Scott Nicholas
United Launch Alliance has updated the estimated launch date of a DigitalGlobe commercial imaging satellite due to the availability of Vandenberg Air Force Base’s western range.
ULA said Sunday the Lockheed Martin-built WorldView-4 satellite will launch to space no earlier than Sept. 26.
The satellite and the ULA Atlas V rocket that will carry it are currently housed in the mobile service tower at Vandenberg AFB’s Space Launch Complex 3.
A ground leak during propellant tanking and an ongoing wildfire at the southern end of the base led to the planned Friday launch to be rescheduled to Sunday then finally to Sept. 26, Space.com reported Monday.
The WorldView-4 satellite was designed to provide panchromatic- and multispectral-resolution Earth images to customers around the world.
