Posted: Wed, Jan 21, 2015, 7:30 AM ET (1230 GMT)
The most powerful variant of the United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket successfully launched a military communications satellite Tuesday night. The Atlas 5 551 rocket lifted off from Cape Canaveral, Florida, at 8:04 pm EST (0104 GMT Wednesday) and placed the Mobile User Objective System (MUOS) 3 satellite into geostationary transfer orbit. The launch was delayed by about 20 minutes due to high upper level winds and a range communications issue. MUOS-3, weighing more than 6,700 kilograms, provides voice and data services for the US Navy. The spacecraft is the third of a planned five-satellite fleet.

Related Links:

•  SpaceNews article
•  Spaceflight Now article
•  Florida Today article
•  NASASpaceFlight.com article
•  ULA press release