The US military launched an Atlas V rocket from Cape Canaveral on Wednesday carrying a top secret satellite into space, officials said.

The Atlas V lifted off at 8:28 am local time (1228 GMT) with a NROL-38 payload on board for the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO), the US intelligence agency that oversees spy satellites.

Details of the NROL-38 remained classified but according to a specialist website, Nasaspaceflight.com, it was likely a new communications satellite, the 18th military satellite of that type.

Wednesday's launch of the NROL-38 is the second of four scheduled for the NRO, according to United Launch Alliance, a joint venture owned by Lockheed Martin and Boeing.