Unarmed Test Missile Launched From Vandenberg Air Force Base
VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE (CBSLA) — A test missile was launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base Wednesday, lighting up the night sky over Central California.
The unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile launched at 12:33 a.m. and traveled about 4,200 miles to the Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands.
Bucket list item achieved: saw a rocket launch into space. Specifically a Minuteman III from Vandenberg at 00:33 PST, from a hilltop about 35 km away. Good view from a few seconds after liftoff, through staging, and I think until MECO after about 3-4 minutes.
— Bruce Hoult (@BruceHoult) February 5, 2020
Officials from the Air Force Global Strike Command, which conducted the test launch, say the test verifies the accuracy and reliability of the ICBM weapon system, and are not a response to world events or regional tensions.
Wednesday's launch was the first launch of the year from this base, and the first since it became part of the newly designated United States Space Force.