The State - News from Aug. 30, 1985
A Titan 34D booster missile carrying a secret payload failed during a test flight and exploded minutes after liftoff from the Central California coast, the Air Force said. The crash ignited a 20-acre brush fire in the launch pad area at the massive Vandenberg Space and Missile Test facility, Capt. Rick Sanford said. Because of the classified payload, the Air Force released little information about the launch. Booster rockets typically carry an internal destruct package that can be detonated in the event of a malfunction. An investigation is under way to determine the cause of the failure, Sanford said.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
