The Associated Press reported April 11 that a research satellite built for the U.S. Air Force was sent into orbit that day at 6:35 a.m. on an Orbital Sciences Corp.-built Minotaur launch vehicle, from Vandenberg Air Force Base. Lockheed Martin built the satellite, dubbed XSS-11, for $80 million, according to the report. It will be used to rendezvous with several in-orbit targets, the report stated.