CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — The final launch of the Delta IV Medium rocket is set to take place Thursday morning as is retiring the rocket after nearly two decades of flights.
• ULA's new rocket will be the Vulcan Centaur
• Launch window starts at 9:01 a.m. ET today
• Watch it live on Spectrum News or stream it live on our website and mobile devices

However, on Thursday morning, ULA tweeted out that there was an indication of a hydrogen leak, but the countdown is still proceeding.

"We're flying out the Delta IV medium," said Tony Taliancich, ULA Launch Operations director and general manager. "Our plan and strategy is to eventually transition our team towards the Vulcan Centaur for the future. That is our vehicle that we're positioning ourselves for the long term competition and survivability in the market."

Eventually the Delta IV Heavy and Atlas V rockets will also be retired to make way for the next generation Vulcan rocket.

The medium is the single "stick" version of the Delta IV rocket. It first launched in 2002, and this will be its 29th flight.

The rocket has been used primarily to launch national security satellites for the U.S. military.

On board this Delta IV Medium is the GPS III satellite for the U.S. Air Force.

Nicknamed Magellan, it is the second in a series of 10 next generation GPS III satellites built by Lockheed Martin.

It is designed to improve accuracy, making it three times more accurate for military users. It also has up to eight times improved anti-jamming capabilities to make sure important signals used by our troops are not interrupted.

In addition, the satellite broadcasts a compatible signal with other international GPS systems, allowing us the ability to receive signals from other country's satellites.

In addition to the 10 GPS III satellites, the Air Force selected Lockheed Martin to build 22 additional GPS III Follow On satellites with additional capabilities.

So in total, the company is under contract to build 32 GPS satellites for the military.

Thursday's 27-minute launch window opens at 9:01 a.m. ET and runs until 9:27 a.m. ET from Space Launch Complex 37 at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. </s> CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — A rocket that’s the last of its kind delivered the newest, most powerful GPS satellite to orbit for the Air Force on Thursday.

United Launch Alliance’s Delta IV medium-class rocket blasted into a hazy morning sky from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. It was a fitting swan song for the rocket. Company President Tory Bruno tweeted that the liftoff was “hot, straight and normal.”

Two hours later, the satellite separated from the upper stage and the company declared success.

The Delta IV Medium ended its 17-year run with 29 launches. Denver-based United Launch Alliance said it will be replaced by the still-in-development Vulcan rocket. The Delta IV Heavy, meanwhile, will continue to soar.

The newly launched GPS satellite is the second in a series of next-generation navigation spacecraft. It’s nicknamed Magellan after the 16th-century Portuguese explorer. Lockheed Martin, also based in Colorado, built the satellite.

The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content. </s> The iconic white and orange stripes of United Launch Alliance’s storied Delta 4 rocket took to the skies for the last time in a medium configuration Thursday morning as it hauls an advanced GPS military satellite to orbit.

Launched at 9:06 a.m. from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station’s launch complex 37, the Delta 4 rocket is carrying the second in a series of new advanced satellites called GPS III for the Air Force.

Watch the launch here.

It’s the last liftoff for Delta 4 in a medium configuration after 17 years of launches. ULA is phasing out the rocket to make way for its new Vulcan Centaur, which could launch from the Space Coast as soon as 2021. The Delta 4-Heavy still has another five remaining launches carrying large payloads through the early 2020s.

“This is the final Delta 4-Medium launch, and I want to recognize the contribution this rocket and the people behind it have made to national security,” said Col. Shane Clark, mission director for the GPS III mission, during a news media conference call.

Delta 4-Medium will get its send-off with an important payload on board — both for the military and for everyday users.

Craig Bailey / AP A United Launch Alliance Delta IV Medium rocket lifts off from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station Friday, March 15, 2019 in Cape Canaveral, Fla.. The rocket is carrying a communications satellite for the U.S. Military. (Craig Bailey/Florida Today via AP) A United Launch Alliance Delta IV Medium rocket lifts off from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station Friday, March 15, 2019 in Cape Canaveral, Fla.. The rocket is carrying a communications satellite for the U.S. Military. (Craig Bailey/Florida Today via AP) (Craig Bailey / AP)

GPS has become such an integrated part of everyday life, said Bill Gattle, the president of Space Systems for L3Harris Technologies, which built the navigation technology on the satellite, that people may not recognize how many different systems rely on the satellites that provide global positioning.

