Silhouetted against the early morning Sun in a cold and windy sky, A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket lifts GPS 2F-12 into orbit from Space Launch Complex 41 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station at 8:38 a.m. on 5 February 2016. From the United Launch Alliance overview of the mission:

Atlas V GPS IIF-12 Mission Overview

Rocket/Payload: A United Launch Alliance Atlas V 401 will launch the GPS IIF-12 mission for the U.S. Air Force.

Date/Site/Launch Time: Friday, Feb. 5, 2016, from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida. The 19-minute launch window opens at 8:38 a.m. EST.

Mission Description: GPS satellites serve and protect our warfighters by providing navigational assistance for U.S. military operations on land, at sea, and in the air. Civilian users around the world also use and depend on GPS for highly accurate time, location, and velocity information.

GPS IIF-12 is one of the next-generation GPS satellites, incorporating various improvements to provide greater accuracy, increased signals, and enhanced performance for users.

Launch Notes: GPS IIF-12 will be ULA’s first mission of 2016 and the 60th operational GPS mission to launch on a ULA or heritage rocket.