The Air Force Research Lab has set May 5 for the launch of Tactical Satellite-3 (TacSat-3) from NASA’s Wallops Island facility in Virginia. Launch of the less than 880-pound satellite on its year-long experimental mission had been delayed more than once as program officials worked through repairs to some of its components. TacSat-3 carries three experiments: Raytheon’s ARTEMIS hyperspectral imager, the Office of Naval Research’s satellite communications package, and AFRL’s space avionics experiment. (Kirtland AFB, N.M. report by Michael Kleiman)
KC-46’s Refueling Boom Damaged While Refueling F-22s
July 8, 2025
A U.S. Air Force KC-46 tanker suffered damage to its boom while refueling F-22 Raptors off the coast of Virginia on July 8, Air & Space Forces Magazine has confirmed, with reported radio communication from the crew indicating the boom “detached.”