[Launch Alert] Stardust Reentry

[Brian Webb]

                             LAUNCH ALERT

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

				            2006 January 13 (Friday) 06:04 PST
----------------------------------------------------------------------

                          STARDUST REENTRY

NASA's Stardust sample return spacecraft returns to Earth early this
Sunday morning. Just before touchdown in Utah, the craft will reenter
the atmosphere at 01:57 PST and briefly become a manmade meteor.
Despite the presence of bright moonlight, the reentry is expected to
be visible over portions of California, Nevada, Oregon, and Idaho.

For information on reentry viewing and the Stardust mission, consult
the following sources:

  http://reentry.arc.nasa.gov/index.html

  http://reentry.arc.nasa.gov/viewingforum.html

  http://www.spaceflightnow.com/stardust/status.html

  http://stardust.jpl.nasa.gov/home/index.html

  http://www.nasa.gov/stardust

If you see the reentry or obtain any high quality images of the event,
please forward your reports or photos to the editor at
kd6nrp at earthlink.net.

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

                          SUBMARINE LAUNCHES

I recently received an e-mail asking for information about past or
future missile launches from submarines off of Point Mugu. My
knowledge on this topic is very limited.

I believe there was a submarine launch of a Poseidon or Trident
ballistic missile several years ago. It reportedly occurred at dusk
during the annual Riverside Telescope Makers Conference. Several
amateur astronomers tracked the launch with their telescopes and saw
some interesting things.

About once or twice a year, a Tomahawk cruise missile is test-fired
from a submarine offshore, crosses the coast, and flies to its target
at China Lake. The Navy is very tight lipped about these tests and
usually issues a press release about a week after the fact.

If you have any historical information on ballistic missile launches
from submarines off the West Coast, please contact me.

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

Copyright © 2006 Brian Webb. All rights reserved. This newsletter may
be distributed in its entirety without restriction. Excerpts may be
not be reprinted or posted elsewhere without prior permission.