The Delta IV Heavy - the US military's biggest satellite launcher - has flown for only the second time. The huge rocket lifted off from Cape Canaveral in Florida and successfully placed a spy spacecraft in orbit. The 2.3-tonne Defence Support Program (DPS) satellite will monitor missile launches and gather intelligence. The Delta IV Heavy first flew in 2004. Back then, manufacturer Boeing touted the behemoth as a possible astronaut launcher for use beyond the shuttle.
The 23rd and final satellite of the Air Force's Defence Support Program was successfully put into geosynchronous orbit, more than 22,000 miles above the Earth, 6 hours, 20 minutes, after lift-off. The reconnaissance satellites use infrared sensors that detect heat from missile and booster plumes against the background of the Earth.