[Launch Alert] Taurus/ROCSAT-2 Launch on Schedule

[Brian Webb]

                            LAUNCH ALERT

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

                                      2004 May 20 (Thursday) 05:17 PDT
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                 TAURUS/ROCSAT-2 LAUNCH ON SCHEDULE

This morning's launch of a Taurus rocket from Vandenberg AFB remains
on schedule. The vehicle is slated to lift-off from pad 576E at
northwest Vandenberg at the start of a launch window that extends from
10:47:02 to 11:10:19 PDT.

After lift-off the Taurus will climb vertically at first and then head
southward. Fourteen and a half minutes later Taiwan's ROCSAT-2
satellite will enter a 450-mile (725 km) high circular orbit inclined
99.1° to the equator.

The 1,653-pound (750 kg) spacecraft will observe and monitor the
environment and natural resources of Taiwan, its remote islands, and
surrounding ocean. The satellite will also collect images of lightning
discharges to study the coupling between thunderclouds and the upper
atmosphere.

The Air Force's L-1 day weather forecast issued Wednesday morning
calls for a 0% probability of violating weather constraints at launch
time. The forecaster predicts a small amount of low stratus clouds and
10 to 15 knot surface winds out of the northwest. Upper level winds
will be from the west-northwest with a maximum of 65 knots near 40,000
feet.

Weather permitting, the white smoke trail from the Taurus should be
visible from San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, and Ventura counties. For
the best view, observe from a location as near to the launch site as
possible. As an alternative, try viewing the launch from coastal
mountains or hills parallel to the Taurus' flight path.

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                          COUNTDOWN STATUS

The best source of countdown status for the Taurus/ROCSAT-2 launch
is the Spaceflight Now web site. Space journalist Justin Ray is now
providing current countdown status on a web page devoted to this
launch. Point your browser to:

	http://www.spaceflightnow.com/taurus/t7/status.html

On launch day, this page will be updated frequently beginning at about
T-1 hour. Be sure to regularly hit the refresh button on your browser
to see the latest information.

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Copyright © 2004 Brian Webb. All rights reserved. This newsletter may
be distributed in its entirety without restriction. Excerpts may be
reprinted elsewhere without permission if the source is clearly
identified as follows:

  Reprinted from Launch Alert (www.spacearchive.info/newsletter.htm)