Air Force Space Command assumes control of TacSat-3 from the Air Force Research Lab’s Space Vehicles Directorate, following nearly 13 months of drills since its launch in May 2009. In that time, its primary payload an imaging spectrometer (dubbed ARTEMIS) responded to combatant commander taskings, including providing overhead imagery of earthquake relief efforts in Chile and Haiti.
Small satellites meant to improve the way the U.S. measures Earth’s magnetic field—an option to expand the military’s position, navigation, and timing enterprise—launched March 30 from Vandenberg Space Force Base, Calif.
