A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket blasted off from Vandenberg Air Force Base on September 13 at 2:39 p.m. following a launch delay that lasted more than a month due to instrumentation issues.
The rocket, which is carrying a security payload for the National Reconnaissance Office, was set to launch on August 2 but was detained to ensure maximum measures of public safety, according to Col. Nina Armagno, 30th Space Wing commander, in a previous press release.
The departure marks the fifth Atlas V launch executed by Team Vandenberg and was implemented according to plans. “It’s an honor to work alongside the men and women of Team Vandenberg, United Launch Alliance, the National Reconnaissance Office and our mission partners,” said Armagno in a written statement following Monday’s successful launch. “These synergistic relationships are what guide Vandenberg to continual mission success and lead us into the next generation of spaceport excellence.”
The next launch on the agenda is the Minuteman III, slated for a November 14 takeoff.