A Delta II rocket successfully launched into orbit from Vandenberg AFB, Calif., April 28, carrying NASA’s Cloud Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder and Satellite Observations (CALIPSO) and CloudSat satellites. The launch marked the third this month for Vandenberg’s 30 Space Wing. The two satellites are to provide next generation climate change observation capabilities, including advanced study of clouds and aerosols.
An important U.S. Air Force E-3 Sentry AWACS command and control plane was among the aircraft damaged in a March 27 Iranian missile and drone attack on Prince Sultan Air Base, Saudi Arabia, people familiar with the matter told Air & Space Forces Magazine.