VANDENBERG SPACE FORCE BASE, Calif. -- Guardians and Airmen from Space Launch Delta 30 and Space Systems Command in support of SSC’s program executive office, Assured Access to Space, are targeting Thursday, April 11, 2024, prepare to launch U.S. Space Force’s Weather System Follow-on–Microwave (WSF-M) satellite to Low Earth Orbit from Space Launch Complex-4 East at Vandenberg Space Force Base.
The approximate 10-minute launch window opens at 7:25 a.m. PDT.
“Vandenberg Guardians and Airmen play a critical role in enabling launch operations and delivering critical space capabilities to orbit," said U.S. Space Force Col. Mark Shoemaker, Space Launch Delta 30 commander. “The mission of the Space Force is to secure our Nation’s interests in, from, and to space. Our Space Launch Delta 30 team is committed to excellence in the “to” part of that mission.”
The U.S. Space Force’s West Coast Spaceport will enable the launch of WSF-M, which will aid in modernizing space-based environmental monitoring systems.
The WSF-M satellite will provide U.S. and Allied warfighters with essential weather data, including the measurement of ocean surface wind speed and direction, ice thickness, snow depth, soil moisture, and local spacecraft Energetic Charged Particle environment. The data gathered by WSF-M will be provided to meteorologists in support of the generation of a wide variety of weather products necessary to conduct mission planning and operations globally.
Vandenberg SFB is the U.S. Space Force’s west coast spaceport and test range. Vandenberg is one of only two high-capacity spaceports for the United States, providing strategic space access capabilities that deliver on-orbit systems for global space operations. Guardians and Airmen have enabled more than 2060 launches from the Vandenberg spaceport to date.
Media planning to cover the launch must RSVP by sending their full legal name, driver's license number, state of issue, media affiliation and date of birth to SLD30.PA.workflow@spaceforce.mil no later than Wednesday, April 10, by 4 p.m. Approved media will receive a confirmation email with additional details.
Media representatives can submit questions regarding the satellite, contact Space Systems Command public affairs at sscpa.media@spaceforce.mil.