Liftoff! SpaceX launches GPS satellite for U.S. Space Force

We have liftoff!

SpaceX launched a rocket from SLC-40 at Cape Canaveral on Thursday.

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The Falcon 9 rocket blasted off carrying a GPS navigation satellite for the U.S. Space Force. The 15-minute launch window opened at 12:09 p.m. 

The satellite is said to be the U.S. Space Force's newest kind and will modernize GPS constellation.

Chip Eschenfelder with Lockheed Martin explained to FOX 35 the benefits we could see from this new technology, stating that "it's three times more accurate than anything else in orbit, . It has eight times improved anti-jamming signal for our armed forces."

The satellite is also able to connect to the Gallileo GPS system used by the European Union for even better coverage.

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Space X reached another milestone Thursday as well: 19 successful launch and landings in 2021 alone.

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