[Launch Alert] Corrected Copy: Delta IV Launch Wrap-Up

Sun Jul 2 23:21:32 EDT 2006

                             LAUNCH ALERT

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

				                2006 July 2 (Sunday) 20:18 PDT
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          BOEING COMPLETES FIRST DELTA IV WEST COAST LAUNCH
                         Boeing News Release

ST. LOUIS, June 27, 2006 - Boeing [NYSE: BA] completed the first
flight of a Delta IV rocket from Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif.,
today with the successful launch of the National Reconnaissance Office
(NRO) satellite, NROL-22. The launch is the first West Coast mission
completed for the U.S. Air Force Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle
(EELV) program.

Liftoff of the Delta IV Medium+ (4, 2) configuration vehicle occurred
at 8:33 p.m. PDT from Space Launch Complex (SLC) 6. The payload was
successfully deployed approximately 54 minutes later.

"This first Delta IV launch from Vandenberg is an important
achievement for Boeing and our NRO and Air Force customers," said Dan
Collins, vice president of Boeing Launch Systems. "Today we
successfully validated launching the Delta IV from SLC-6, providing
the Air Force and the nation with the first operational West Coast
launch site for the EELV program. With this launch, the Delta team has
fulfilled all the EELV requirements outlined by the Air Force. We have
a full family of launch vehicles, including a flight-proven,
heavy-lift vehicle, a domestically produced first stage engine and now
fully operational launch sites on both coasts."

SLC-6 is the West Coast launch site for the Boeing Delta IV family of
launch vehicles that provides the Air Force the strategic capability
to launch national security satellites to polar, Sun-synchronous and
high inclination orbits. The new launch site can support all five
configurations of the Delta IV family.

Today's mission is the first for the NRO aboard a Delta IV and the
second aboard a Delta rocket. The first was the GeoLITE mission in
2001 aboard a Delta II.

The 132-acre SLC-6 features structures similar to Boeing's Delta IV
SLC-37 launch site at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla., with a
Fixed Umbilical Tower, Mobile Service Tower, Fixed Pad Erector, Launch
Control Center and Operations Building, and a Horizontal Integration
Facility. SLC-6 also features a Mobile Assembly Shelter that protects
the rocket from adverse weather.

Launch vehicle hardware is transported from the Boeing factory in
Decatur, Ala., to Vandenberg via the Delta Mariner ship that docks
just south of SLC-6.

The next Delta IV launch from Vandenberg is planned for late 2006
aboard a Delta IV Medium vehicle that will fly a mission for the Air
Force Defense Meteorological Satellite Program, DMSP-17.

A unit of The Boeing Company, Boeing Integrated Defense Systems is one
of the world's largest space and defense businesses. Headquartered in
St. Louis, Boeing Integrated Defense Systems is a $30.8 billion
business. It provides network-centric system solutions to its global
military, government and commercial customers. It is a leading
provider of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance systems; the
world's largest military aircraft manufacturer; the world's largest
satellite manufacturer; a foremost developer of advanced concepts and
technologies; a leading provider of space-based communications; the
primary systems integrator for U.S. missile defense; NASA's largest
contractor; and a global leader in sustainment solutions and launch
services.

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                          DELTA IV FEEDBACK

The Editor received several reports regarding last Tuesday's Delta IV
launch. Several of them, plus the editor's account, are printed
below. All observers were in California unless otherwise noted.

Deryl, N6AIN
Marina del Ray

Good view from Marina del Ray. Saw the contrail come up through a
low cloud bank to the north west. It climbed fast. Then the contrail
disappeared. Must have been SRB burn out. I could see the main engine
burning and getting brighter as it curved over and heading south
gaining speed. I have never seen one appear to move so fast. It
moved pass and south and I was able to see the separation and ignition
of the second stage.  Was surprised that I could still see the second
stage engine glowing for quite a while. Then it moved into a think
bank of clouds way to the south and was gone.

Scott Cecil
Rialto

Wow, Didn't think it was going to go ' (winds) But when it did it was
awesome ... I'm in Rialto, Ca. and watched for about seven min.

Keith W. Cox
Kingsburg

Just a quick note.  Even with light cloud cover - I was able to
observe the launch last night from Kingsburg in the Central San
Joaquin Valley (20 miles south of Fresno).

I did not observe any sort of vapor trail - but I did see the rockets
motor flame - an Orange/red color. It seems to have been a very
Southerly launch (polar orbit?).

I do want to acknowledge the Boeing WebCast - it was very nice to see
the actual launch - and to hear the technicians preparing for launch!

