A Minotaur rocket roared into orbit from the Virginia coast Wednesday night, successfully deploying a small spacecraft to make the benefits of satellite technology more accessible to deployed U.S. military forces in Afghanistan and other war zones in the Middle East.

Developed on a rapid timeline for the Pentagon's Operationally Responsive Space office, the satellite will snap images of the battlefield and relay them directly to troops, bypassing intelligence analysts and ground controllers in the United States.

The ORS 1 satellite's importance is highlighted by the planned reduction in troop levels in Afghanistan, according to a U.S. Air Force space official.

"It's even more critical as we look at operations in CENTCOM and the Department of Defense starts to draw down troops," said Peter Wegner, director of the ORS office. "Capabilities like ORS 1 are truly force-enablers and force-multipliers for those young men and women, allowing them to see what's going on around them."

With less manpower on the ground, forces will need a technological edge over the enemy. The ORS 1 spacecraft will operate at the whim of troop commanders on the battlefield, while legacy reconnaissance satellites typically capture strategic imagery that ends up in the hands of analysts in Washington, D.C.

"As terrorists move around the world to other locations, space-based [intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance] capabilities are going to very critical to the future of our country," Wegner said.

The 957-pound spacecraft blasted off at 11:09 p.m. EDT Wednesday (0309 GMT Thursday) atop a Minotaur 1 rocket from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport at Wallops Island, Va.

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Once the ORS 1 satellite separated from the Minotaur rocket, it was supposed to deploy its solar panels to generate electricity, then begin a month-long checkout phase to confirm the spacecraft is in good health.

"We are planning on a 30-day launch and early orbit period, at the completion of which we look forward to handing the satellite control authority over to the 1st Space Operations Squadron and Schriever Air Force Base," said Air Force Col. Carol Welsch, the ORS 1 mission director, in remarks before the launch.

"We're going to check out the systems themselves and make sure the spacecraft is operating as we intended it to," Welsch said.

The spacecraft will serve U.S. troops deployed under the auspices of U.S. Central Command, which oversees military action in Afghanistan, Iraq and other theaters in the Middle East.

It will give military forces another source of tactical intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance data. Based on the imaging sensor from the U-2 spy plane, the ORS 1 satellite's primary payload will deliver snapshots from an altitude of 250 miles directly to commanders on the battlefield.

The military has not released the specific capabilities of the imager, but it should be sharp enough to see vehicles, structures and enemy movements.

Although existing satellites provide better coverage, their images don't go directly to the battlefield. They are used by intelligence analysts in the United States to help guide strategic decisions on longer timescales.

Peter Wegner, director of the military's Operationally Responsive Space office, says the ORS 1 satellite will look more like an unmanned aerial drone than a spacecraft to military operators.

"In a sense, what we did is we built this satellite so that it looks very much like an airborne sensor to the operators at Central Command," Wegner said before launch. "It's the very same computer and software systems that they use to task airborne ISR assets and airborne imagery systems. They will use those exact same assets to task this spacecraft. The data will come down in a very similar format using some of the very same radios and links that we use on airborne systems today."

Tonight's flight extends the Minotaur rocket's record to 12 successful satellite launches into Earth orbit. The Minotaur 1 configuration that launched tonight has now achieved 10 successes in 10 launches since 2000, while the larger Minotaur 4 booster has conducted two flawless satellite missions.

T+plus 12 minutes. Spacecraft separation! The 957-pound ORS 1 spacecraft has been released from the Minotaur's fourth stage to begin collecting battlefield imagery for U.S. forces deployed in Afghanistan and the Middle East.

T+plus 11 minutes. Deployment of the ORS 1 satellite is scheduled to occur in about one minute.

T+plus 10 minutes, 30 seconds. Telemetry is now being received through NASA's tracking satellite network.

T+plus 10 minutes. The fourth stage has completed its burn and the vehicle should be in orbit.

T+plus 8 minutes, 50 seconds. Third stage separation and fourth stage ignition are confirmed. The fourth stage Orion 38 solid rocket motor will burn for about 66 seconds to finish the job of placing the ORS 1 satellite into orbit.

