Power Lift-Off of Spy Satellite

Who knows what this satellite is for, but it sure is a POWER lift-off



Its the most powerful rocket ever launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base. For the first time, a Delta IV heavy rocket is at the base being prepped for launch. Since the 1960's, Delta rockets have carried satellites into orbit.

The Delta IV is meant to accommodate larger loads. Lieutenant Colonel Brady Hauboldt, launch squadron commander, said, "This is essentially three rockets put together on one space launch and it'll be quite a show."

In fact, in it's final configuration, it will stand around 238 feet tall. To give you a comparison-- the rocket is as tall as a 23-story building. As for its power, it's incredible. It can launch a school bus that weighs more than 28,000 pounds into orbit, around 22,000 miles above the earth. Hauboldt, said, "It allows us a new capability for our nation that we hadn't had previously."