CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- An advanced military satellite received a lift into earth orbit on Wednesday designed to join a growing classified constellation serving America's armed forces on the ground.
The National Reconnaissance Office L-38 satellite -- one of the smaller of the on orbit fleet -- is designed to relay communications for troops both in the air and on the ground and carry data at fast speeds.
High winds near the ground and low clouds at Cape Canaveral threatened to delay the launch. As the countdown reached zero, the slim white and bronze rocket's lone engine ignited, pushing the vehicle upward from it's ocean side launch pad.
A United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket lifted-off into a cloudy morning sky from America's Space Coast at 8:28 a.m. EDT, darting out over the Atlantic waters.
The launch drew hundreds of spectators to watch from the surrounding beaches, including Sally Myers and her family from Tampa.
"Incredible!" Myers shouted with a smile as the waves crashed on the Cocoa Beach shore just feet from her viewing spot. "It caught us by surprise. My kids were saying there's a launch over there so we just stopped and watched in awe."
Little is know about the payload, however it's size is much smaller than that of a larger satellite, NROL-15, which is poised to lift-off next week from Cape Canaveral.
(Charles Atkeison reports on science & technology for Examiner.com. Follow his updates via Twitter @AbsolutSpaceGuy.)
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
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