On September 26, 2010 at 04:41 UTC (September 25 at 09:41 p.m. Pacific time) the Minotaur-4 rocket-carrier with the SBSS-1 (Space-Based Space Surveillance) satellite was launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base, the central California coast, USA. The satellite was designed to detect and monitor debris, satellites and other space objects that could be a threat to national security, communications and weather satellites. The satellite was built by Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corporation. Minotaur launch vehicles are built by Orbital Sciences Corporation, using rocket motors from decommissioned Peacekeeper intercontinental ballistic missiles.
