For the second time this month, the Air Force has test launched an unarmed intercontinental ballistic missile from the Central Coast, a decision that North Korea called a threatening move.
The Minuteman III missile was successfully launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base at 12:40 Thursday morning.
The missile’s reentry vehicle successfully made it more than four thousand miles to a test range in the South Pacific.
It’s the latest in a series of launches from the base intended to test the reliability of equipment, and flight crews. A similar successful launch from the base took place May 1st.
Air Force officials say the test launch had been scheduled years in advance.
North Korea test launched two short range missile around the same time, one less than 15 minutes before the Vandenberg launch, and one less than 15 minutes later.