“One of my favorite things because of kids is [to remind people that] Pokémon Go would not be possible without GPS,” Gattle said, referring to the popular phone app. “It just has very far-reaching capability into our everyday lives.”

That’s why the Air Force has invested in a new class of GPS satellites that will eventually replace the ones on-orbit now with upgraded technology. Built by Lockheed Martin, the GPS III class of satellites started to launch to median Earth orbit, 10,900 nautical miles above Earth, on Dec. 23. The second satellite in what could one day be a set of as many as 32 will go to space, if all goes well, on Thursday.

GPS III satellites will connect more than 4 billion military, commercial and civil users with GPS around the world. For regular users, the satellites come equipped with the capability to connect with other GPS systems, like Europe’s Galileo, making it easier to stay connected overseas.

“On the ground if you’re in Europe, you’ll be able to pick up either one and use them,” Gattle said.

For military personnel in particular, the GPS satellite will provide three-times better accuracy and eight-times improved anti-jamming capabilities to protect the signals from being intercepted by other forces. The spacecraft will also be able to stay in orbit 15 years — about 25% longer than the GPS satellites on-orbit today.

Most importantly, the systems on these satellites are designed to be “hack proof,” Gattle said.

“[They have] information insurance, so we’d know if people were inside it,” he said. “This is the first time we will have that software protection.”

Those safeguards are particularly important at a time when insuring the nation’s assets in space against cyber attacks from other countries has increasingly become part of the conversation — so much so that it would be built into the mission of President Donald Trump’s proposed Space Force military branch.

“Space is scary and wonderful at the same time,” Gattle said. “It’s scary in the fact that we have an infrastructure that is at risk and wonderful because there is a ton of opportunity for us to make a difference. [The Apollo generation] were truly pioneers on the human front. We are really pioneering some new technology.”

Want more space news? Follow Go For Launch on Facebook. Contact the reporter at cherrera@orlandosentinel.com or 407-420-5660; Twitter @ChabeliH </s> United Launch Alliance (ULA) is preparing for the launch of the second Global Positioning System III (GPS III) satellite for the US Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center.

Named Magellan, the second GPS III SV02 satellite will be launched on board a Delta IV rocket today at Space Launch Complex-37 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, US.

Lockheed Martin delivered the second GPS III satellite to Cape Canaveral in March.

The launch of GPS III SV02 will be ULA’s Delta IV Medium rocket’s 29th and final flight. The company will transition to the Vulcan Centaur next-generation heavy-lift launch vehicle.



ULA government and commercial programmes vice-president Gary Wentz said: “As we prepare to launch the final Delta IV Medium, we look forward to continuing its legacy through the purpose-built Vulcan Centaur.



“We are proud to continue our strong support of the GPS programme with this launch.”

The Delta IV Medium+ (4,2) configuration vehicle features two solid rocket motors produced by Northrop Grumman.

The Lockheed Martin-built GPS III system features advanced satellites and a new signal for civil users. It is intended to support the modernisation of the global navigation network.

GPS III SV02 is expected to add high-power, more accurate and harder-to-jam signals to the GPS constellation.

The GPS III system has up to eight times enhanced anti-jamming capabilities and three times improved accuracy when compared to the GPS II satellite design block.

Earlier this month, ULA launched the US Air Force’s fifth Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) communications satellite on board the Atlas V 551 rocket. </s> CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — A rocket that's the last of its kind has delivered the newest, most powerful GPS satellite to orbit for the Air Force.

United Launch Alliance's Delta IV medium-class rocket lifted off Thursday morning from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. It was a fitting swan song for the rocket. Company President Tory Bruno tweeted that the liftoff was "hot, straight and normal."

The Delta IV Medium ended its nearly two-decade run with 29 launches. Denver-based United Launch Alliance says it will be replaced by the still-in-development Vulcan rocket.

The newly launched GPS satellite is the second in a series of next-generation navigation spacecraft. It's nicknamed Magellan after the 16th-century Portuguese explorer. Lockheed Martin, also based in Colorado, built the satellite.

