[Launch Alert] Missile Launch Tomorrow

[Brian Webb]

	      ASTRONOMY/SPACE ALERT FOR SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
				  
			  Brian Webb, KD6NRP
		      Ventura County, California
			 kd6nrp@earthlink.net
		   http://home.earthlink.net/~kd6nrp
				       
				     2002 February 7 (Thursday) 11:20 PST
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		      Vandenberg Launch Tomorrow
				  
Friday's scheduled launch of a Delta II missile from Vandenberg AFB
remains on schedule. As of 10:00 this mornining, there is an 80%
probability of acceptable weather conditions at launch time.

Lift-off is scheduled for 10:00:30 PST, the start of a 5-second launch
window. Immediately after launch, the vehicle will begin heading
south and place five Iridium commercial communications satellites
into polar orbit.

For more information on the mission including a list of launch events,
go to

http://www.boeing.com/defense-space/space/delta/delta2/is-1/msn_info.htm

For the lastest countdown status, visit Spaceflight Now's web site at
				   
	   http://www.spaceflightnow.com/delta/d290/status.html

A Vandenberg Launch Net will be held on the 147.000 MHz Santa Barbara
amateur (ham) radio repeater beginning at 09:30 tomorrow.

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			   Launch Excursion
				   
I'm planning on viewing tomorrow's launch from Santa Ynez Peak in the
mountains west of Santa Barbara. If dangerous mountain roads aren't a
problem for you, feel free to join me. Directions to Santa Ynez Peak can
be found at

	     http://home.earthlink.net/~kd6nrp/vafbview.htm

If you decide to come up, please use extreme caution when driving the
stretch of road between Refugio State Beach and Santa Ynez Peak.