ESA Solar Orbiter team at the launch pad

The ESA Solar Orbiter team, along with ESA Director of Science Günther Hasinger (eighth from the right), at the launch pad at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, US, on Sunday 9 February 2020. In the background, the Atlas V 411 rocket that would lift the spacecraft into space several hours later. 

Solar Orbiter was launched at 05:03 CET on 10 February (23:03 EST on 9 February) on its mission to face the Sun and study it up close.

Liftoff for Solar Orbiter, ESA’s mission to face the Sun up close