The Air Force said it successfully launched an Atlas V rocket into space March 13 from Vandenberg AFB, Calif. Onboard the space vehicle was a National Reconnaissance Office payload, according to Vandenberg’s release. The mission was the first Atlas V launch from Vandenberg; all previous Atlas V missions have been from Cape Canaveral, Fla. Col. Steve Tanous, commander of Vandenberg’s 30th Space Wing, praised the “hard work and dedication” of the airmen and industry partners involved in the launch.. “I am very proud of the teamwork that led to the successful and historic Atlas V mission,” he said. To make operating Atlas Vs from Vandenberg possible, the Air Force significantly modified the base’s Space Launch Complex-3, which used to accommodate Atlas II boosters.
US Space Command Should Always Be Led by a Guardian
Sept. 12, 2026
General Stephen Whiting took command of U.S. Space Command in January 2024, and if customary three-year tenures hold, his tour would end in January 2027. The question now before the President and Senate is who should follow him? Whoever they choose, it has to be a Guardian—and so should every successor…
