Tag: military space
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Falcon Heavy’s first national security launch slips to October
The second launch of a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket in April 2019. Credit: Walter Scriptunas II / Spaceflight Now The next launch of a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket has been delayed from July to October to await the readiness of its U.S. military payload, and the following Falcon Heavy flight has been rescheduled from late…
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China launches military observation satellite
A Long March 4C rocket lifts off with the Yaogan 34 military observation satellite. Credit: Xinhua China launched an optical Earth observation satellite April 30, beginning a mission designed to provide detailed reconnaissance imagery to the Chinese military. The Yaogan 34 spacecraft lifted off on top of a medium-class Long March 4C rocket at 3:27…
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Photos: Delta 4-Heavy rocket awaits liftoff from historic SLC-6 launch pad
A United Launch Alliance Delta 4-Heavy rocket is awaiting liftoff with a classified U.S. government spy satellite at Vandenberg Air Force Base’s historic Space Launch Complex-6, a picturesque rocket facility that was once intended to support launches of military astronauts and space shuttles. These photos show the triple-body rocket, clad in orange thermal insulation, standing…
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Spy satellite successfully launched from California military base
A Delta 4-Heavy rocket lifts off Monday from Space Launch Complex-6 at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California. Credit: National Reconnaissance Office A United Launch Alliance Delta 4-Heavy rocket climbed into orbit Monday from a military base northwest of Los Angeles, delivering to space a classified U.S. government spy satellite as large as a school bus…
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Live coverage: ULA’s heavy-lift rocket lifts off from California
Live coverage of the countdown and launch of a Delta 4-Heavy rocket with the classified NROL-82 payload for the National Reconnaissance Office. Text updates will appear automatically below. Follow us on Twitter. [tabby title=”ULA broadcast”] United Launch Alliance’s live launch broadcast begins at 1:26 p.m. PDT (4:26 p.m. EDT; 2026 GMT) on Monday, April 26.
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One of ULA’s four remaining Delta 4 rockets set to launch from California
A Delta 4-Heavy rocket stands on Space Launch Complex-6 at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. Credit: United Launch Alliance United Launch Alliance ground crews on California’s Central Coast are gearing up to send a classified U.S. government spy satellite into orbit as soon as Monday — weather permitting — aboard one of the company’s…
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Delta 2 rocket exhibit opens at Kennedy Space Center
United Launch Alliance’s final Delta 2 rocket is now displayed at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. ULA, U.S. Space Force, NASA, and Visitor Complex officials gathered Tuesday for a grand opening ceremony. Credit: Stephen Clark / Spaceflight Now United Launch Alliance’s final Delta 2 rocket is now on display at the Kennedy Space Center…
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U.S. Space Force’s next missile warning satellite arrives at Florida launch base
The SBIRS GEO 5 satellite enters a thermal vacuum chamber last year at Lockheed Martin’s factory in Sunnyvale, California. Credit: Lockheed Martin A billion-dollar missile warning satellite built by Lockheed Martin for the U.S. Space Force arrived at Cape Canaveral earlier this month to kick off final preparations for launch May 17 aboard a United…
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Northrop Grumman’s Pegasus rocket selected for responsive launch demo
A Pegasus rocket underneath its L-1011 carrier jet takes off from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, before a 2013 launch. Credit: NASA The U.S. Space Force is planning for an airborne launch of a solid-fueled Pegasus rocket over the Pacific Ocean by early summer after quietly awarding Northrop Grumman a contract for the mission last…
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China launches spy satellite triplet for third time this year
A Long March 4C rocket lifts off Saturday with three Yaogan 31 military satellites. Credit: Xinhua Three Chinese military satellites launched Saturday aboard a Long March 4C rocket, joining six others China has sent into orbit since the start of the year on ocean surveillance missions. The three Yaogan 31-series satellites took off at 0219…