An unmanned rocket blasted off from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station on Thursday to put the newest member of NASA's space communications network into orbit.
The
19-story tall Atlas 5 rocket, built and launched by United Launch
Alliance, a partnership of Lockheed Martin Corp and Boeing Co, lifted
off at 9:33 p.m. EST (0233 GMT Friday).
With
the 3.8-ton (3,447-kg) Boeing-built Tracking and Data Relay Satellite
perched on its nose, the rocket blazed through clear, star-filled skies
as it headed southeast over the Atlantic Ocean toward orbit.
