Atlas 5 rocket launches AEHF 2 military satellite

As seen from Spaceflight Now's two sound-activated cameras at the base of Complex 41, the United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket blasts off carrying the Defense Department's latest advanced satellite for secure communications. The U.S. Air Force's Advanced Extremely High Frequency 2 satellite will continue constructing a new space-based network for high-speed, protected communications and ultimately replacing the military's aging Milstar spacecraft fleet.

See our Mission Status Center for the latest news on the launch.

Photo credit: Justin Ray/Spaceflight Now