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.
The night sky over the beautiful City of Santa Maria is illuminated by a launch from our neighbors at VAFB! Photo courtesy of SMPD OFC Ustick pic.twitter.com/9ruZrQTWMN
— City of Santa Maria Police Department (@SMPDHQ) February 5, 2020
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.