T+plus 7 minutes, 30 seconds. The third stage will be released at about T+plus 8 minutes, 31 seconds, and the fourth stage will ignite at about T+8 minutes, 48 seconds.

T+plus 6 minutes, 45 seconds. The Minotaur is now 900 miles southeast of the launch site at an altitude of 230 miles. It is traveling at 12,000 mph.

T+plus 6 minutes. No problems have been reported thus far in this 10th flight of a Minotaur 1 rocket.

T+plus 5 minutes. Systems aboard the Minotaur continue to look good as the rocket coasts to orbital altitude.

T+plus 3 minutes, 30 seconds. The third stage has burned out and the Minotaur is beginning a coast phase lasting more than five minutes. The rocket will fly to an altitude of nearly 250 miles, where the third stage will separate and the fourth stage will ignite to reach orbital velocity.

T+plus 3 minutes. Normal vehicle performance reported by the launch team.

T+plus 2 minutes, 30 seconds. The nose cone protecting the payloads during the early portions of the launch has been jettisoned.

T+plus 2 minutes, 20 seconds. Second stage separation and third stage ignition confirmed.

The Minotaur is now being powered by components from the Pegasus rocket. The Orion 50XL third stage will fire for about 73 seconds.

T+plus 2 minutes. Minotaur is 55 miles in altitude, 70 miles east of the launch pad, traveling at 5,800 mph.

T+plus 61 seconds. The M55A1 first stage motor has completed its burn and separated from the SR19 second stage motor. Both stages are heritage motors from the Minuteman ballistic missile.

T+plus 38 seconds. Passing through the area of maximum aerodynamic pressure on the rocket. Velocity is 1,750 mph.

T+plus 15 seconds. The rocket has pitched on course for the climb to space over the Atlantic Ocean.

LIFTOFF! Liftoff of the Minotaur 1 rocket launching the ORS 1 satellite to deliver battlefield imagery to deployed military forces.

T-minus 30 seconds to launch.

T-minus 50 seconds. Data recording charts are running.

T-minus 90 seconds. The rocket's ordnance is being armed.

T-minus 2 minutes. Auto sequence start. The Minotaur's flight computer is now controlling the final countdown.

T-minus 3 minutes. The range is clear for launch. The Minotaur rocket's internal computer will assume control of the countdown in one minute.

T-minus 4 minutes. The flight computer has been armed and the rocket's C-band tracking beacon is functioning as expected on internal power.

T-minus 5 minutes. The rocket's avionics are switching to internal power.

T-minus 6 minutes. A final poll of the launch team concluded with authorization to launch the Minotaur 1 rocket at 11:09 p.m. EDT this evening.

T-minus 7 minutes. The ORS 1 spacecraft is verified configured for launch.

T-minus 8 minutes. After transitioning to internal power, the rocket's flight termination system is now being armed.

T-minus 9 minutes. The Minotaur's destruct system is now switching to internal power.

T-minus 10 minutes and counting.

T-minus 12 minutes and counting. The exact 0309:00 GMT (11:09:00 p.m. EDT) launch time is being loaded into the rocket's flight computer.

T-minutes 12 minutes, 30 seconds. The ORS 1 satellite is now running on internal power.

T-minutes 15 minutes and counting. A poll of the launch team confirms everyone is "go" for launch.

NEW LAUNCH TIME. The Minotaur rocket launch is now expected at 11:09 p.m. EDT.

The launch conductor says the earlier problem with the flight termination system was due to a batch command issue. It has now been resolved.

Engineers are re-checking the Minotaur's tracking beacon and re-aligning the rocket's inertial navigation system as they set up the rocket for another launch attempt at 11:28 p.m. EDT (0328 GMT).

The launch team is configuring the Minotaur rocket for another attempt.

NEW LAUNCH TIME. A new targeted launch time of 11:28 p.m. EDT is now being coordinated.

The launch team has verified the flight termination system transitioned to internal power during the latest troubleshooting steps. Launch could be retargeted for 11:28 p.m. EDT (0328 GMT), the end of tonight's launch window.