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Have a news tip? Email desk@wtsp.com, or visit our Facebook page or Twitter feed. </s> CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — A veteran rocket has made its final voyage, lofting a next-generation GPS satellite into orbit around Earth.

The last United Launch Alliance (ULA) Delta IV Medium rocket lifted off on Thursday morning (Aug. 22) at 9:06 a.m. EDT (1306 GMT) on the vehicle's 29th mission. After nearly two decades in service, the massive orange-and-white launcher leapt off the pad at Space Launch Complex 37 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station and delivered its final payload, a GPS III satellite for the U.S. Air Force.

The launch went off without a hitch after a few technical issues popped up, marking the second success in a month for ULA, which now has four launches under its belt this year.

Video: Watch the Last Launch of a Delta IV Medium Rocket

 Related: Meet the Delta Rocket Family of the United Launch Alliance 



The flight also marks the last time a single-stick Delta IV will soar aloft and the last time an RS-68 engine (which powers the rocket) will fly alongside two solid rocket motors. Going forward, only the single-stick's big brother, the — which consists of three single-stick cores strapped together — will ferry payloads to orbit.

Eventually, ULA plans to phase out both Atlas and Delta and rely strictly on its forthcoming Vulcan rocket to carry cargo (and humans) to space. That next-generation rocket is expected to come .

Vulcan is a more affordable alternative to its predecessors. According to ULA, the launcher will boast 3.8 million pounds of thrust and will be able to carry 56,000 pounds to low-Earth orbit. The vehicle will be powered by Blue Origin's BE-4 engine and six strap-on solid rocket boosters.

The still-in-production launcher has even racked up some sweet contracts. ULA recently announced that Vulcan will launch the upcoming and

The rise of the EELV

In the mid-1990s, the Air Force had a clear goal: to ensure the U.S. had reliable access to space. This meant there needed to be more affordable launch vehicles that could routinely carry payloads to orbit.

That need gave rise to the Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) program — now known as the National Security Space Launch program — which fostered the development of both the Atlas and Delta vehicles.

The massive Delta IV, with its hefty lift-capacity, was preceded by a smaller, teal and white rocket, known as the Delta II. (The 125-foot-tall monolith and its is now a relic of the past, having officially retired in September 2018.)

With its nose cone painted to resemble a shark — an homage to the vehicle's military roots — the Delta II started off its career in the same way the Delta IV is ending its own: with a GPS satellite. On Valentine's Day (Feb. 14) 1989, carried the first full-scale GPS satellite into space and kickstarted the navigation constellation that we continue to depend on decades later.

That first GPS satellite was originally slated to hitch a ride to orbit on the back of a . But after the Challenger's tragic explosion in 1986, the Air Force had to find new rides for its planned satellite constellation. With the shuttle program grounded for the foreseeable future, President Ronald Reagan directed the military to develop its own rockets, which is where the EELV program comes into play.

Having multiple launch vehicles at their disposal meant that the Air Force would have options on how best to transport national security and other payloads into space, while also ensuring that space would never be out of reach.

To that end, the EELV program furthered the development of the Atlas and , ensuring the Air Force had continuous access to space but also that each vehicle was configurable, allowing them to carry a variety of payloads.

However, the vehicles weren't identical backups for each other, with slightly different means of propulsion. Unlike the Atlas V which relies on refined kerosene as its primary fuel, the Delta IV instead uses liquid hydrogen to power its RS-68 engines. This difference in fuel produces quite the spectacle as the hydrogen-powered Delta essentially lights itself on fire before taking off.

ULA CEO Tory Bruno told Space.com before the launch that this was a sentimental moment for the team. The Delta IV Medium has been a tremendous workhorse for the Air Force. "Even though she [sic] lives on in the remaining flights of the Heavy, it is a bittersweet launch for our team," he said.

"I will miss this medium class of rockets the most," he said. "Especially the Delta IV, the one that lights itself on fire before blasting into space."

The Delta IV Medium features one center core booster and either two or four strap-on solid rocket motors to give it an added boost. For this launch, the vehicle was adorned with two solid rocket motors, which jettisoned just under two minutes after liftoff.

