AP Aerospace Writer CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) - NASA has
launched a new communication satellite. An unmanned Atlas rocket
blasted off Wednesday night from Cape Canaveral. NASA's Tracking
and Data Relay Satellite was on board. This is the 11th TDRS
(T-driss) satellite to be launched by NASA. The space agency
uses the orbiting network to communicate with the astronauts
living on the International Space Station. The satellites also
relay all the images taken by the Hubble Space Telescope. The
first TDRS spacecraft was launched in 1983. The second was lost
aboard space shuttle Challenger in 1986. This newest third-
generation TDRS carries the letter K designation. Once it begins
working full time, it will become TDRS-11. It costs between $350
million and $400 million. (Copyright 2013 The Associated Press.
All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)