Posted: Tue, Sep 18, 2007, 8:55 PM ET (0055 GMT)
A Delta 2 rocket placed a next-generation commercial remote sensing satellite into orbit Tuesday. The Delta 2 7920-10 rocket lifted off from SLC-2W at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California at 2:35 pm EDT (1835 GMT); the payload, WorldView-1, separate from the rocket's second stage 73 minutes later. The spacecraft, built by Ball Aerospace for DigitalGlobe, is the most powerful commercial remote sensing satellite ever launched, and is capable of taking images with a resolution of sharp as half a meter. The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) financed the satellite under its NextView program to support to development of a new generation of commercial remote sensing satellites. The launch was the 75th consecutive successful launch for the Delta 2 family, dating back over a decade.

Related Links:

•  AP article
•  Space News article (subscription required)
•  Denver Post article
•  Spaceflight Now launch status center
•  DigitalGlobe press release