On Nov. 13 the Space Coast saw a rare day-to-night doubleheader: Blue Origin’s New Glenn — the 95th orbital launch from Florida in 2025 and New Glenn’s second flight — and, hours later, ULA’s Atlas V, which deployed a communications satellite. Photographers Craig Bailey and Malcolm Denemark captured the week’s standout images despite weather delays and remote-camera failures. Executive Editor Mara Bellaby noted doubleheaders are uncommon, especially without SpaceX’s Falcon 9 in the mix. The resulting photos highlight the drama and unpredictability of launch photography.
Day-to-Night Doubleheader on the Space Coast: New Glenn and Atlas V Produce Photo(s) of the Week
On Nov. 13 the Space Coast saw a rare day-to-night doubleheader: Blue Origin’s New Glenn — the 95th orbital launch from Florida in 2025 and New Glenn’s second flight — and, hours later, ULA’s Atlas V, which deployed a communications satellite. Photographers Craig Bailey and Malcolm Denemark captured the week’s standout images despite weather delays and remote-camera failures. Executive Editor Mara Bellaby noted doubleheaders are uncommon, especially without SpaceX’s Falcon 9 in the mix. The resulting photos highlight the drama and unpredictability of launch photography.
07:56 PM, 11/15/2025Science
Day-to-Night Doubleheader Inspires Striking Photo(s) of the Week
If you live on Florida’s Space Coast for more than a few days, there’s a strong chance you’ve seen a rocket roar off the pad — and on Nov. 13, residents witnessed a rare day-and-night doubleheader that delivered images editors couldn’t narrow down to a single cover shot.
The week’s Photo(s) of the Week showcase the work of sky-focused photographers Craig Bailey and Malcolm Denemark. Blue Origin’s New Glenn lifted off earlier in the day, marking the 95th orbital rocket launch from Florida’s Space Coast in 2025 and only the vehicle’s second flight. Hours later United Launch Alliance sent an Atlas V into the sky, deploying a communications satellite and recording the region’s 96th liftoff of the year.
Mara Bellaby, Executive Editor: “Doubleheader launch days are still rare on the Space Coast, but even rarer are launches that don’t include Brevard’s most frequent flier, SpaceX’s Falcon 9.”
For Bailey and Denemark, capturing dramatic launch photos meant adapting on the fly. Weather delays, a passing front with wind and rain, and technical hiccups forced quick decisions about location and equipment.
Craig Bailey: “Sometimes you just gotta make do. I tried a few different approaches that didn’t pan out — partly because the launch was delayed by weather and technical issues. I moved away from the beach hoping to use boats and locals as a foreground, but it was a Thursday afternoon, not a leisurely weekend.”
Bailey also described problems with remote cameras: only about half of the units he put out performed as planned after the wind and rain disabled several he couldn’t clear in the field. Still, the working cameras produced compelling frames — a glass-half-full result that helped define this week’s selection.
Why it matters: Doubleheaders are a visual and logistical challenge for photographers and the public alike, and this Nov. 13 pairing stood out not just for the launches themselves but for the evocative images they produced — day and night — by photographers who adapted under pressure.
This article originally appeared on Florida Today: "Liftoff! 2 too-cool launches land spots in Photo(s) of the Week."