A Delta II rocket is slated to blast off from Vandenberg Air Force Base on Friday, marking the second launch from the base in an 11-day span.
The Nov. 10 mission is scheduled to begin at 1:47 a.m. from VAFB’s Space Launch Complex-2. The United Launch Alliance rocket will attempt to carry the first satellite of the Joint Polar Satellite System as part of a joint mission with NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
Col. Greg Wood, the 30th Space Wing vice commander, will be the space launch commander.
“This launch, like all launches, requires dedication, teamwork and attention to detail,” Wood said, according to a release from VAFB’s public affairs. “I am proud of this launch team and our partnership with NOAA and NASA. The entire team has been working tirelessly to make sure this launch is safe and successful.”
The Joint Polar Satellite System is the nation’s advanced series of polar-orbiting environmental satellites, according to the Air Force.
The system represents “significant technological and scientific advancements in observations used for severe weather prediction and environmental monitoring,” according to the release from VAFB. “These data are critical to the timeliness and accuracy of forecasts three to seven days in advance of a severe weather event.”
The launch is set to take place less than two weeks after an Orbital ATK Minotaur-C rocket was launched from VAFB on Halloween afternoon. That launch carried 10 Earth-imaging satellites into orbit for Planet Labs.
Willis Jacobson covers the city of Lompoc for Lee Central Coast Newspapers. Follow him on Twitter @WJacobsonLR.