Brian D., KF6BL
Oceanside

Excellent launch. About 20 minutes late, but I watch from my home in
Oceanside. Saw the stage separation to the south. Next time I get the
camera out.

Bob Deering
San Diego

Finally I had my camera up on a hill in San Diego for today's launch!
I got one interesting picture of one of the stages separating. I
didn't know I'd be able to see it for so long a time.

Tom Garrison
Newport Beach

The whole family was out in front in anticipation of a South Pacific
Test Range shot, but only later read the fine print that last night’s
launch was headed in the “wrong” direction. I didn’t know they shot
across the continental US from Vandenburg. Our view from Newport Beach
is a bit limited, but the clouds were cleared and we were primed! Ah,
well!

Dan Goldzband
San Diego

We had a lovely view here in San Diego, and we noted as it proceeded
south from our position that it appeared to be more than one light in
the sky. It looked as if there was a light in front of the exhaust
flame. I know this must be some kind of optical illusion, but can you
comment?

Diana Wheeler Hemming
Location Unknown

... my family and I got to see a magnificent show. Even heard a sonic
boom. VERY COOL

Bob Heusser, K6TUY
La Canada

Nice view of the launch from La Canada, Calif. We are located right at
the base of the San Gabriel Mts. a short distance from JPL at about
1400 feet. Lots of trees and mountains surround this location. The
lift off was clearly visible in my western sky due to excellent
lighting and I was able to track the launch vehicle in a darkened sky
all the way eastward until it disappeared in a cloud layer to the SSE.
At its apex the vehicle appeared to be approximately 45 degrees above
my horizon and then drifted lower in the sky as it progressed toward
the SE. All in all it was a splendid show with a beautiful sunset
thrown in just prior to launch!

Gary Itano
Newport Beach

I had a good view from Newport Beach, just off the coast at about 180'
elevation, but didn't see anything. When I saw the video, I was
surprised  how low on the horizon it looked. When I saw the Delta IRAS
night launch (must be 18 years back?) from Huntington Beach, near here,
the viewing was great with the entire sky ionizing as the boosters
separated! I stopped a bunch a people walking in my neighborhood to
watch, but we gave up at 20:34.
Oh well.

Jim Kerker
El Segundo

We were ready at 8:14 and a friend knew some folks on the inside ...
told us all about a window of 17 minutes and seemed to us in El
Segundo 90245, that it went off at 8:33 ... Thanks for the updates,
Brian ... interesting that this launch had Aluminum-solid-boosters --
kind of sooty/ashy clouds like Shuttle-boosters -- but we couldn't see
that separation due to local clouds ... still seeing it laterally we
really got a thrill seeing its acceleration when it reappeared after a
1 1/2 minute cloud-block ... whatta thrill to see it pass us and then
to see its plume after about the 3rd minute. Usually we only see
launches from behind and thus sense little acceleration ... but
tonight it was hauling and obviously picking up velocity!

Dennis Mammana
Joshua Tree(?)

I hope the weather cooperated where you are, and that you got to see
the inaugural launch of a Delta IV from Vandenberg AFB.  While not as
spectacular as a Minotaur launch, it was quite a sight anyway!  I've
posted two photos on my website at:
http://www.skyscapes.com/Gallery/DeltaIV.htm

Marc
Los Angeles

That launch last night was spectacular! ... I'm down here in LA, and
the easterly direction of it provided a great way to really appreciate
the velocity of it.

Steven Ng
Palos Verdes

The solids were visible from Palos Verdes for about a minute until it
disappeared behind some high clouds.

Bonnie O
San Fernando Valley

And a fabulous display it was! Awesome, I don't think we have ever
tracked one so far with the naked eye (from the SFV)

Charles Pedersen
San Diego

Great visibility from San Diego.  Staging was brilliant!

Kris Walker
Escondido

Brian, that one was a beaut as observed from Escondido, CA!

Alan Zeleznikar
Oceanside

I'm new to the list so I'm not sure this is appropriate but myself and
a couple of neighbor kids watched it streak across the sky down here
in Oceanside, CA, last night; we witnessed the second stage burn, too.
Clear skies allowed us to watch it for a minute or two before it
disappeared. Lots of fun. I'd estimate it was about 30 degrees off the
horizon when it came by, maybe a bit higher. Too foggy in LA South Bay
to see it according to my girlfriend.

Brian Webb
Moorpark

I held open the option of leaving work early on launch day to drive up
to the mountains north of Santa Barbara. However, the sky was so
cloudy I decided to finish the workday and didn't have any expectation
of seeing the launch.

