Posted: Thu, May 16, 2013, 7:37 AM ET (1137 GMT)
For the first time, an Atlas 5 rocket launched a GPS navigation satellite from Florida on Wednesday afternoon. the Atlas 5 401 lifted off from Cape Canaveral, Florida, on schedule at 5:38 pm EDT (2138 GMT) Wednesday, placing the GPS 2F-4 satellite into medium Earth orbit. The satellite is is the fourth in the 2F series of GPS satellites, augmenting the existing constellation of navigation spacecraft. The launch also marked the first time an Atlas 5 launched a GPS satellite; previously, the Air Force used the Delta 2 and Delta 4 rockets for these spacecraft.

Related Links:

•  Florida Today article
•  Spaceflight Now article
•  NASASpaceFlight.com article
•  Reuters article
•  United Launch Alliance press release