CAPE CANVERAL, Fla. — 6:20 p.m. update
The ULA Atlas V rocket carrying a secret spy satellite successfully launched into space at 5:32 p.m. following a few short delays.
Watch the launch below:
3:30 p.m. update: An unplanned hold has been inserted into the countdown of the ULA Atlas V rocket launch of a spy satellite into space, ULA announced.
The clocks stopped with an hour and 52 minutes to go while an issue is being assessed.
The new launch time has been set for 5:32 p.m. following a second brief delay.
>>>CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE LAUNCH LIVE<<<
Read our previous coverage below:
An Atlas V rocket carrying the NROL-101 mission for the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) it set to launch Friday after being postponed several times.
ULA is targeting Friday at 5:13 p.m. for the launch, the day before NASA and SpaceX are scheduled to launch four astronauts aboard the Crew Dragon space capsule from the Space Coast. Click here to learn more about the Crew launch.
PHOTOS: Rocket launches from Central Florida
The NROL-101 mission, originally scheduled for launch last week, has previously been postponed due to an issue with the upper payload, then a “ground valve issue,” and then this week due to Tropical Storm Eta.
If all goes according to plan this will be ULA’s 29th mission launched for the National Reconnaissance Office and the 17th NRO mission launched on an Atlas V. This will be the 141st mission for United Launch Alliance.
This is a classified payload of the National Reconnaissance Office, which oversees U.S. spy satellite operations. All we know is that the payload may likely be a U.S. spy satellite.
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The first Atlas V rocket was launched in 2002.
You can watch the rocket launch live on WFTV.com and the WFTV news app.