Engineers are now troubleshooting the Minotaur's flight termination system as part of the anomaly investigation.

The launch team is also evaluating how long it will take to the satellite's internal battery to support another attempt tonight.

We are awaiting news on whether the Minotaur launch will be able to proceed tonight. The launch window closes at 11:28 p.m. EDT (0328 GMT).

The launch team is going through procedures to safe the Minotaur rocket and ORS 1 satellite after the countdown hold call.

The countdown is holding at T-minus 7 minutes, 26 seconds. There was a problem switching the Minotaur's flight termination system to internal power. The FTS would be used to destroy the rocket if it had problems in flight.

HOLD.

T-minus 9 minutes and counting. The rocket's flight termination system is switching to internal power.

T-minus 10 minutes and counting.

The launch hazard area is clear and the official targeted launch time of 10:05 p.m. (0205 GMT) is being loaded into the Minotaur's flight computer.

The ORS 1 satellite is also operating on internal power.

T-minus 15 minutes and counting. A status check of the launch team indicates all remains "go" for launch.

T-minus 20 minutes and counting. Today's launch will be the 10th flight of a Minotaur 1 launch vehicle, which is powered by two stages from the Minuteman 2 ballistic missile and two stages derived from the Orbital Sciences air-launched Pegasus rocket. It is the fourth Minotaur rocket launch from Wallops Island, Va.

At liftoff, the rocket will streak away from the launch pad on more than 200,000 pounds of thrust from its M55A1 first stage motor. It will pass the speed of sound and the point of maximum dynamic pressure in the first 40 seconds of flight, then shed its solid-fueled first stage at T+plus 61 seconds.

Its Minuteman-heritage SR19 second stage will fire for 72 seconds, then give way to an Orion 50XL third stage. During the third stage burn, the Minotaur's 61-inch payload fairing will be jettisoned.

After a lengthy coast phase, the Orion 38 fourth stage will ignite to accelerate the ORS 1 payload to orbital velocity. Spacecraft separation is expected at T+plus 11 minutes, 48 seconds. Be sure to check out our launch timeline for a more detailed look at the flight sequence.

The issue with upper level winds appears to be resolved and the countdown is continuing toward launch at 10:05 p.m. EDT (0205 GMT). Management approved a waiver to address the issue.

The Minotaur's flight termination system has been tested. The destruct device would be used to destroy the rocket if it veered off course during flight.

The Minotaur's flight termination system has been tested. The destruct device would be used to destroy the rocket if it veered off course during flight.

T-minus 25 minutes and counting. The rocket's tracking beacon has passed a preflight check, and the flight termination system is now being tested.

T-minus 30 minutes and counting.

The launch team is evaluating data on upper level winds from a weather balloon. It's not year clear what impact this may have on tonight's launch.

All other systems are functioning well at this point in the countdown. Next up is the activation of the rocket's C-band tracking beacon and checks of the Minotaur's destruct system.

The Wallops launch danger area has been confirmed clear of all personnel.

T-minus 45 minutes and counting. The Minotaur's inertial navigation system has been successfully aligned.

T-minus 52 minutes and counting. The rocket's S-band communications system is verified healthy and ready for launch.

T-minus 52 minutes and counting. The rocket's S-band communications system is verified healthy and ready for launch.

T-minus 55 minutes and counting. The first steps of the final countdown checklist include activating the Minotaur's avionics for alignment of the vehicle's inertial guidance system and verifying the rocket's S-band telemetry communications system signal strength.

T-minus 58 minutes and counting. Rocket systems are being activated for final testing.

T-minus 60 minutes and counting. The launch team is opening up the final checklist to guide activities through liftoff.

It is nightfall at the Wallops launch site on the Eastern Shore of Virginia. The facility is about 80 miles northeast of Norfolk and 110 miles southeast of Washington, D.C.

The final countdown checklist begins at T-minus 60 minutes to configure the rocket and spacecraft for flight.

T-minus 1 hour, 15 minutes. It's quiet at this point in the countdown. The launch team is waiting to open up its final checklist at T-minus 60 minutes. No technical issues are being worked with the Minotaur rocket, ORS 1 satellite or the Wallops range.

