News Archive / Tagged: Vandenberg Air Force Base

• Delta IV Heavy launches classified NRO payload from California

  Matt HaskellApril 26th, 2021

  A Delta IV Heavy took the the skies from Vandenberg Air Force Base to send the secretive NROL-82 payload into orbit for the National Reconnaissance Office.

• US Air Force Global Strike Command conducts Minuteman III test from Vandenberg Air Force Base

  Ashly CullumberSeptember 2nd, 2020

  On Wednesday, September 2, 2020 at 12:03 a.m. Pacific Time, an operational test launch of an unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) was conducted from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California.

• Going back to Cali! SpaceX launches RADARSAT for Canadian Space Agency

  Jason RhianJune 12th, 2019

  LOMPOC, Calif. -- SpaceX successfully completed the company's second launch of 2019 from Vandenberg Air Force Base's Space Launch Complex 4 East in California. Today's flight continues pushing the company's busy 2019 flight manifest.

• Vulcan clears final review, could fly as early as 2021

  Jason RhianMay 22nd, 2019

  United Launch Alliance, along with the United States Air Force, has cleared the company's new Vulcan rocket to continue its journey toward flight.

• Gallery: NROL-71 mission finally gets underway

  Derek RichardsonJanuary 20th, 2019

  After several scrubbed attempts, United Launch Alliance was finally able to launch its Delta IV Heavy rocket with the secretive NROL-71 payload.

• NROL-71 kicks off ULA’s 2019 launch manifest

  Patrick AttwellJanuary 19th, 2019

  LOMPOC, Calif. — United Launch Alliance (ULA) successfully completed its first flight of 2019. Today's launch utilized the largest rocket in the Colorado-based company's arsenal to send a classified payload into space. In doing so the company finally managed to move past a saga of delays.

• Gallery: SpaceX’s 2019 launch manifest begins

  Jason RhianJanuary 11th, 2019

  LOMPOC, Calif. -- SpaceX carried out its first launch of the company's 2019 manifest with the flight of 10 Iridium NEXT satellites. Liftoff of the Iridium 8 mission occurred at 7:31 a.m. PST (10:31 EST / 15:31 GMT) at the opening of an instantaneous launch window.

• SpaceX starts 2019 manifest with successful Iridium 8 launch

  Curt GodwinJanuary 11th, 2019

  LOMPOC, Calif. — After enduring several delays, SpaceX successfully launched ten Iridium NEXT satellites into a polar low-Earth orbit (LEO), marking the Falcon 9’s first flight of 2019, and the last of the original contract, signed in 2010, with Iridium.

• NROL-71 launch date now under review

  Jason RhianJanuary 5th, 2019

  LOMPOC, Calif. -- After numerous delays it now appears that the flight of a Delta IV Heavy rocket will be pushed back even further.

• 2019 US launch manifest to open with Delta IV Heavy, Falcon 9 flights

  Derek RichardsonDecember 30th, 2018

  The United States' 2019 orbital launch manifest looks to be just as busy as 2018 with the first two missions of the year poised to be spillover from 2018.

• ‘Hold hold hold’: NROL-71 mission scrubbed

  Derek RichardsonDecember 9th, 2018

  LOMPOC, Calif. — Just seconds before the planned liftoff of a Delta IV Heavy rocket with the NROL-71 payload, an automatic abort of the launch sequence was triggered.

• Gallery: SSO-A soars in historic flight

  Jason RhianDecember 6th, 2018

  LOMPOC, Calif. -- A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket (with a first stage on its third mission) lifted off from Vandenberg Air Force Base's Space Launch Complex 4E in California on Monday, Dec. 3, 2018. The mission got underway at 10:34 a.m. PST and saw some 64 small satellites delivered to orbit. About eight minutes after lifting off, the Falcon 9's first stage carried out its third controlled landing on the Autonomous Spaceport Drone Ship located out in the Pacific. 

• Classified: A review of US defense missions launched in 2018

  Patrick AttwellDecember 5th, 2018

  LOMPOC, Calif. -- 2018 has seen five payloads launched for the Department of Defense. Two of these missions were classified and one failed. With the upcoming flight of a ULA Delta Heavy with the NROL-71, SpaceFlight Insider takes a look back at the DoD's 2018 launch manifest.

• SpaceX sets record with launch of 64 satellites on SSO-A

  Curt GodwinDecember 3rd, 2018

  LOMPOC, Calif. -- Overcoming numerous delays, SpaceX completed one of its most complex missions yet - the delivery of 64 satellites to a Sun-synchronous orbit.

• Gallery: SpaceX creates nebula, makes history

  Jason RhianOctober 8th, 2018

  SpaceX created its own nebula in the skies above California - as the company successfully achieved yet another milestone.