SpaceX ends year with launch of its first US military satellite

The private space agency successfully launched the United States Air Force's first Global Positioning System (GPS) III satellite.

Update: 2018-12-26 06:05 GMT
A rocket with the first 60 Starlink satellites was due to blast off from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida at 10:30 p.m. Each satellite weighs 500 pounds (227 kg), making this the heaviest payload for any SpaceX rocket to date.

Elon Musk's SpaceX decided to end the year with the launch of its first US national security mission to date.

The private space agency successfully launched the United States Air Force's first Global Positioning System (GPS) III satellite, nicknamed Vespucci, marking the last satellite launch of the year, TechCrunch reported.

SpaceX won the NSS contract with Air Force in 2016 and is scheduled to launch additional four GPS III missions on Falcon 9.

The new-gen GPS satellites will provide three-times better accuracy than current systems and will be eight-times better at anti-jamming.

(Source)

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