Nation’s Largest Rocket Takes To Space

The 235-foot Delta IV Heavy rocket is the largest in the US. The countdown begins to its blast off from Vandenberg Air Force Base north of Santa Barbara as early as 10:52 a.m. Wednesday. Why is it making the trip to space? The giant rocket is carrying a large, top-secret spy satellite for the federal government.

According to the LA Times, the rocket, the tallest ever to be launched from the base, is set to place a classified spacecraft into polar orbit for the National Reconnaissance Office, the covert umbrella agency that operates spy satellites.