A Japanese H-2A rocket, carrying the Michibiki 2 navigation satellite, lifted off from the Tanegashima Space Center at 0017:46 GMT Thursday (8:17:46 p.m. EDT Wednesday).
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Falcon 9
Air Force requirements will keep SpaceX from landing Falcon 9 booster after GPS launch
The demands of launching the first in an upgraded line of U.S. Air Force GPS navigation satellites, including a late load of extra fuel for the spacecraft and a military policy of reserving fuel to eliminate space junk, will keep SpaceX from recovering the first stage of its Falcon 9 rocket following liftoff Thursday from Cape Canaveral, according to mission managers.