifications to safely reintegrate back into the CSG. VMFA-211 will form part of the largest 5th-generation carrier air group in the world. This deployment highlights the global reach of the U.S. and UK armed forces and their interoperability, and enhances the deterrence and defense capabilities of the NATO Alliance.
U.S. Service Members with 3d Battalion, 3d Marines and 2nd Squadron, 14th Cavalry Regiment, embark an MV-22 Osprey with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 268, Marine Aircraft Group 24 on Marine Corps Training Area Bellows, Hawaii, Nov. 30, 2021. Marines with 3/3 conducted a joint training exercise simulating realistic air-assault and urban operations in strategic island terrain with MAG-24 and 2/14. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Patrick King)
An F/A-18E Super Hornet from the “Argonauts” of Strike Fighter Squadron 147 goes to power on catapult two before launching from the aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis during night flight operations. John C. Stennis and Carrier Air Wing 9 are on a scheduled six-month deployment to the western Pacific Ocean.
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NORTH ARABIAN SEA (March 6 2010) An F/A-18F Super Hornet launches from the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) during night flight operations. Dwight D. Eisenhower is on a six-month deployment as a part of the on-going rotation of forward-deployed forces to support maritime security operations. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Gina K. Wollman/Released)
CH-47 Chinook helicopter flight crews of Company B, 2nd General Support Aviation Battalion, 227th Aviation Regiment, 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, prepare for takeoff in support of a night assault training mission at Hohenfels Training Area, Germany, April 23, 2018. Soldiers of the battalion are providing aviation support during Joint Warfighting Assessment 18, an exercise that increases training readiness, future force development and interoperability with NATO allies. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Gregory T. Summers / 22nd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment)
An Apache helicopter waits to take off from HMS Illustrious.

A seaborne exercise saw two Apache helicopters from 664 Squadron, Army Air Corps, carry out deck landing practice onboard HMS ILLUSTRIOUS recently.

They embarked for a two week training package to enable pilots and ground crews to acclimatise to working in a maritime environment.
PATUXENT RIVER, Md. (June 13, 2012) An F-35C Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter test aircraft takes of during an evening flight. This was the first evening flight of an F-35C. (U.S. Navy photo by Andy Wolfe/Released) 120613-O-GR159-001
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SOUTH CHINA SEA (July 1, 2011) An F/A-18E Super Hornet launches from the aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73) during night flight operations. George Washington is underway in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of responsibility. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Danielle Brandt/Released)
25th Fighter Squadron A-10 Thunderbolt maintainers prepare U.S. Air Force Capt. Noah Evans, 25th Fighter Squadron A-10 Thunderbolt II pilot, for takeoff during Tarang Shakti 24 at Jodhpur Air Force Station, Rajasthan, India, Sept. 10, 2024. TS24 is an Indian Air Force led exercise aimed to build upon international partnerships that ultimately strengthen a shared resolve to sustain a free and open Indo-Pacific. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Natasha Stannard)
An Air Force Global Strike Command unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile launches during an operational test at 12:27 a.m. Pacific Time, Thursday, Oct. 29, 2020, at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California. ICBM test launches demonstrate the U.S. nuclear enterprise is safe, secure, effective and ready to defend the United States and its allies. ICBMs provide the U.S. and its allies the necessary deterrent capability to maintain freedom to operate and navigate globally in accordance with international laws and norms. (U.S. Air Force photo by Michael Peterson)
A Royal Air Force Tornado GR4 aircraft waits for the green light to takeoff from RAF Marham, ahead of a 3000 mile trip in support of UN Resolution 1973 to enforce the no-fly zone over Libya.
