Vandenberg Space Force Base test-launched a Minotaur I rocket with an unarmed reentry vehicle late Monday night.

The launch was part of a test of Lockheed Martin’s new Mk21A reentry vehicle, which is designed to deploy the W87-1 warhead for the Air Force’s future Sentinel intercontinental ballistic missile weapons system.

“The Mk21A RV is crucial to addressing the rapidly changing global threat picture,” said Brig. Gen. William Rogers, the Air Force program executive officer for ICBMs. “Its continued development and deployment will ensure a safe, secure, and effective deterrent force for the foreseeable future.”

This reentry vehicle is the newer version of the Mk21 reentry vehicle, though the Space Force base’s public affairs department said it is in the early developmental stages.

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“Test launches like these are crucial for protecting our nation’s defense,” Col. Mark Shoemaker, the commander of Space Launch Delta 30, said. “As global threats evolve, it’s essential to support these launches and maintain access to space to safeguard our nation.”

This defense contract was announced in October 2023 by the Pentagon, and the department said the project is expected to be concluded by October 2039.