Pictured above is United Launch Alliance’s (ULA) first National Security Space Launch (NSSL) mission using its Vulcan rocket.

Multiple flow phenomena are captured in this single shot, including onboard venting, condensate flowing down the booster due to the cryogenic propellant, and, most prominently, the plumes generated by the GEM 63 solid rocket boosters and the exhaust from the BE-4 main engines.

The depth created by the overlapping flows in the foreground, middle ground, and background gives the image a unique three-dimensional quality, transforming a technical moment into something that almost feels like art.

Photo Credit: United Launch Alliance

https://www.flickr.com/photos/ulalaunch/54717990624/in/album-72177720321406429