[Launch Alert] Minuteman III Launch

[Brian Webb]

                             LAUNCH ALERT

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

				             2005 August 19 (Friday) 20:43 PDT
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                        MINUTEMAN III LAUNCH
                     Vandenberg AFB News Release

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. – An unarmed Minuteman III
intercontinental ballistic missile is scheduled for launch from North
Vandenberg August 25 as part of a developmental test to demonstrate
the ability to integrate a safety enhanced re-entry vehicle into the
existing Minuteman III weapons system. The six-hour launch window is
from 1:01 a.m. to 7:01 a.m. PST.

The missile will launch under the direction of the 576th Flight Test
Squadron here. Captain Justine Adams, 576 FLTS, is the launch
director. The 576 FLTS commander, Lt Col S.L. Davis is the mission
director. Col Jack Weinstein, 30th Space Wing commander, is the
spacelift commander.

Members of the 576 FLTS have performed maintenance activities to
include missile emplacement and installation of unique missile
tracking, telemetry and command destruct systems to collect test data
and meet safety requirements.  In addition, missile crew members
deployed from the 564th Missile Squadon, Malmstrom AFB, Montana led by
Capt David Washer, along with members of the 576 FLTS Top Hand program
will conduct missile crew duties to include issuing the final launch
command.

The missile's single unarmed re-entry vehicle is expected to travel
approximately 4,200 miles in about 30 minutes, hitting a
pre-determined target at the Ronald  Reagan Test Site near the
Kwajalein Atoll in the western chain of the Marshall Islands. This
test continues a long tradition of ICBM test launches from Vandenberg
AFB that serve to ensure a safe, secure and effective weapon system
that that is critical to continued global stability.

The best public viewing site for this launch is at a cement pad on
Skyscreen Road off of Corral Road just before reaching the Weather
Station.

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                   LAUNCH VIEWING AND PHOTOGRAPHY

For information on Vandenberg launch viewing and photography, refer
to the following articles:

  www.spacearchive.info/vafbview.htm
  www.spacearchive.info/vafbphoto.htm

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Copyright © 2005 Brian Webb. All rights reserved. This newsletter may
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