A U.S. Navy communications satellite was headed for a stationary orbit high above Earth Wednesday following its successful launch of aboard a Lockheed Martin Corp Atlas 3B rocket.
The launch was rescheduled after an earlier attempt was scrapped Monday due to technical problems shortly before launch.
Lift off was at 9:30 p.m. ET from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.
Thirty-three minutes later, the Navy's Ultra High Frequency Follow-On F11 communications satellite had separated from the rocket's upper stage
The UHF F11 is the final satellite in a constellation providing tactical mobile communications to the U.S. armed forces and their national security clients, the Navy said.
Ground controllers reported they had made contact with the Boeing Co.-built satellite and its systems were working as expected.
