What the view from earth would be like if earth had rings like Saturn

The Space Shuttle Atlantis viewed from the International Space Station.

Space Shuttle Atlantis as viewed from the International Space Station. (NASA/ESA)

America, Welcome Back to the Space Race

On December 5th, NASA’s Orion capsule successfully lifted off from its platform at Cape Canaveral in Florida, reaching a max altitude of 3,600 miles in outer space. During the four-and-a-half hour test flight, it entered the Van Allen radiation belt, orbited the planet, survived its fiery re-entry into our atmosphere and dove into the Pacific Ocean to be retrieved by the Navy. Below, you can see images that represent each stage of the spacecraft’s flight, from launch to splashdown.