United Launch Alliance has delayed the launch of a Delta IV rocket carrying the ninth Wideband Global SATCOM communications satellite due to a problem with a first-stage booster, the company announced Saturday. The WGS-9 launch had been scheduled for this week, but when a routine pre-launch inspection uncovered the booster issue, ULA delayed the launch to “no earlier than March 14.” ULA launched the previous satellite in the WGS constellation aboard a Delta IV rocket on Dec. 7, 2016.
The Air Force is looking to adapt the laser-guided rocket pods it currently mounts on fighter aircraft for targeting swarms of small drones from the ground.

