[Launch Alert] Thursday Rocket Launch

[Brian Webb]

                            LAUNCH ALERT

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

                                        2004 May 17 (Monday) 20:15 PDT
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           ORBITAL TAURUS XL ROCKET SET TO LAUNCH THURSDAY
                     Vandenberg AFB News Release

Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. - Orbital Sciences Corporation and
the Republic of China's National Space Program Office are set to
launch the ROCSAT-2 remote sensing satellite aboard a Taurus XL
rocket.

The launch window, temporarily slipped due to high winds, is now
scheduled for 10:47 to 11:11 a.m. Thursday from launch pad 576E on
North Vandenberg.

The primary objective of the ROCSAT-2 satellite mission is to observe
and monitor the terrestrial and marine environment and natural
resources throughout Taiwan, its remote islands and surrounding ocean
for civil applications.

The Taurus rocket is a four-stage, ground-launched vehicle derived
from the company's Pegasus space launch vehicle program.

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                    VANDENBERG AFB LAUNCH SCHEDULE
                          As of 2004 May 16

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

MAY 20	10:47-11:11			Taurus		SLC-576E
Payload is Taiwan's ROCSAT-2 satellite

JUN?		To be announced		Minuteman III	---
ICBM test launch (non-orbital). Payload is one warhead (probably a
Mk-12). Impact area is in the Reagan Test Site at Kwajalein in the
central Pacific. Postponed following two unsuccessful launch attempts
on March 24th. Vehicle may be launched separately or during the same
window as the Minuteman III already scheduled for launch in June.
Glory Trip 184GM

JUN		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. Glory Trip 185GM

JUN 19	03:01:50-03:04:50		Delta II		SLC-2W
Payload is NASA's AURA scientific satellite

JUL		To be announced		Peacekeeper		---
ICBM test launch (non-orbital). Payload is unarmed warheads (probably
Mk-21). Impact area is in the Reagan Test Site at Kwajalein in the
central Pacific. Glory Trip 33PA?

AUG-SEP	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.

SEP		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. Glory Trip 186?

SEP 18	~03:22			Delta II		SLC-2W
Payload is NOAA N environmental satellite. Launch time is based on
informed speculation

OCT 18	Unknown			Pegasus		Offshore
Payload is DART satellite

NOV 9		08:00-10:00			Minotaur		SLC-8
Payload is XSS-11 satellite

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Copyright © 2004 Brian Webb. All rights reserved. This newsletter may
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  Reprinted from Launch Alert (www.spacearchive.info/newsletter.htm)