[Launch Alert] Vandenberg AFB Launch Schedule

Tue Mar 1 22:14:33 EST 2005

                             LAUNCH ALERT

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

				              2005 March 1 (Tuesday) 19:08 PST
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		       VANDENBERG AFB LAUNCH SCHEDULE
		             As of 2005 March 1

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

MAR		        To be announced	       Minuteman III     ---
ICBM test launch (non-orbital). Payload is one or more unarmed
warheads. 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.

MAR 18		  Unknown		       Minotaur          SLC-8
Payload is XSS-11 satellite

Late MAR-APR	  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.

APR		        To be announced	       Minuteman III     ---
ICBM test launch (non-orbital). Payload is one or more unarmed
warheads. 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.

APR-JUN		  Mid-morning?	       Pegasus XL        Offshore
Payload is NASA's DART satellite.

MAY		        To be announced	       Peacekeeper       ---
ICBM test launch (non-orbital). Payload is one or more unarmed
warheads. 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.

MAY		        Unknown		       Minotaur          SLC-8
Payload is STP-R1 satellite

MAY 11		  ~03:22-03:32	       Delta II          SLC-2W
Payload is the NOAA N environmental satellite

JUN		        To be announced	       Minuteman III     ---
ICBM test launch (non-orbital). Payload is one or more unarmed
warheads. 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.

JUN 17		  ~03:00		       Delta II          SLC-2W
Payload is the CloudSat and CALIPSO environmental satellites

JUN 30		  To be announced	       Titan IV          SLC-4E
Classified National Reconnaissance Office payload. The DoD will
announce the launch time about 24-hours in advance. NROL-20

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	          Southern California Astronomical Events
			          for 2005 March

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

MAR 3		    02:19-02:57	    Lunar Occultation
The Moon occults (passes in front of) the +1.2 magnitude star Antares.
Star disappears at 02:19 and reappears at 02:57. Times computed for
downtown Los Angeles and will vary depending on your location

MAR 3		    09:36		    Last Quarter Moon
Moon rises at midnight and sets at noon

MAR 10	    01:10		    New Moon
Moon passes between the Earth and the Sun and is invisible. Moon rises
at sunrise and sets at sunset

MAR 11	    ~08:00		    Lunar Conjunction
The Moon passes 3° south of Mercury. Time and separation computed for
the Earth's center and may vary significantly for other locations

MAR 12	    10:00		    Mercury Eastern Elongation
Elusive Mercury attains its greatest angular separation from the Sun
and is visible low in the west at dusk.

MAR 12-13	    ---		    Dark Sky Weekend
Best time this month to observe faint objects. Amateur astronomers may
hold observing sessions at dark sites

MAR 17	    11:19		    First Quarter Moon
Moon rises at noon and sets at midnight

MAR 17	    19:00		    Lecture
Free public lecture "Small Landers and Aerobots", JPL
www.jpl.nasa.gov/events/lectures/mar05.cfm

MAR 18	    19:00		    Lecture
Free public lecture "Small Landers and Aerobots", Pasadena City
College. www.jpl.nasa.gov/events/lectures/mar05.cfm

MAR 20-26	    ---		    Conference
3rd High-Energy Astrophysics Workshop for Amateur Astronomers, Las
Cruces, NM. www.aavso.org/aavso/meetings/spring05.shtml

MAR 25	    12:58		    Full Moon
Moon rises at sunset, sets at sunrise, and is visible all night

MAR 29	    08:00		    Mercury Inferior Conjunction
Mercury passes between the Earth and the Sun and is lost in the Sun's
glare.

MAR 30	    19:00		    Venus Superior Conjunction
Venus passes behind the Sun and is lost in the Sun's glare.

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