The Air Force and launch provider United Launch Alliance (ULA) successfully launched the sixth Global Positioning System IIF (GPS IIF-6) satellite Friday from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla.
The launch was delayed a day due to weather. The launch vehicle was a Delta IV medium-plus configuration powered by an Aerojet Rocketdyne RS-68 main engine, along with two ATK [ATK] GEM-60 solid rocket motors, according to a ULA statement. The upper stage was powered by an Aerojet Rocketdyne RL10B-2 engine.
ULA’s next launch is the Atlas V NROL-33 mission for the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) scheduled for Friday. The launch will also take place from Cape Canaveral. Both the GPS IIF-6 and the NROL-33 launches are part of the Air Fore’s Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) program.
Aerojet Rocketdyne is a division of GenCorp [GY]. ULA is a joint venture of Lockheed Martin [LMT] and Boeing [BA].