Wildfire at Vandenberg AFB postpones satellite launch
By The Associated Press
In this photo released by the U.S. Air Force shows a wildfire burning at a central California Air Force base on Sunday, Sept. 18, 2016, that forced the postponement of a satellite launch at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. An Atlas 5 rocket was to carry a satellite known as WorldView-4 into orbit from Vandenberg Air Force Base. The satellite is designed to produce high-resolution images of Earth from space. The fire burning in a remote canyon didn't immediately threaten the space launch complex, Col. Paul Nosek said on the base's Facebook page. Nearly 800 firefighters were trying to corral the fire that was slightly less than a square mile in size. No new date was set for the launch, Lt. William Collette said. (Michael Peterson/U.S. Air Force Photo/Released via AP)
VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. — A wildfire burning at a central California Air Force base on Sunday forced the postponement of a satellite launch, officials said.
An Atlas 5 rocket was to carry a satellite known as WorldView-4 into orbit from Vandenberg Air Force Base. The satellite is designed to produce high-resolution images of Earth from space.
The fire burning in a remote canyon didn't immediately threaten the space launch complex, Col. Paul Nosek said on the base's Facebook page. But he said the blaze required firefighters to be redeployed from standing by at the launch.
Nearly 800 firefighters were trying to corral the fire that was nearly 2 square miles in size.
The WorldView-4 satellite is seen Sept. 16, 2016, on an AtlasV at Space Launch Complex at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif.
Photo Credit: Lockheed Martin
The launch will be postponed until at least Sept. 26, according to United Launch Alliance, a joint venture by Lockheed Martin and Boeing Co.
The satellite is the latest in a series of imaging satellites built by Lockheed Martin. It is operated by Colorado-based DigitalGlobe, which provides images for government and private customers.
The satellite is designed to spot the make of a car from nearly 400 miles (643.71 kilometers) above Earth.
In this photo released by the U.S. Air Force shows a wildfire burning at a central California Air Force base on Sunday, Sept. 18, 2016, that forced the postponement of a satellite launch at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. An Atlas 5 rocket was to carry a satellite known as WorldView-4 into orbit from Vandenberg Air Force Base. The satellite is designed to produce high-resolution images of Earth from space. The fire burning in a remote canyon didn't immediately threaten the space launch complex, Col. Paul Nosek said on the base's Facebook page. Nearly 800 firefighters were trying to corral the fire that was slightly less than a square mile in size. No new date was set for the launch, Lt. William Collette said. (Michael Peterson/U.S. Air Force Photo/Released via AP)
A wildfire burning at a central California Air Force base on Sunday, Sept. 18, 2016, forced the postponement of a satellite launch at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif.
