Weapons-Guiding Military Satellite Launches Into Space
Friday, December 21, 2007
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — A rocket carrying a GPS satellite to better guide military weapons was launched into space Thursday.
The Delta 2 rocket lifted off from Cape Canaveral at 3:04 p.m. with the modernized NAVSTAR Global Positioning System Block 2R military navigation satellite aboard for the U.S. Air Force.
The satellite is part of a constellation of 24 and one of eight that were modernized to more precisely guide weapons and a variety of civilian applications.
Powered by a solar panel that can produce up to 800 watts of power, the 4,540-pound satellite is expected to circle the earth for up to a decade before becoming obsolete.
