Weather issues delayed the launches for the Minotaur IV Lite, carrying DARPA’s HTV-2 hypersonic test vehicle, and USAF’s X-37B orbital test vehicle. The Minotaur launch from Vandenberg AFB, Calif., was set for April 20 but late Monday officials decided to delay a day, possibly two, because of poor weather conditions, reports the Lompoc Record. Similarly poor weather forced delays in the space shuttle landing (Discovery landed April 20), so officials postponed the inaugural X-37B launch, now set for April 22, per United Launch Alliance’s launch schedule.
Anduril Industries announced a new family of air-breathing cruise missiles intended to be low-cost and producible in large numbers. The “Barracuda” series is meant to flesh out anemic U.S. weapon inventories so munitions aren't exhausted in the first few weeks of an air campaign.