VANDENBERG SPACE FORCE BASE, Calif. -- Team Vandenberg commemorated the successful launch of the Space Development Agency's Tranche 1 Transport Layer E mission with a patching ceremony held Friday in the Pacific Coast Center's heritage room.
The ceremony, presided over by U.S. Space Force Col. James T. Horne III, Space Launch Delta 30 commander, represents a tradition which recognizes the contributions of individuals whose efforts contributed greatly to mission success. The mission "game ball" went to U.S. Space Force 1st Lt. Nick McKenzie, an officer assigned to the 2nd Space Launch Squadron, for the problem-solving skills he employed to ensure Thursday's successful launch.
The mission marked the third of six launch missions for SDA's Tranche 1 satellite constellation, part of the Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture, which offers U.S. troops around the world access to a resilient mesh network that expands capabilities for global command and control, missile tracking and warning systems, and tactical communications.