A Delta II rocket successfully launched into orbit from Vandenberg AFB, Calif., April 28, carrying NASA’s Cloud Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder and Satellite Observations (CALIPSO) and CloudSat satellites. The launch marked the third this month for Vandenberg’s 30 Space Wing. The two satellites are to provide next generation climate change observation capabilities, including advanced study of clouds and aerosols.
The U.S. supports “a stronger and more capable” European defense, Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III said during an Oct. 22 press conference in Brussels—but that defense should not duplicate the functions and capabilities of the NATO alliance.