U.S. Air Force Gains Satellite Spotter
By Michael Mecham mecham@aviationweek.com
San Francisco
Into clear, balmy skies, an Orbital Sciences Minotaur IV lifted the U.S. Air Force’s Space-Based Satellite Surveillance satellite into 335-mi. high orbit inclined 98-deg. from Vandenberg AFB, Calif., Saturday night.
Built by Boeing and Ball, SBSS weighs close to 2,200 lb. and features a gimbaled telescope on a Beryllium mount that provides a high degree of agility for its 2.4 megapixel focal ...
