The 4th Space Operations Squadron at Schriever Air Force Base, Colorado made first contact with the Advanced Extremely High Frequency Four satellite minutes after its launch Oct. 17.
United Launch Alliance used an Atlas V 551 rocket to launch the AEHF-4 communications satellite for the U.S. Air Force from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida.
Lt. Col. Armon Lansing, 4th SOPS commander, said the spacecraft will provide some new capabilities.
“Many of the space systems we have are ageing and this launch provides some new capabilities as far as security and increasing bandwidth for our strategic and tactical users,” he said.
