A wildfire burning at a central California Air Force base on Sunday forced the postponement of a satellite launch, officials said.
An Atlas 5 rocket was to carry a satellite known as WorldView-4 into orbit from Vandenberg Air Force Base. The satellite is designed to produce high-resolution images of Earth from space.
The fire burning in a remote canyon didn't immediately threaten the space launch complex, Col. Paul Nosek said on the base's Facebook page. But he said firefighters needed to be redeployed from stand-by at the launch because of the blaze.
(Score: 1) by Frosty Piss on Wednesday September 21 2016, @05:48AM
I was stationed at both Vandenberg an Beale. Wildfires are common. Often cig butts, often natural. It happens.