The second test launch this week of an unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile from Vandenberg Air Force Base was scheduled, as of press time, for Thursday morning between 3 and 9 a.m. The first launch took place last Sunday around 3 a.m. and was declared a success. According to a Vandenberg statement, the purpose of the missions is to confirm system components are working properly and to provide the Dept. of Defense and Dept. of Energy with the collected data to “ensure a safe, secure, and effective nuclear deterrent.”
