One of The Most Powerful Rockets Makes Its Final Launch Into Space

After a five minute delay, The Delta IV rocket made its final launch from Cape Canaveral carrying an Air Force GPS satellite.

The satellite, named Magellan, is the second Global Positioning System III (GPS III) satellite built by Lockheed Martin for the U.S. Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center. It is part of the Air Force’s plan to upgrade and replace the 31 satellites in the Global Positioning System.

The launch was organized by the United Launch Alliance, which is a joint venture between Lockheed Martin Space Systems and Boeing Defense, Space & Security started in December 2006.

This was the 29th and final launch for the Delta IV Medium Rocket, which has been in operation since November 2002 and which has carried everything from weather satellites to critical communications into space.