New commercial eye in the sky launched from California

An Atlas 5 rocket carrying the most powerful Earth-imaging satellite ever built for the commercial market blasted off from California and streaked into orbit Wednesday, the latest in a series of rapid-fire flights by rocket-builder United Launch Alliance. With a rush of flame and a billowing cloud of smoke, the 189-foot-tall Atlas 5 thundered to life at 2:30 p.m. EDT (GMT-4; 11:30 a.m. local time), vaulting away from launch complex 3E at Vandenberg Air Force Base northwest of Los Angeles. More

(Source: - Aug 14)