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A U.S. Air Force B-52H Stratofortress bomber taxis for takeoff in support of Operation Epic Fury, March 2, 2026. (U.S. Air Force Photo)
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At sea aboard USS John F. Kennedy (CV 67) Apr. 27, 2002 — An F/A-18C ÒHornetÓ assigned to the “Wildcats” of Strike Fighter Squadron One Three One (VFA-131) fires its after burners as is prepares to be launched from one of four steam catapult systems on the shipÕs flight deck. Kennedy and her embarked Carrier Air Wing Seven (CVW-7) are conducting combat missions in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. U.S. Navy photo by Photographer’s Mate Airman Joshua Karsten. (RELEASED)
Creating a golden streak in the night sky, a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost Mission One lander soars upward after liftoff from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025 as part of NASA’s CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services) initiative. The Blue Ghost lander will carry 10 NASA science and technology instruments to the lunar surface to further understand the Moon and help prepare for future human missions.
A U.S. Navy F/A-18 Superhornet launches from the flight deck while conducting night flight operations aboard USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) during Operation Epic Fury, March 6, 2026. (U.S Navy Photo)
An Apache helicopter waits to take off from HMS Illustrious.

A seaborne exercise saw two Apache helicopters from 664 Squadron, Army Air Corps, carry out deck landing practice onboard HMS ILLUSTRIOUS recently.

They embarked for a two week training package to enable pilots and ground crews to acclimatise to working in a maritime environment.
A U.S. Navy MH-60S with the Blackjacks of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 21, conducts nighttime flying operations aboard the future amphibious assault ship USS America (LHA 6) July 11, 2014. America is carrying Marines and Sailors from the Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force South on her transit around the South American continent. The America-class amphibious assault ship represents the Navy’s emphasis on increasing the aviation capacity of future big-deck amphibious assault ships in order to accommodate the next generation of rotary wing and VSTOL (vertical/short takeoff and landing) aircraft, such as the MV-22 Osprey and F-35B Joint Strike Fighter, adding a significant boost to the speed and agility of our maritime forces. (U.S. Marine Corps Photo by Cpl. Donald Holbert/Released)
A CV-22 Osprey assigned to the 20th Special Operations Squadron approaches the air-refueling receptacle of an MC-130J Commando II during a night flight at Cannon Air Force Base, N.M., Sept. 12, 2024. The Osprey is a tiltrotor aircraft that combines a helicopter’s vertical takeoff, hover and vertical landing qualities with the long-range, fuel efficiency and speed characteristics of a turboprop aircraft. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Gracelyn Hess)
A U.S. Marine Corps MV-22B Osprey assigned to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 262 (Rein.), 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, launches during night flight operations aboard the amphibious assault ship USS America (LHA 6) on July 25, 2024. The MV-22B Ospreys conducted night flight operations to expand mission capabilities in support of the 31st MEU. The 31st MEU is operating aboard ships of the USS America Amphibious Ready Group in the 7th Fleet area of operations, the U.S. Navy’s largest forward-deployed numbered fleet, and routinely interacts and operates with allies and partners in preserving a free and open Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Gunnery Sgt. Devin M. Nichols)
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PACIFIC OCEAN (July 12, 2010) An F/A-18 Super Hornet launches from the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) during night flight operations. Carl Vinson is underway conducting local operations off the coast of Southern California. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Adrian White/Released)
Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Aircraft Handling) 2nd Class Arnitt Jones signals an F-35B Lighting II, assigned to Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 242, during flight operations on the flight deck of the forward-deployed amphibious assault carrier USS Tripoli (LHA 7), Nov. 29, 2025 Tripoli is currently underway conducting routine operations in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations. U.S. 7th Fleet is the U.S. Navy’s largest forward-deployed numbered fleet, and routinely interacts and operates with allies and partners in preserving a free and open Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Paul LeClair)
Creating a golden streak in the night sky, a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying Intuitive Machines’ Nova-C lunar lander (IM-2) soars upward after liftoff from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 7:16 p.m. EST Wednesday, Feb. 26 as part of NASA’s CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services) initiative. The IM-2 launch is carrying NASA science, technology demonstrations, and other commercial payloads to Mons Mouton, a lunar plateau to advance our understanding of the Moon and planetary processes, while paving the way for future crewed missions.
