What’s that in the sky? Relax, it’s a U.S. spy satellite launched from Vandenberg
Reporting from VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE — A spy satellite for the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office was launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base on Saturday night, putting some nervous Californians on edge.
A United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket carrying the classified NROL-42 satellite lifted off at 10:49 p.m. PDT Saturday. All systems were going well when the launch webcast concluded about three minutes into the flight.
The launch was expected to be visible across a wide area of California, weather permitting, and it prompted several anxious tweets.
National Reconnaissance Office satellites gather intelligence information for U.S. national security and an array of other purposes including assessing impacts of natural disasters.
U.S. officials have not revealed what the spacecraft will be doing or what its orbit will be.
United Launch Alliance is a joint venture of Lockheed Martin and Boeing.
ALSO
Look up! You might see NASA’s asteroid-hunting spacecraft fly past Earth
How soon can NASA go back to Saturn? This is what has to happen first
As NASA’s Cassini mission flames out over Saturn, scientists mark bittersweet end of mission
Sign up for Essential California
The most important California stories and recommendations in your inbox every morning.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
