Waterside view of Delta 4 GPS 2F-6 Launch

The United Launch Alliance Delta 4 Medium+ (5,4) rocket lifted off at 8:18 p.m. EDT (0018 GMT) from Cape Canaveral in service to the U.S. military’s Wideband Global SATCOM communications satellite constellation.

The booster rocket that will launch NASA’s next-generation Orion space capsule on a two-orbit, four-hour shakedown cruise in December has been rolled to the launch pad at Cape Canaveral.

The first mission for United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan rocket as part of the National Security Space Launch Phase 2 contract will be USSF-106. ULA began stacking the rocket that will support this mission in October 2024.