VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif., March 13, 2008 -- Adding to the Atlas rocket's legacy of launches from the west coast that began in 1959, United Launch Alliance's Atlas V made its debut flight from Space Launch Complex-3 East at 3:02 a.m. PDT, today. It carried a National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) payload. The launch ushers in a new era of space launch capability for the Air Force and ULA as part of the Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) program. For Atlas V, its success builds on 12 previous Atlas V launches from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla., starting in 2002.