Jane Edwards
The U.S. Air Force has launched a Boeing-built Wideband Global SATCOMÂ 7Â military communications satellite into space.
Boeing said Thursday the satellite onboard a United Launch Alliance-made Delta IV rocket lifted off from a launch complex at Florida-based Cape Canaveral Air Force Station Wednesday.
The company said the WGS-7 satellite has a digital payload component designed to improve delivery of bandwidth communication services to U.S. military and allied forces.
Boeing will deliver three more WGS satellites to the service branch and expects to launch WGS-8 later next year.
Aerojet Rocketdyne provided the propulsion systems designed to provide the thrust necessary for the rocket to take off and carry out orbit insertion for the satellite.
Orbital ATK equipped the WGS-7 satellite with thermal control hardware and provided the Graphite Epoxy Motors 60 intended to boost the rocket off the pad.
