An unarmed Minuteman III launched from Vandenberg Space Force Base overnight before being terminated over the Pacific Ocean.
While officials did not specifically state the unarmed intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) experienced an anomaly, leading to the decision to terminate, a press from the Space Force Base detailed what anomalies are, adding that a Launch Analysis Group is being formed to investigate the cause.
“Since anomalies may arise from many factors relating to the operational platform itself, or the test equipment, careful analysis is needed to identify the cause,” according to a press release.
Base officials say the test launch provided vital information before the safe termination of the unarmed ICBM occurred at 12:06 a.m. Wednesday.
Base officials previously said the launch was routine and scheduled years in advance.
“The command learns lessons from every test launch. Gathering data from the launch allows AFGSC (Air Force Global Strike Command) to identify and correct any issues with the weapon system to ensure the Minuteman III’s continued reliability and accuracy.
The window for the launch opened Tuesday at 11:47 p.m.
Unlike other unarmed Minuteman III launches that have been a success from Vandenberg, video of the latest launch has not been released.
