Go for launch

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- A Delta II rocket launches at 2:22 a.m. February 6, 2009 from Space Launch Complex-2 here. The rocket carried a NOAA-N Prime polar-orbiting weather satellite for NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. This was Vandenberg’s first launch of 2009. (U.S. Air Force photo/2nd Lt. Justin Jessop)

Go for launch

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- A Delta II rocket launches at 2:22 a.m. February 6, 2009 from Space Launch Complex-2 here. The rocket carried a NOAA-N Prime polar-orbiting weather satellite for NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. This was Vandenberg’s first launch of 2009. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Andrew Lee)

Preparing for launch

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- A Delta II rocket is exposed after the launch tower rollback Feb. 3. The rocket is carrying a NOAA-N Prime polar-orbiting weather satellite for NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. (U.S Air Force photo/Senior Airman Stephanie Longoria)

Lift off

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- A National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration weather satellite is raised into position for mate to Vandenberg's Delta II rocket. The rocket is scheduled to launch Feb. 4.

3 SOPS Ribbon Cutting

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif- Lt. Col. Brent McArthur, commander of the 3rd Space Operations Squadron, cuts a ribbon to announce the opening of 3rd SOPS, at the Vandenberg tracking station Nov. 12. The 3rd SOPS operates under the 50th Space Wing located at Schriever AFB, Colo. (U.S. Air Force Photo/Airman 1st Class Andrew Lee)

Air Force Week

HOLLYWOOD, Calif. -- Members of Team Vandenberg inform the citizens of Los Angeles of the importance of space as it relates to the Air Force during Air Force Week Los Angeles Nov. 16 in the Hollywood and Highland Center in Hollywood, Calif. The Air Force Week program allows the Air Force to communicate to America's communities nationwide the critical role the Air Force plays in global humanitarian missions, the nation's dominance of air, space and cyberspace, and defending America's future. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Raymond Hoy)

minute man III

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- A Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile successfully launches at 1 a.m. Nov. 5 from North Vandenberg. The missile was configured with a National Nuclear Security Administration test assembly in which a single unarmed re-entry vehicle traveled approximately 4,190 miles to their pre-determined targets near the Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands. (U.S. Air Force photo /Joe Davila)

minute man III

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- A Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile successfully launches at 1 a.m. Nov. 5 from North Vandenberg. The missile was configured with a National Nuclear Security Administration test assembly in which a single unarmed re-entry vehicle traveled approximately 4,190 miles to their pre-determined targets near the Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands. (U.S. Air Force photo /Joe Davila)

Vandenberg successfully launches Minuteman III

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- A Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile successfully launches at 1 a.m. Nov. 5 from North Vandenberg. The missile was configured with a National Nuclear Security Administration test assembly in which a single unarmed re-entry vehicle traveled approximately 4,190 miles to their pre-determined targets near the Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands. (U.S. Air Force photo / 2nd Lt. Raymond Geoffroy)

Vandenberg successfully launches Minuteman III

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- A Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile successfully launches at 1 a.m. Nov. 5 from North Vandenberg. The missile was configured with a National Nuclear Security Administration test assembly in which a single unarmed re-entry vehicle traveled approximately 4,190 miles to their pre-determined targets near the Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands. (U.S. Air Force photo / Airman 1st Class Andrew Lee)

Tower Roll Back

The tower rolls back exposing a Delta II rocket hours before launch Oct. 24. Vandenberg successfully launched the Delta II rocket at 7:28 p.m. The rocket took off from Space Launch Complex-2 carrying the Thales Alenia-Space COSMO-SkyMed 3 Satellite. (U.S. Air Force photo / Senior Airman Stephanie Longoria)

Delta II launch

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- A Delta II is scheduled to launch from Vandenberg Oct. 24. The Rocket will be carrying an Italian based Cosmo satellite. (Courtesy photo)