[Launch Alert] Vandenberg AFB Launch Schedule

Wed Dec 1 23:10:34 EST 2004

                             LAUNCH ALERT

			           Brian Webb
		         Ventura County, California
		        E-mail: kd6nrp at earthlink.net
	         Web Site: http://www.spacearchive.info

		                     2004 December 1 (Wednesday) 19:06 PST
----------------------------------------------------------------------

		       VANDENBERG AFB LAUNCH SCHEDULE
		            As of 2004 December 1

                           Launch
                         Time/Window
       Date               (PST/PDT)          Vehicle       Pad/Silo
-------------------    ---------------    -------------    --------

Late JAN-Early-FEB?    10:00-13:00        Falcon I         SLC-3W
Payload is the Naval Research Laboratory's TacSat-1 satellite. The
launch window is fixed and does not change if the launch date changes.

FEB                    To be announced    Minuteman III    ---
ICBM test launch (non-orbital). Payload is one or more unarmed
warheads (probably Mk-12). Impact area is in the Reagan Test Site at
Kwajalein in the central Pacific. The Air Force will announce the
date and launch window about 36-hours in advance. Glory Trip 187GM

MAR 1                  To be announced    Delta IV         SLC-6
Classified National Reconnaissance Office payload. The DoD will
announce the launch time about 24-hours in advance. NROL-22

MAR 2                  Mid-morning        Pegasus XL       Offshore
Payload is NASA's DART satellite

MAR 10                 ~02:00             Delta II         SLC-2W
Payload is the NOAA N environmental satellite. Launch time is based
on informed speculation

APR                    To be announced    Minuteman III    ---
ICBM test launch (non-orbital). Payload is one or more unarmed
warheads (probably Mk-12). Impact area is in the Reagan Test Site at
Kwajalein in the central Pacific. The Air Force will announce the
date and launch window about 36-hours in advance. Glory Trip 188GB

MAY                    To be announced    Peacekeeper      ---
ICBM test launch (non-orbital). Payload is one or more unarmed
warheads (probably Mk-12). Impact area is in the Reagan Test Site at
Kwajalein in the central Pacific. The Air Force will announce the
date and launch window about 36-hours in advance. Glory Trip 34-PA

MAY 26                 ~03:00?            Delta II         SLC-2W
Payload is the CloudSat and CALIPSO environmental satellites. Launch
time is based on informed speculation

----------------------------------------------------------------------

	        Southern California Astronomical Events
			        for 2004 December

		  Time
  Date      (PST/PDT)              Event
--------	---------	-----------------------------

DEC 2		05:00		Titan Western Elongation
Saturn's moon Titan attains its greatest angular separation from the
planet and is visible in tripod-mounted binoculars or a small
telescope.

DEC 4		16:53		Last Quarter Moon
Moon rises at midnight and sets at noon.

DEC 4		23:00		Planetary Conjunction
Venus and Mars 1.3° apart

DEC 7		01:36		Iapetus Superior Conjunction
Saturn's moon Iapetus (magnitude +11.0) conveniently placed for
observation

DEC 7		03:00		Lunar Conjunction
The Moon passes 0.3° north of Jupiter.

DEC 9		19:00		Lecture
Free lecture "Peering into the Universe: Discoveries with the Keck
Interferometer" at Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
www.jpl.nasa.gov/events/lectures/dec04.cfm

DEC 10	00:00		Mercury Inferior Conjunction
Mercury passes between the Earth and the Sun and is lost in the Sun's
glare.

DEC 10	09:00		Titan Eastern Elongation
Saturn's moon Titan attains its greatest angular separation from the
planet and is visible in tripod-mounted binoculars or a small
telescope.

DEC 10	19:00		Lecture
Free lecture "Peering into the Universe: Discoveries with the Keck
Interferometer" at Pasadena City College.
www.jpl.nasa.gov/events/lectures/dec04.cfm

DEC 11	17:29		New Moon
Moon passes between the Earth and the Sun and is invisible. Moon rises
at sunrise and sets at sunset.
http://aa.usno.navy.mil/data/docs/MoonPhase.html

DEC 11-12	---		Dark Sky Weekend
Best time this month to observe faint objects

DEC 13, 14	00:00-05:20	Geminid Meteor Shower
Observers in dark locations should see several meteors per hour.
http://comets.amsmeteors.org/meteors/showers/geminids.html

DEC 18	03:00		Titan Western Elongation
Saturn's moon Titan attains its greatest angular separation from the
planet and is visible in tripod-mounted binoculars or a small
telescope.

DEC 18	08:40		First Quarter Moon
Moon rises at noon and sets at midnight.

DEC 26	07:06		Full Moon
Moon rises at sunset and sets at sunrise and is visible all night.

DEC 26	07:00		Titan Eastern Elongation
Saturn's moon Titan attains its greatest angular separation from the
planet and is visible tripod-mounted binoculars or a small telescope.

DEC 27	22:00		Lunar Conjunction
The Moon passes 6° north of Saturn.

DEC 29	13:00		Mercury Western Elongation
Elusive Mercury attains its greatest angular separation from the Sun
and is visible low in the east at dawn.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

                         WEB SITE ADDITIONS

If you're interested in missiles or extreme flight, you might want to
look over the following additions to my web site:

Minuteman III Wallpaper

A large image, suitable for use as wallpaper, of last September's
Minuteman III launch from Vandenberg AFB was posted. Point your
browser to www.spacearchive.info\minuteman-iii-gt-186gb-large.htm.

X-43A Photos

A page with several photos of the recent flight of NASA's hypersonic
X-43A was uploaded. The address is www.spacearchive.info\x-43a.htm.

----------------------------------------------------------------------