T-minus 1 hour, 47 minutes. All the launch pad workers have been evacuated to a fallback area.

T-minus 2 hours and counting. The launch team is working no issues with the Minotaur rocket, the ORS 1 spacecraft, or the range tracking assets. Weather is also favorable.

Final launch vehicle closeouts and arming of the Minotaur rocket have been completed. Technicians will soon evacuate the launch pad.

Now workers at the launch pad are preparing to complete final arming of the Minotaur rocket.

T-minus 2 hours, 30 minutes and counting. The countdown has resumed for tonight's launch, which is now set for 10:05 p.m. EDT after a delay to resolve a spacecraft launch support equipment problem. The launch window extends until 11:28 p.m. EDT.

NEW LAUNCH TIME. Liftoff of the Minotaur rocket is now targeted for 10:05 p.m. EDT (0205 GMT) from Wallops Island, Va.

Next up in the Minotaur countdown sequence is the power-up of the ORS 1 spacecraft and final launch vehicle closeouts, and arming of the rocket.

The mobile shelter has been retracted to reveal the seven-story Minotaur 1 rocket on the launch pad. The gantry is used to help assemble the rocket, give crews access to the vehicle and protect the Minotaur from inclement weather.

The countdown clock continues to hold at T-minus 2 hours, 30 minutes.

The gantry is now in motion.

The launch director has given the "go" to roll back the mobile gantry from around the Minotaur 1 rocket at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport. The Minotaur is poised for launch from pad 0B, the southernmost of two launch facilities at Wallops Island, Va.

The team has resolved the issue with powering up launch support equipment for the ORS 1 spacecraft. The equipment is now being activated and the anomaly is being closed.

Officials are still discussing the best path forward with the launch support equipment problem that has delayed this evening's launch. Liftoff could still occur tonight in a launch window that closes at 11:28 p.m. EDT (0328 GMT).

This visibility map shows what regions of the U.S. East Coast could be positioned to catch a glimpse of the Minotaur's fiery launch into space.

Check out the launch timeline describing key events during the Minotaur rocket's ascent into space.

Weather appears favorable through the duration of tonight's launch window.

HOLD. T-minus 2 hours, 30 minutes and holding. The countdown has paused as engineers study the anomaly with launch support equipment. This means launch will likely not occur as scheduled at 8:28 p.m. EDT. But there is a three-hour launch window extending until 11:28 p.m. EDT for the Minotaur to get off the ground tonight.

The launch team is still working the problem with the ORS 1 spacecraft's launch support equipment and the data flow between the satellite and the blockhouse.

A patch commemorating 11 Medal of Honor recipients from U.S. Central Command is emblazoned on the side of the 70-foot-tall Minotaur rocket. CENTCOM will use the ORS 1 satellite to capture images of battlefield for U.S. forces.

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T-minus 3 hours and counting. After completing a round of flight termination system, guidance and navigation, communication and steering checks on the Minotaur rocket, the launch team is proceeding with preparations to retract the mobile shelter at the pad.

Officials have cleared the data issue relating to NASA's tracking satellites, but engineers continue to troubleshoot launch support equipment causing a data flow anomaly between the ORS 1 spacecraft and the blockhouse at Wallops.

Meanwhile, the Minotaur is powered up and the launch team is beginning a series of preflight tests.

The launch team is also working an issue with test data transmitted through NASA's fleet of Tracking and Data Relay Satellites. The orbiting satellite network will monitor the Minotaur rocket's ascent into space.

The launch team is discussing an anomaly with launch support equipment reported by the spacecraft team. No details on the problem are available at this time.

Meanwhile, the Minotaur rocket team is preparing to power up the launch vehicle for the first phase of testing in this afternoon's countdown. The weather outlook has improved again, and there is now a 100 percent chance of acceptable conditions for liftoff this evening.

T-minus 5 hours and counting. The launch team is on console for this evening's countdown.

