National Security

The space weather experts who give the go-ahead on when to launch and avoid disaster

By Abraham Mahshie
Published November 28, 2020 11:45am ET
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The space weather experts who give the go-ahead on when to launch and avoid disaster
45th Weather Squadron Airmen discuss launch operations at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida, June 13, 2020. | U.S. Air Force photo by Airman Thomas Sjoberg

CAPE CANAVERAL AIR FORCE STATION, Florida — On March 26, 1987, NASA launched Atlas/Centaur AC-26 from Cape Canaveral. Just 49 seconds after liftoff, it was struck by lightning.

The electrical charge of the lightning strike sent an erroneous message to the engines, causing them to overfire and the rocket to break up, leading to the break up of the launch vehicle.

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Department of Defense (Department of War) Florida Jeff Bezos NASA Space Force Weather