A Delta II rocket carrying a National Reconnaissance Office satellite successfully launches Dec. 14 from Space Launch Complex-2 at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. (U.S. Air Force photo/Michael Stonecypher)
A Delta II rocket carrying a National Reconnaissance Office satellite successfully launches Dec. 14 from Space Launch Complex-2 at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. (U.S. Air Force photo/Rodney Jones)
A Delta II rocket carrying a National Reconnaissance Office satellite successfully launches Dec. 14 from Space Launch Complex-2 at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. (U.S. Air Force photo by Joe Davila)
A Delta II rocket carrying a National Reconnaissance Office satellite successfully launches Dec. 14 from Space Launch Complex-2 at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. (U.S. Air Force photo/Master Sgt. Richard Freeland)
A Delta II rocket carrying a National Reconnaissance Office satellite successfully launches Dec. 14 from Space Launch Complex-2 at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. (U.S. Air Force photo/Master Sgt. Richard Freeland)
by Airman 1st Class Erica Stewart
30th Space Wing Public Affairs
12/19/2006 - VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. (AFPN) -- Vandenberg AFB officials successfully launched a Delta II rocket carrying a National Reconnaissance Office payload from Space Launch Complex-2 at 1 p.m. Dec. 14 here.
The Delta II, a 125.75-foot expendable launch, medium-lift vehicle, launches civil and commercial payloads into low-earth, polar, geosynchronous transfer and stationary orbits.
"(This) successful launch was accomplished from the outstanding teamwork from all organizations to include the 30th Space Wing, Space and Missile Systems Center, NRO, and recently named United Launch Alliance," said Col. Jack Weinstein, 30th SW commander.
"Vandenberg ensures national security with each executed launch, continuously proving that no one does it better," he said.
"The perfect orbit insertion we achieved is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the professional Airmen of the 30th Space Wing," said Lt. Col. David Goldstein, commander of the 4th Space Launch Squadron. "The 4th SLS along with the 30th Launch Support Squadron and the Aerospace corporation conducted launch base mission assurance guaranteeing 100 percent mission success and we delivered; the satellite launched will provide invaluable intelligence data to support the war on terrorism."
The next United Launch Alliance mission from Vandenberg AFB will be an Atlas V in the spring.
