Delta 4 Rocket Blasts into Space with Military Communications Satellite

A U.S. military satellite has now been launched into space. On Friday, an unmanned Delta 4 rocket ferrying the satellite into space blasted off from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.

The rocket itself blasted up at 8:27 p.m. EDT on Friday, creating a spectacular display during the evening launch as fire and smoke billowed from the site and lit up the night. The 217-foot spacecraft soared southeast over the Atlantic Ocean as it headed into orbit, its fiery tail clearly visible in the sky while it carried the satellite.

The $342 million satellite will be the fifth member of the Wideband Global SATCOM, or WGS, satellite network. This network provides the U.S. military, national leaders and allies with high-capacity broadband communications. It can also be used by remotely piloted aircraft and other users simultaneously, according to Reuters.

"One WGS satellite has the equivalent capacity of the entire legacy system," said David Goldstein, deputy director of military satellite communications at Los Angeles Air Force Base, during a launch webcast.

Friday's launch was actually the second in nine days for rocket manufacturer United Launch Alliance, a partnership of Boeing and Lockheed Martin. In the 78 months since two formed the joint venture partnership, they've chalked up 71 near-flawless launches and mission successes. Currently, the company plans for 12 flights this year, according to USA Today.

United Launch Alliance is continuing to tinker with the launches, though. They're fine tuning the process in order to launch rockets faster than ever. When Atlas V rockets first began flying about a decade ago, a typical launch preparation took 60 to 90 days. Now, that number has gone down drastically to a record of 27 days in January.

The satellite will reach 22,000 miles above the Earth's equator before settling into orbit over the next few months. The U.S. military has stated that it will greatly improve communications capabilities, which will be a boon, according to WTVY.com.