The first Minotaur IV launch from Vandenberg Space Force Base since 2011 is set to happen this week.
Vandenberg reports the Northrop Grumman Minotaur IV launch, which is part of the NROL-174 mission, is scheduled to liftoff Wednesday at 12:33 p.m.
The mission has multiple national security payloads.
Lifting off from Space Launch Complex (SLC) 8 at Vandenberg, this west coast SLC has launched six Minotaur 1 and three Minotaur IV rockets before.
Since 2011, other Minotaur rocket launches supporting NRO missions have happened at Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia in 2020 and 2021.
"The NRO is the best in the world at providing overhead intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance to more than half a million government users—including every member of the Intelligence Community, two dozen domestic agencies, our nation’s military, lawmakers, and decision makers," according to a statement from the NRO. "Over the past two years, NRO has launched more than 150 satellites, creating the largest and most capable government constellation on orbit in our nation’s history. Continuing with this momentum, 2025 is set to be another dynamic year, with approximately a dozen NRO launches scheduled."
Vandenberg reports people in the area may hear one or more sonic booms due to Wednesday’s launch.
