Delta II - Rocket launches satellite into polar orbit

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif.—A Delta II rocket lifts off from here at 3:02 a.m. July 15. The rocket carried NASA’s Aura satellite into polar orbit. The 6,860-pound satellite will help scientists understand how atmospheric composition affects and responds to Earth’s changing climate. It will also reveal the processes that connect local and global air quality, and track the extent of the ozone layer’s recovery. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Rodney Jones)