A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket blasted off from Vandenberg Space Force Base under clear skies Thursday at dawn, marking its 301st and final mission from California's Central Coast.

"Today the Western Range closed another chapter in history that began with the first Atlas vehicle launch from SLC-3 in 1958," said Col. Robert Long, Space Launch Delta 30 commander and launch decision authority.

Team Vandenberg, alongside mission partners — NASA, NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) and ULA — conducted launch and range operations that helped successfully send the final Atlas mission into space at 1:49 a.m. from Space Launch Complex-3.