Delta 4 launches GOES-N weather satellite 5/24/06 ~ 6:11pm Homepage          Launch Photos A 21-story Boeing Delta 4 rocket, the fifth to fly since 2002, sends the next-generation Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite 'N', or GOES-N weather satellite into space for NASA and NOAA. The $475 million spacecraft will provide the latest technology in every day forecasting and hurricane prediction. GOES-N cleanroom gallery                      1st Launch Attempt (Aug 05) <--- Delta 4-Heavy debut          Delta 4-Heavy DSP-23 (Heavy night debut) --->

A fireball erupts around the base of the vehicle as excess hydrogen is ignited at main engine start:

More photos and crops:

From the press site, 2.7 miles away:

Of the five remote pad cameras I set up, one was ruined due to a wind sock I neglected to see when setting up: