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A SpaceX rocket on Sunday blasted off a powerful GPS satellite for the US Air Force, marking its 21st and final launch for the year 2018.
"Three, two, one, zero. Ignition and liftoff," said a SpaceX mission control operator as the white Falcon 9 rocket took off under sunny, blue skies at 8:51 am IST (13:51 GMT) from Cape Canaveral, Florida.
It promises “three times better accuracy,” and an extended, 15-year operational life, said a SpaceX statement.
Billions of people worldwide depend on GPS to support financial, transportation, and agricultural infrastructure.
SpaceX said the rocket was a "rare, expendable" version of the Falcon 9 since it would not attempt to re-land the booster after launch, needing to reserve all the rocket fuel to propel the satellite to its distant orbit.
(Published in an arrangement with PTI)
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