After a five-month delay and despite lingering questions about the Delta 4 rocket's upper-stage engine, the U.S. Air Force launched its fifth satellite in the GPS 2F series of positioning, navigation and timing satellites Feb. 20. The launch aboard a United Launch Alliance (ULA) Delta 4 rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida had been delayed since October by questions surrounding an upper-stage engine anomaly that occurred during the launch of a GPS satellite aboard a similar rocket in 2012. Liftoff of the GPS 2F-5 satellite occurred at about 8:59 p.m. Eastern time following a brief delay related to concerns about solar radiation.
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