WASHINGTON — The United Launch Alliance said an Atlas V rocket carrying the SES-20 and SES-21 satellites for the Federal Communications Commission lifted off on Oct. 4 from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.

The Boeing-built satellites will enable SES to provide data and TV transmission services to nearly 120 million American homes. The launch is part of an FCC program to clear a portion of C-band spectrum and enable wireless operators to deploy 5G services across the contiguous U.S., ULA said in a statement.

“The Atlas V delivered the satellites accurately to a near-geosynchronous orbit 22,300 miles (35,888 km) above the equator,” said Gary Wentz, ULA vice president of Government and Commercial Programs, in the statement. “Their mission aligns with our mission to connect the world and these capabilities will enable uninterrupted commercial services to many Americans.”

ULA’s next launch is the Joint Polar Satellite System, a civilian orbiting weather mission for the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration and NASA’s Low-Earth Orbit Flight Test of an Inflatable Decelerator. The launch is planned for Nov. 1 from Space Launch Complex-3 at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.

This was the 96th launch of the Atlas V, the 80th Atlas V launch from SLC-41 and the 107th launch from SLC-41. To date ULA has launched 154 times with 100 percent mission success.

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