Photos: Atlas 5 launches MUOS 5

The final Delta 4 Medium rocket lifts off from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station on August 22, 2019, carrying into orbit the U.S. Air Force’s GPS 3 SV02 navigation satellite.

Six satellites built in France for OneWeb are set for blastoff Wednesday from French Guiana, the first of at least 21 launches using Russian-made Soyuz rockets to haul more than 600 of the refrigerator-sized craft to orbit for global broadband service.

The U.S. Air Force has committed $109 million in funding to advance development of new rockets designed by United Launch Alliance, Blue Origin and Northrop Grumman, leaving out SpaceX in a government investment round that will lead to the military’s selection of two long-term launch providers in late 2019 or 2020.