Air Force Space Command announced Monday that a Minotaur rocket successfully launched from Vandenberg AFB, Calif., lifting off from Space Launch Complex 8, on April 14. The Minotaur, a ground-based version of Orbital Science Corp.’s air-launched Pegasus rocket, boosted the COSMIC spacecraft’s six low Earth orbiting micro-satellites. The COSMIC constellation is designed to collect data on moisture in Earth’s atmosphere.
The Air Force has finished modifying and testing the new VC-25B Bridge aircraft that will serve as a temporary Air Force One, the service announced May 1. All that’s left now is to finish painting the jet before it starts flying this summer.