Since its introduction in 2002, the 207-foot-tall Delta IV Medium has flown a total of 29 times, 15 of those in today's two-booster configuration. The rocket has carried a plethora of payloads including ones dedicated to national security, science, and communications.

The first of this launched in December 2018, atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. SpaceX also secured launch contracts to ferry the next few GPS satellites into space.

The new batch of satellites will provide more modern capabilities to the aging constellation with signals that are three times more accurate and up to eight times more powerful than previous iterations.

The Air Force named this second flight of the GPS III satellite Magellan as a tribute to the first explorer to sail around the world, Ferdinand Magellan. The spacecraft, built by Lockheed Martin, will ultimately be a part of a massive 31-satellite constellation, providing precision timing and navigation for both military and civilian users, as well as improving anti-jamming capabilites.

Next up for ULA is the launch of an uncrewed Starliner spacecraft. The flight, currently planned for September, will be similar to SpaceX's of its Crew Dragon spacecraft, which took place in March. The space agency plans to use both vehicles to take astronauts to the International Space Station this year or next.

Follow Amy Thompson on Twitter . Follow us on Twitter or . </s> The second Global Positioning System III (GPS III) satellite, named Magellan has been successfully launched into orbit on a Delta IV rocket, the Untied Launch Alliance (ULA) said in a news release on Thursday

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 22nd August, 2019) The second Global Positioning System III (GPS III) satellite, named Magellan has been successfully launched into orbit on a Delta IV rocket, the Untied Launch Alliance (ULA) said in a news release on Thursday.

"A ULA Delta IV rocket carrying the second GPS III satellite, designated Magellan, for the US Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center lifted off from Space Launch Complex-37 on August 22 at 9:06 EDT [Eastern Daylight Time]," the release said.

The launch was the 29th and final flight of the Delta IV Medium rocket and the 73rd GPS launch by an Untied Launch Alliance vehicle, the release noted.

"The GPS III system, built by Lockheed Martin, represents the next step in modernization of the worldwide navigation network with a new generation of advanced satellites offering improved accuracy, better anti-jam resiliency and a new signal for civil users," the release said.

The Delta IV Medium launch rocket included a 4-meter payload fairing and two Northrop Grumman solid rocket motors with a booster core powered by the RS-68A engine, the release said.