Night operations at McEntire Joint National Guard Base, S.C. as a 169th Fighter Wing F-16 makes final preparations for takeoff, Nov. 14, 2012. (National Guard photo by Senior Master Sgt. Edward Snyder/Released)
An F-15E Strike Eagle Assigned to the 492nd Fighter Squadron sits on the arming pad prior to takeoff at Royal Air Force Lakenheath, England, Nov. 8, 2022. Night flying is an opportune time for pilots to harness and maintain their readiness should they be called at a moment’s notice. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Gaspar Cortez)
An F/A-18F Super Hornet, attached to Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 41, launches from the flight deck of Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) in support of Operation Epic Fury, March 1, 2026. (U.S. Navy photo)
A U.S. Army UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter assigned to the Kosovo Force (KFOR) Multinational Battle Group-East, Southern Command Post out of Camp Bondsteel, Kosovo, prepares for take-off at night to support operations along the Administrative Boundary Line in Northern Kosovo, Nov. 8, 2017. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Nicholas Farina)
A U.S. Air Force B-52H Stratofortress bomber taxis for takeoff in support of Operation Epic Fury, March 2, 2026. (U.S. Air Force Photo)
U.S. Air Force C-130J Super Hercules pilots with the 37th Airlift Squadron approach the runway during Thracian Summer 2024, August 24, 2024, in Plovdiv, Bulgaria. Thracian Summer included night operations, which allowed pilots to train on takeoffs, landings and flight operations while using night-vision devices. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Johnny Foister)
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PACIFIC OCEAN (Nov. 11, 2007) An F/A-18E Super Hornet, assigned to the “Eagles” of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 115, waits to launch off Catapult 2 during night time flight operations on the flight deck of the Nimitz-class nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76). Ronald Reagan is currently underway conducting a tailored ship’s training assessment. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Joseph M. Buliavac (RELEASED)
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The Arabian Gulf (Mar. 30, 2003) — An F-14A Tomcat ignites its afterburners just prior to launching off the flight deck aboard USS Kitty Hawk (CV 63). Kitty Hawk and her embarked Carrier Air Wing Five (CVW-5) are conducting combat missions in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Operation Iraqi Freedom is the multi-national coalition effort to liberate the Iraqi people, eliminate Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction, and end the regime of Saddam Hussein. U.S. Navy photo by Photographer’s Mate 3rd Class Todd Frantom. (RELEASED)
A U.S. Air Force F-35 Lightning II flies a presence patrol over the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility, March 23, 2025. The multi-capable stealth fighter joins a range of joint, coalition, allied, and partner nation aircraft already deployed to the region for a full spectrum of combat capabilities. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Jackson Manske)
A U.S. Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker offloads fuel to an A-10 Thunderbolt II over the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility, Jan. 3, 2025. The A-10’s wide combat radius and short takeoff and landing capability permit operations in and out of locations near front lines. (U.S. Air Force photo)
A U.S. Marine Corps AV-8B Harrier assigned to Marine Attack Squadron 311, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit prepares to take off during low light deck qualifications aboard the USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) out at sea, June 15, 2015. The Marines and Sailors conducted the deck qualifications to safely land and launch the different aircraft during their scheduled Fall Patrol of the Asia-Pacific region. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by GySgt. Ismael Pena/Released)
Members of the Georgia Air National Guard, 158th Air Lift Squadron, fly a HC-130 Hercules using night vision equipment during low-level maneuvers after takeoff from the Camp Shelby Joint Forces Training Center, Miss., during an air-assault mission while participating in Exercise Southern Strike 15 (SS15), Nov. 3, 2014. SS15 is a total force, multiservice training exercise hosted by the Mississippi National Guard’s from the Combat Readiness Training Center in Gulfport, Miss., from Oct. 27 through Nov. 7, 2014. The SS15 exercise emphasizes air-to-air, air-to-ground, and special operations forces training opportunities. These events are integrated into demanding hostile and asymmetric scenarios with actions from specialized ground forces and combat and mobility air forces. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Gregory Brook/ Released)