History was made Feb. 5 when United Launch Alliance launched the 12th GPS 2F satellite to complete a constellation that modernizes this indispensable capability for the U.S. Air Force and billions of GPS users around the world. This was ULA's 104th successful launch, an unprecedented record of success that has led many to think of the physics-defying act of space launch as an almost routine activity. What is little known is that the journey of that satellite actually began in 1998. And therein tells a tale that is relevant to the current - and often misleading - debate over ensuring future launch capability for U.S. national security missions.
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