The Delta Cryogenic Second Stage was powered by the RL10B-2 engine, both made by Aerojet Rocketdyne, the release added. </s> After 17 years and 29 missions, the final United Launch Alliance Delta IV rocket to ever fly in a medium configuration soared over the Space Coast one last time Thursday morning, delivering a powerful GPS satellite to orbit. After a few minor technical issues, the launch went off without a hitch, soaring into the hazy morning sky as hundreds of onlookers watched, hoping to catch a final glimpse of the Delta 4-Medium. Company President Tory Bruno tweeted that the liftoff was "hot, straight and normal." LIFTOFF of the United Launch Alliance DeltaIV rocket, modernizing the Global Positioning System to benefit the world with the practical aspects of space! usairforce AF_SMC LockheedMartinulalaunch) August 22, 2019 The payload is the second in a series of A Delta 4 rocket lifts off from from Cape Canaveral, Florida, on December 5, 2014 carrying NASA's Orion spacecraft on its first test flight Today's historic event is also the last time a single-stick Delta IV will soar aloft and the last time an RS-68 engine - used to power the rocket - will fly alongside two solid rocket motors. Looking to the future, the single-stick's big brother, the Delta IV Heavy - made up of three single-stick cores strapped together - will be used to launch payloads into orbit. ULA eventually will be phasing out both the Atlas and Delta launch vehicles, relying on the company's The Vulcan Centaur rocket has not flown yet but is a next-generation lifter developed in large part for the United States Air Force's National Security Space Launch (NSSL) program. Vulcan Centaur is a new class of space launch vehicle with the performance of a heavy launch vehicle in just a single core. ULA's Delta IV rocket launched NASA’s Orion capsule on its first orbital test flight and sent the Parker Solar Probe on its journey to become the fastest robot in history while surfing through the sun's atmosphere. The Delta IV single-core rocket lifted off on Thursday morning (Aug. 22) at 9:06 a.m. EDT (1306 GMT) on the vehicle's 29th mission. - leaping off the pad at Space Launch Complex 37 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station and delivering its final payload, a GPS III satellite for the U.S. Air Force.After a few minor technical issues, the launch went off without a hitch, soaring into the hazy morning sky as hundreds of onlookers watched, hoping to catch a final glimpse of the Delta 4-Medium. Company President Tory Bruno tweeted that the liftoff was "hot, straight and normal."The payload is the second in a series of next-generation GPS satellites and is nicknamed Magellan after the 16th-century Portuguese explorer. The satellite was built by Lockheed Martin and is officially called GPS III.Today's historic event is also the last time a single-stick Delta IV will soar aloft and the last time an RS-68 engine - used to power the rocket - will fly alongside two solid rocket motors. Looking to the future, the single-stick's big brother, the Delta IV Heavy - made up of three single-stick cores strapped together - will be used to launch payloads into orbit.ULA eventually will be phasing out both the Atlas and Delta launch vehicles, relying on the company's new Vulcan rocket to carry cargo (and humans) to space. That next-generation rocket is expected to come online sometime in 2021.The Vulcan Centaur rocket has not flown yet but is a next-generation lifter developed in large part for the United States Air Force's National Security Space Launch (NSSL) program. Vulcan Centaur is a new class of space launch vehicle with the performance of a heavy launch vehicle in just a single core.ULA's Delta IV rocket launched NASA’s Orion capsule on its first orbital test flight and sent the Parker Solar Probe on its journey to become the fastest robot in history while surfing through the sun's atmosphere. </s> VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif., Sept. 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- A United Launch Alliance (ULA) Delta II rocket carrying NASA's Ice, Cloud and land Elevation Satellite-2 (ICESat-2) spacecraft lifted off from Space Launch Complex-2 on Sept. 15 at 6:02 a.m. PDT. This marks the final mission of the Delta II rocket, which first launched on Feb. 14, 1989, and launched 155 times including ICESat-2.

From its origin as the launch vehicle for the first Global Positioning System (GPS) satellites to NASA's Earth observing, science and interplanetary satellites – including Mars rovers Spirit and Opportunity – to vital commercial communication and imaging satellites, the Delta II rocket has truly earned its place in space history.

"ULA is proud that the Delta II rocket has been a significant piece of history, launching more than 50 missions for NASA," said Gary Wentz, ULA vice president of Government and Commercial Programs. "I sincerely thank the entire ULA team, NASA, U.S. Air Force, and all of our partners and suppliers who have worked diligently to launch the final Delta II rocket, as well as the dedication of the teams throughout the past 29 years of the program."

ICESat-2 will provide scientists with height measurements to create a global portrait of Earth's third dimension, gathering data that can precisely track changes of terrain including glaciers, sea ice, forests and more. Northrop Grumman built the spacecraft. In addition to ICESat-2, this mission included four CubeSats which launched from dispensers mounted to the Delta II second stage.

This mission launched aboard a Delta II 7420-10 configuration rocket, which included a 10-foot-diameter payload fairing (PLF). The booster for this mission was powered by the RS-27A engine and the second stage was powered by the AJ10-118K engine.

This is ULA's seventh launch in 2018 and the 130th successful launch since the company was formed in December 2006.

ULA's next launch is the AEHF-4 mission for the U.S. Air Force on an Atlas V rocket from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida.

With more than a century of combined heritage, United Launch Alliance is the nation's most experienced and reliable launch service provider. ULA has successfully delivered 130 satellites to orbit that aid meteorologists in tracking severe weather, unlock the mysteries of our solar system, provide critical capabilities for troops in the field and enable personal device-based GPS navigation.

For more information on ULA, visit the ULA website at www.ulalaunch.com, or call the ULA Launch Hotline at 1-877-ULA-4321 (852-4321). Join the conversation at www.facebook.com/ulalaunch, twitter.com/ulalaunch and instagram.com/ulalaunch.
The second GPS IIIA satellite is successfully launched by a Delta IV Medium rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. It is the last launch of the Delta IV Medium vehicle.