Nasa launched the last of its longtime tracking and communication satellites on Friday, a vital link to astronauts in orbit as well as the Hubble Space Telescope.

"It's like our baby," said NASA's Badri Younes, deputy associate administrator for space communications and navigation.

The 22,300-mile-high constellation links ground controllers with the International Space Station and other low-orbiting craft including Hubble.

This latest flight from Cape Canaveral was delayed two weeks after a crane hit one of the satellite's antennas last month.

Satellite maker Boeing replaced the damaged antenna and took corrective action to prevent future accidents.