T-minus 7 hours and counting. The countdown has started for tonight's planned blastoff of a Minotaur 1 rocket at 8:28 p.m. EDT (0028 GMT) from Wallops Island, Va.

Weather continues to look favorable for tonight's three-hour launch window. Storms forced the launch team to scrub liftoff yesterday.

The weather forecast tomorrow is much improved over today, with a 90 percent chance of acceptable conditions for launch, according to a Wallops Flight Facility spokesperson.

Officials plan to try again tomorrow to launch the Minotaur 1 rocket with the U.S. military's tactical imaging satellite named ORS 1. The launch window is unchanged, opening at 8:28 p.m. and closing at 11:28 p.m. EDT.

SCRUB. Tonight's blastoff of a Minotaur 1 rocket with the ORS 1 tactical reconnaissance satellite has been called off due to stormy weather around the launch site at Wallops Island, Va.

The launch team ordered a hold in the countdown about one hour ago as workers closed access doors on the mobile shelter protecting the 70-foot-tall Minotaur rocket from the elements.

There is no official word yet on when the team will try again to launch the Minotaur rocket, but there is another opportunity tomorrow evening.

Workers have cleared pad 0B at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport to wait out approaching thunderstorms. The countdown continues to hold at T-minus 3 hours, 52 minutes.

The countdown is now holding.

The launch team is now powering down the Minotaur vehicle to safe the rocket in light of approaching thunderstorms.

With the decision to hold off on retracting the protective service gantry at the Minotaur launch pad, crews are now discussing how to proceed with this evening's countdown. Officials could insert a hold in the countdown to wait for weather to clear.

T-minus 4 hours, 6 minutes and counting. After beginning preparations to retract the mobile service shelter from around the Minotaur rocket, the launch team is now closing doors on the gantry to shield the rocket from potential lightning in the area.

There is still a 70 percent chance of unacceptable weather during tonight's launch window.

The next phase of the countdown was expected to be preflight testing of the Minotaur rocket.

T-minus 5 hours and counting.

With about five-and-a-half hours remaining until launch, the countdown is underway at the Wallops Flight Facility for this evening scheduled liftoff of a Minotaur 1 rocket.

The latest weather update continues to show a 70 percent chance of scattered storms violating the launch's strict weather requirements. But officials are hopeful there will be an opportunity to launch the Minotaur during tonight's three-hour window, which extends from 8:28 p.m. to 11:28 p.m. EDT.

The launch team is working no major issues at this point in the countdown.

Launch of the Minotaur 1 rocket from the Virginia coast remains set for 8:28 p.m. EDT Tuesday (0028 GMT Wednesday), but there is a 70 percent chance scattered thunderstorms could violate weather rules.

There is a three-hour launch window for the rocket to blast off Tuesday evening. Otherwise, the flight would be delayed until at least Wednesday. The weather outlook improves later in the week.

Officials gathered Saturday at the Wallops Flight Facility for the launch readiness review. The meeting concluded with a "go" to continue with launch preparations before Tuesday's launch attempt.

The countdown is scheduled to begin at 1:28 p.m. EDT (1728 GMT). Retraction of the launch pad's mobile service shelter should begin a few hours later, exposing the seven-story rocket for the remainder of the countdown.

If launch occurs at the opening of the window, the Minotaur rocket will soar into space at sunset, potentially making for a colorful ascent visible along the U.S. East Coast from North Carolina to New York, including Washington, D.C.

The U.S. Air Force plans to launch a $226 million mission aboard a Minotaur rocket Tuesday to reshape how deployed forces receive battlefield imagery from space, a breakthrough in the Pentagon's program to field tactical satellites on smaller budgets and faster schedules.

The Minotaur 1 rocket, partially composed of decommissioned Minuteman missile stages, is scheduled to ignite and soar into space at 8:28 p.m. EDT Tuesday (0028 GMT Wednesday) from pad 0B at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport, a commercial facility located on the grounds of NASA's Wallops Flight Facility on Virginia's Eastern Shore.

The launch window extends for three hours, according to NASA and Air Force officials. But there is a 70 percent chance weather could violate preset rules and force a delay.

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