WATCH: Vandenberg Air Force Base Delta IV Rocket Launch

The Delta IV rocket lit up the sky northwest of Santa Barbara early Wednesday

A rocket carrying a payload for the U.S. government has successfully launched from the central California coast.

The Delta IV rocket lit up clear night skies at 3:40 a.m. Wednesday as it lifted off from Vandenberg Air Force Base and into orbit.

The rocket carried a payload for the National Reconnaissance Office, which operates the nation's system of intelligence-gathering satellites. The agency hasn't released any details about the payload.

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