alex mankevich

Space flight and space exploration enthusiast. Rocket launch photojournalist for the ZOG-43 publication. NARHAMS and National Association of Rocketry member.

[alex mankevich @varfee2]

Ignition and lift-off of the #Antares rocket on Nov. 7, 2022 from the Wallops Flight Facility. On board is the #Cygnus spacecraft. #NG18 #Antares230 Image credit: ZOG-43 / A.Mankevich

[ULA @ulalaunch]

The ULA Launch Readiness Review is GO to continue preps for launch of Atlas V with our sixth Amazon Leo constellation mission. Liftoff is planned for Monday, at 8:52 p.m. EDT (0052 UTC) from Cape Canaveral. Early weather forecast is 75% favorable.

The evening launch will be visible from Florida to New England, if weather conditions in your area permit. This visibility map shows when and where your best chances are to see the rocket as it streaks northeasterly into space.

ULA will offer live reports from launch control in our automatically refreshing blog beginning at 5:45 p.m. EDT (2145 UTC). The launch livestream starts at 20 minutes before liftoff.

https://t.co/t5WBijXrSn // @AmazonLeo

[alex mankevich @varfee2]

#HASTE launches – where the WILD things are! @RocketLab ; Launch Complex 2 ; Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport ; Wallops Flight Facility. @Virginia_Space #RocketLab

[alex mankevich @varfee2]

They went deep into the launch window for the 7:00 pm launch of the @RocketLab HASTE rocket on its "That's Not A Knife" mission from the Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. $RKLB #HASTE

[alex mankevich @varfee2]

The HASTE rocket’s DART AE mission seemingly grazed by the moon on its ascent from the @RocketLab Launch Complex 2 at the Wallops Flight Facility on Feb. 27, 2026. $RKLB #HASTE

[Hypersonix Launch Systems @HypersonixAU]

The countdown to launch is on! Our upcoming DART AE flight, taking place in late February from Virginia Spaceport Authority’s launch facility. 🚀

Led by the @DIU_x, the mission will see our DART AE vehicle deployed from @RocketLab HASTE to collect critical flight data.

Read more: https://t.co/EdAedYJLPA

[alex mankevich @varfee2]

The “Don’t Be Such A Square” / STP-S30 #Electron rocket seemingly danced among the wispy nighttime clouds on its flight path over the Atlantic Ocean to deploy four DiskSats for the Aerospace Corp. @RocketLab #RocketLab

[alex mankevich @varfee2]

The STP-S30 mission on Dec. 18, 2025, was the fourth @RocketLab mission from the #RocketLab Launch Complex 2 in 2025 and now stands as the latest Electron/HASTE rocket launched in a calendar year from the Wallops Flight Facility. #Electron

[alex mankevich @varfee2]

Liftoff of the HASTE rocket on its second backup day of Nov. 18 at 8:00 am EST. This was a sub-orbital mission and the third #HASTE rocket launch from Rocket Lab’s Launch Complex 2 so far in 2025. #RocketLab

[alex mankevich @varfee2]

Liftoff at 8:28 pm on SEP. 30, 2025 of the #HASTE rocket on its “Justin” mission from the #Wallops
Flight Facility. #RocketLab

[alex mankevich @varfee2]

The #RocketLab #HASTE rocket on the pad prior to propellant loading at Launch Complex 2 for the “Justin” mission on SEP 30, 2025.

[alex mankevich @varfee2]

Hopefully we’re seeing condensation shedding from the #HASTE rocket and not Flight Manual pages being thrown out the window during the Justin launch from #RocketLab launch complex 2. $RKLB

[alex mankevich @varfee2]

Frost line developing on the #HASTE rocket as the cryogenic liquid oxygen (LOX) is loaded at about T-1 hour to launch the JENNA mission from Rocket Lab's Launch Complex 2 on SEP 22, 2025. $RKLB

[alex mankevich @varfee2]

The $RKLB HASTE rocket sliced an arc through the VA Eastern Shore night sky on its secretive JENNA mission on SEP 22, 2025. #HASTE

[Francis Murphy @fxsmurphy]

Looks like I am packing up. Another delay. Ugh. I guess next time. $RKLB

[Rocket Lab @RocketLab]

Neutron’s debut launch is scheduled to take place in the second half of 2025, and will be the first rocket to support the NSSL program from Wallops Island, Virginia.

[Rocket Lab @RocketLab]

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas... and a Neutron launch pad!

The team at Launch Complex 3 in Virginia have completed the install of the water deluge system for Neutron’s launch pad and completed the upper deck segment for the rocket’s launch mount – all 160 tonnes of it.

[Josh Gobien @joshgphotos]

Been holding these since last night, but great progress has been made on LC-3 with the launch mount having been installed ahead of Neutron's Test Flight.

[alex mankevich @varfee2]

@joshgphotos Not at 300mm. I've been using 14 mm in portrait mode when at 2 miles from the launch pad, otherwise you won't get the arc in the image. ISO 100 F/22 140 sec exposure

[alex mankevich @varfee2]

Halo around the moon. Reflection off the water. Oh, and the Haste rocket launched by Rocket Lab arcing across the night sky from Wallops Island. @RocketLab #HASTE #rocketlab #launch #wallopslaunch #rockets

[Kyle Henry @kyle_LTS]

TFRs are now in place for Friday nights HASTE launch! Window runs from 5:45pm to 7:45pm!