Donald Trump’s fledgling “Space Force” today fired four top-secret satellites into orbit from a launchpad in Virginia.
A Minotaur IV rocket carried the classified payload for the National Reconnaissance Office, the US agency tasked with operating spy satellites.
The mission marked the first time the US Space Force launched from Nasa’s Wallops Flight Facility on Wallops Island, Virginia.
The rocket was built by US aerospace firm Northrop Grumman. It lifted off at roughly 3pm BST (10am ET) on Wednesday.
“It’s a go for launch of a Northrop Grumman Minotaur IV rocket July 15 from Nasa’s Wallops Flight Facility,” Nasa wrote in a press release on Tuesday.
“The weather continues to look favourable for the launch.”
The Space Force was officially established in December 2019 and is the first new military service since the Air Force launched in 1947.
The 16,000 airmen and civilians that make up the Space Force are technically part of the Air Force — which previously oversaw offensive operations in space. But President Donald Trump has made it clear he sees the newest service as critical to the future of American defense.
As well as spy satellites, the agency is helping to develop and operate technologies for space warfare.
The window for today’s launch opened at 9am ET (2pm BST). The official liftoff time was classified until launch. A 78-foot tall Minotaur IV fired into space powered by engines pinched from decommissioned Cold War Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles.
According to SpaceFlightNow, four payloads for the National Reconnaissance Office were sent into orbit. The satellites were designed, built and operated by the NRO, which has not disclosed their purpose.
Dubbed NROL-129, the mission “supports NRO’s overall national security mission to provide intelligence data to United States’ senior policy makers, the Intelligence Community and Department of Defense,” the NRO said.
“The team is really excited and ready to get going here on this mission,” Northrop Grumman’s Kurt Eberly said. The Minotaur rocket family uses retired motors from Minuteman and Peacekeeper missiles built to carry nuclear warheads.
In total, 26 of the rockets have launched since 2000, 16 of which have sent satellites into orbit.
SOURCE
ThSun
