The Air Force on Jan. 17 successfully launched a classified intelligence satellite for the National Reconnaissance Office onboard a United Launch Alliance Delta IV heavy rocket fired from Cape Canaveral AFS, Fla. This mission, which took place from the cape’s space launch complex 37, was the third Delta IV heavy launch overall, but the first in support of NRO, ULA said in a release. Last September, Gary Payton, USAF’s point man for space, said the Air Force would not launch a Delta rocket until it was sure that components for the booster had been adequately tested for their ability to withstand the rigors of launch. Payton said the decision came after it was determined that a contractor’s test equipment had not been properly calibrated for vibration testing of some Delta booster parts.
Details Murky as ARRW Falls Short in Second Test
March 24, 2023
The second all-up flight of the AGM-183A Air-Launched Rapid Response Weapon on March 13 fell short of a fully successful test, but the Air Force isn’t saying what went wrong with the Lockheed Martin-built hypersonic missile. The defense giant's Missiles and Fire Control division recently said the ARRW is "ready…