When I left work that afternoon, I noticed some clear sky to over the
ocean to the southwest. The sky gradually cleared over the next few
hours. Since I didn't have enough time to make it to the Santa Barbara
area, I decided to observe and photograph the launch from Queens Court
in Moorpark.

After I arrived there and began setting up my cameras, other people
began arriving. The spectators numbered approximately 10.

Since lift-off was delayed until several minutes after sunset, I was
expecting an impressive display from the illumination of the first
stage's exhaust plume by sunlight
(www.spacearchive.info/iridium-ms-5.htm and
www.spacearchive.info/iridium-ms-11.htm).

The initial lift-off looked as I thought it would. I was about 100
miles east of the launch site and could clearly see a bright orange
point of light from the solid fuel strap-on motors. They seemed to
burnout rather quickly and the brightness of the vehicle dropped
noticeably after solid rocket motor jettison.

The first stage main engine produced a bright point of light that was
initially orange, but later turned white. I assume the flame was
orange due to the fact that the first stage burns liquid hydrogen and
liquid oxygen and hydrogen produced and orange flame.

Contrary to my expectation, we did not see a large, impressive exhaust
plume. Rather, the first stage produced a fairly narrow transparent
contrail.

A few moments after liftoff we saw a cone-shaped exhaust plume for
approximately six seconds. My guess is the plume was the result of
stage 1/stage 2 separation and stage 2 ignition.

Although the sky was not very dark, I was surprised at how long we were
able to follow the Delta IV with the naked eye. We could see the
rocket well into the second stage burn. Jupiter was in the same part
of the sky and even when the vehicle was near the end of the first
stage burn and far downrange, it was about as bright as Jupiter.

I was also expecting an interesting post-launch display as
high-altitude winds twisted and dispersed the contrail. That didn't
happen. The only aftermath was a somewhat large (5 by 3 degree)
glowing cloud apparently created by staging. It reminded me of the
Crab Nebula.

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		       VANDENBERG AFB LAUNCH SCHEDULE
			        As of 2006 July 2

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

JUL 19	  To be announced	    Minuteman III     LF-09
ICBM test launch (non-orbital). Payload is one or more unarmed
warheads. Impact area is the Reagan Test Site at Kwajalein in the
central Pacific. The Air Force will announce the launch window a few
days in advance.

Late Summer	  To be announced	    Interceptor       ---
Missile defense test. A mock warhead will be launched from Kodiak,
Alaska followed by a Ground-Based Midcourse Interceptor from
Vandenberg AFB. The test is primarily for ground radar
characterization. Warhead intercept is not an objective, but may
occur. The DoD will announce the launch window several hours in
advance. FT-2

SEP?		  To be announced	    Minuteman III     ---
ICBM test launch (non-orbital). Payload is one or more unarmed
warheads. Impact area is probably the Reagan Test Site at Kwajalein in
the central Pacific. The Air Force will announce the launch window a
few days in advance.

SEP 29	  13:22-13:28	    Pegasus XL        Offshore
Payload is the AIM satellite. Airborne launch.

NOV		  To be announced	    Delta IV          SLC-6
Payload is the DMSP F-17 military weather satellite

JAN		  To be announced	    Atlas V           SLC-3E
Classified National Reconnaissance Office payload. The DoD will
announce the exact launch time several hours in advance. NRO L-28

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	                   ASTRONOMICAL EVENTS
			            2006 July
                Computed for Los Angeles, California

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

JUL 3			09:37			First Quarter Moon
Moon rises at noon and sets at midnight

JUL 5			18:36			Lunar Conjunction
The Moon passes 4.8° south of Jupiter. Time of closest approach and
separation computed for the Earth's center and may vary significantly
depending on your location

JUL 8			01:10			Lunar Conjunction
The Moon passes 0.2° north of Antares. Time of closest approach and
separation computed for the Earth's center and may vary significantly
depending on your location

JUL 10		20:02			Full Moon
Moon rises at sunset, sets at sunrise, and is visible all night

JUL 17		12:13			Last Quarter Moon
Moon rises at midnight and sets at noon

JUL 18		00:07			Mercury Inferior Conjunction
Mercury passes between the Earth and the Sun and is lost in the Sun's
glare.

JUL 22-23		---			Dark Sky Weekend
Best time this month to observe faint objects. Amateur astronomers may
hold observing sessions at dark sites

JUL 22		16:50			Lunar Conjunction
The Moon passes ~5.6° north of Venus. Time of closest approach and
separation computed for the Earth's center and may vary significantly
depending on your location

JUL 24		21:31			New Moon
Moon passes between the Earth and the Sun and is invisible. Moon rises
at sunrise and sets at sunset

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