Wallops Island Launch Thrills Skywatchers

At 9:46 a.m. Wednesday, a rocket soared into the bright blue sky from NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility at Wallops Island Virginia.

The Northrop Grumman Minotaur IV rocket is carrying four top-secret reconnaissance satellites. Launch was held for a while to clear boats out of the downrange area.

This is Space Force’s first launch at Wallops since being formed as a military branch last December.

The next launch at Wallops is no earlier than mid-August.