Team Vandenberg launches Delta II rocket

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- A Delta II rocket launches from Space Launch Complex 2 here Oct. 28, 2011. The rocket carried NASA's NPOESS Preparatory Project (NPP) satellite into orbit. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Levi Riendeau)

Team Vandenberg launches Delta II rocket

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- Team Vandenberg launched a Delta II rocket carrying the Aquarius/SAC-D (Satelite de Aplicaciones Cientificas) observatory from Space Launch Complex-2 here at 7:20 a.m. PDT Friday, June 10, 2011. The Aquarius/SAC-D observatory is a collaboration between NASA and Argentina's space agency, Comision Nacional de Actividades Espaciales (CONAE). Aquarius is the NASA-built primary instrument on the SAC-D spacecraft, built by CONAE. Aquarius will map global changes in salinity -- the concentration of dissolved salt -- at the ocean surface. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Lael Huss)

NASA WISE Delta II launch successful

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- Vandenberg launched a Delta II rocket Monday, Dec. 14, 2009, from Space Launch Complex 2 here. The rocket carried NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer satellite. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Andrew Lee)

NASA WISE Delta II launch successful

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- Vandenberg launched a Delta II rocket Monday, Dec. 14, 2009, from Space Launch Complex 2 here. The rocket carried NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer satellite. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Andrew Lee)

Heavy lifting

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- United Launch Alliance workers prepare to hoist a Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer satellite for emplacement onto an ULA Delta II rocket. The satellite will observe the entire sky in mid-infrared wavelengths with greater sensitivity than ever before. The rocket is scheduled to launch from Vandenberg's Space Launch Complex-2 on Dec. 9. (U.S. Air Force photo/Mark P. Mackley)

Heavy lifting

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- United Launch Alliance workers prepare to hoist a Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer satellite for emplacement onto an ULA Delta II rocket. The satellite will observe the entire sky in mid-infrared wavelengths with greater sensitivity than ever before. The rocket is scheduled to launch from Vandenberg's Space Launch Complex-2 on Dec. 9. (U.S. Air Force photo/Mark P. Mackely)

Launch preparations

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASED, Calif. -- United Luanch Alliance workers lift a solid rocket motor for emplacement on a Delta II rocket. The Delta II rocket will launch NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer satellite, which will observe the entire sky in mid-infrared wavelengths with greater sensitivity than ever before. (Courtesy photo/Mark P. Mackley)

Launch preparations

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- United Luanch Alliance workers place a solid rocket motor on a Delta II rocket. The Delta II rocket will launch NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer satellite, which will observe the entire sky in mid-infrared wavelengths with greater sensitivity than ever before. (Courtesy photo/Mark P. Mackley)

Vandenberg successfully launches Delta II

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- Vandenberg successfully launched a Delta II rocket from Space Launch Complex-2 at 1:24 p.m. May 5. At approximately one hour after liftoff, with confirmation of the payload's delivery into low Earth orbit, the launch was pronounced a success. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Andrew Lee)

Steady as she goes

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- A Delta II Rocket fairing is moved into position March 11 at the bottom of the Main Support Tower, or MST, of a Delta II Rocket at Space Launch Complex-2 here. The rocket will carry the Space Tracking and Surveillance System Advanced Technology Risk Reduction, or STSS-ATRR, research and development satellite for the Missile Defense Agency. NASA will oversee the launch. The Delta II is scheduled for launch May 5. (U.S. Air Force photo/Mark Mackley)

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/Joe Davila)

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/Joe Davila)

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/Joe Davila)

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)

Preparing for launch

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- A launch tower retracts, exposing a Delta II rocket hours before launch 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)

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)

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)

Vandenberg successfully launches Delta II

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif.-- Vandenberg AFB successfully launched a Delta II rocket from Space Launch Complex-2 at 11:51 a.m. on Sept. 6. The rocket carried the GeoEye-1 Satellite into a circular Sun-synchronous orbit where the satellite will begin its mission of collecting multispectral or color images of the Earth for both government and commercial organizations. (Photo by Joe Davila)

Delta II

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif.-- Vandenberg AFB successfully launched a Delta II rocket from Space Launch Complex-2 at 11:51 a.m. today. The rocket carried the GeoEye-1 Satellite into a circular Sun-synchronous orbit where the satellite will begin its mission of collecting multispectral or color images of the Earth for both government and commercial organizations. (Air Force Photo/Airman 1st Class Nathaniel Prost)

Delta II

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif.-- Vandenberg AFB successfully launched a Delta II rocket from Space Launch Complex-2 at 11:51 a.m. today. The rocket carried the GeoEye-1 Satellite into a circular Sun-synchronous orbit where the satellite will begin its mission of collecting multispectral or color images of the Earth for both government and commercial organizations. (Air Force Photo/Airman 1st Class Nathaniel Prost)

Delta II Launch

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif.-- Vandenberg AFB successfully launched a Delta II rocket from Space Launch Complex-2 at 11:51 a.m. today. The rocket carried the GeoEye-1 Satellite into a circular Sun-synchronous orbit where the satellite will begin its mission of collecting multispectral or color images of the Earth for both government and commercial organizations. (Courtesy Photo)

Vandenberg successfully launches Delta II

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif., - Team Vandenberg successfully launches a Delta II rocket from Space Launch Complex-2 at 12:46 a.m. Friday. The rocket carried the OSTM/Jason-2 Satellite into an 830-mile near-circular orbit. The primary role of the spacecraft will be to measure and gather information about ocean topography. (U.S. Air Force photo/Joe Davila)

Vandenberg successfully launches Delta II

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif., - Team Vandenberg successfully launches a Delta II rocket from Space Launch Complex-2 at 12:46 a.m. Friday. The rocket carried the OSTM/Jason-2 Satellite into an 830-mile near-circular orbit. The primary role of the spacecraft will be to measure and gather information about ocean topography. (U.S. Air Force photo/Joe Davila)