[Launch Alert] Vandenberg AFB Launch Schedule

Wed Mar 1 21:52:08 EST 2006

                             LAUNCH ALERT

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

				            2006 March 1 (Wednesday) 18:46 PST
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		       VANDENBERG AFB LAUNCH SCHEDULE
			       As of 2006 March 1

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

MAR 14		05:57:21-07:19:50		Pegasus XL		Offshore
Payload is JPL's SpaceTech 5 microsatellites. Airborne launch with a
target drop time of 06:02 PST. Possible weak visual display for
coastal southern California from sunlight illuminating the rocket's
exhaust plume during morning twilight. NASA reports the ST5 launch has
been rescheduled due to the availability of the Western Range.
Technicians have completed reviewing data from the spacecraft's
separation system and determined it will function as designed. The
Pegasus/ST5 combination is mated to its transporter in preparation to
be moved from the hangar to the runway. The L-1011 carrier aircraft is
scheduled to arrive at Vandenberg March 6. A flight termination system
test between the Pegasus and the Western Range is scheduled for March
8. The Pegasus/ST5 will be transported to the runway and mated to the
L-1011 carrier aircraft on March 10. An integrated launch
vehicle/spacecraft combined systems test and an ST5 state-of-health
check is scheduled for March 11.

MAR 30		16:00				Minotaur		SLC-8
Payload is COSMIC and Taiwan's FORMOSAT-3 scientific satellites

NET APR 10		~03:00			Delta II		SLC-2W
Payload is the CloudSat and CALIPSO environmental satellites

APR 7			To be announced		Minuteman III	---
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.

APR-JUN		10:00-13:00?		Falcon I		SLC-3W
Payload is the Naval Research Laboratory's TacSat-1 satellite. The
vehicle will carry the ashes of U.S. astronaut Gordon Cooper, Star Trek
actor James "Scotty" Doohan and several other people into space. The
launch window is fixed and does not change if the launch date changes.

APR-JUN?		To be announced		Minuteman III	---
CBM 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.

JUL-SEP?		To be announced		Minuteman III	---
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.

2006			To be announced		Delta IV		SLC-6
Classified National Reconnaissance Office payload. The DoD will
announce the exact launch time several hours in advance. NRO L-22

2006			To be announced		Delta IV		SLC-6
Payload is the DMSP F-17 military weather satellite

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	                   ASTRONOMICAL EVENTS
			           2006 March
                Computed for Los Angeles, California

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

MAR 5			22:50			Lunar Conjunction
The Moon passes 3.0° north of Mars. Time of closest approach and
separation computed for the Earth's center and may vary significantly
depending on your location

MAR 6			12:16			First Quarter Moon
Moon rises at noon and sets at midnight

MAR 11		18:44			Mercury Inferior Conjunction
Mercury passes between the Eartn and the Sun and is lost in the Sun's
glare.

MAR 14		15:35			Full Moon
Moon rises at sunset, sets at sunrise, and is visible all night

MAR 17		02:48			Lunar Conjunction
The Moon passes 0.3° south of Spica. Time of closest approach and
separation computed for the Earth's center and may vary significantly
depending on your location

MAR 19		05:32			Lunar Conjunction
The Moon passes 5.3° south of Jupiter. Time of closest approach and
separation computed for the Earth's center and may vary significantly
depending on your location

MAR 22		11:11			Last Quarter Moon
Moon rises at midnight and sets at noon

MAR 24		22:45			Venus Western Elongation
Venus attains its greatest angular separation from the Sun and is
visible in the east at dawn.

MAR 25-26		---			Dark Sky Weekend
Best time this month to observe faint objects. Amateur astronomers may
hold observing sessions at dark sites

MAR 27		08:33			Lunar Conjunction
The Moon passes 2.4° south of Mercury. Time of closest approach and
separation computed for the Earth's center and may vary significantly
depending on your location

MAR 29		02:15			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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               MINUTEMAN III LAUNCHES FROM VANDENBERG
                     Vandenberg AFB News Release
                             2006 FEB 16

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. – An unarmed Minuteman III
intercontinental ballistic missile was launched from Launch
Facility-10 on North Vandenberg at 12:01 a.m. Thursday.

The launch was part of a test to demonstrate the ability to integrate
modified products into existing weapon systems.

“The purpose of the flight was to verify the Minuteman III’s ability
to carry the safer and more accurate Mark 21 warhead, originally
designed for the Peacekeeper missile,” said Lt. Col. S.L. Davis, 576th
Flight Test Squadron commander.

The missile’s single unarmed re-entry vehicle traveled approximately
4,800 miles in about 30 minutes, hitting a pre-determined target at
the Kwajelin Missile Range in the western chain of the Marshall
Islands.

Col. Jack Weinstein, 30th Space Wing commander, was the spacelift
commander.  Colonel Davis was the mission director.

"This launch was an outstanding display of teamwork, proving once
again that we are the best at what we do," Colonel Weinstein said.
"Our team worked tirelessly to ensure 100-percent mission success in
our first Minuteman III launch of the year."

Several weeks prior to the launch, members of the 576th FLTS processed
and prepared the missile for the launch with support from the 30th SW,
Colonel Davis said.

"Hundreds of different measurements were taken before and during the
missile’s flight, including such things as nozzle position,
temperatures, velocities, issuance of commands, etc.," Colonel Davis
said.

The data collected will be used by the entire ICBM community,
including the Department of Defense and the Department of Energy.

The reliability and accuracy data will also be used by United States
Strategic Command planners to ensure effective employment of the
Minuteman III, should it be required.

"The data collected from these missions is used to ensure a safe and
reliable ICBM force, making each launch a critical element in our
nation’s defense," Colonel Weinstein said. "The men and women of
Vandenberg will continue to perform each mission flawlessly."

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USS HOPPER (DDG 70) SUPPORTS BALLISTIC MISSILE DEFENSE IN "SKY HUNTER"
                       USS Hopper News Release
                     Ensign Jamie Lynn De Coster
                             2006 FEB 24

USS Hopper (DDG 70), an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer homeported at
Pearl Harbor, Hawai’i, participated in the successful “Sky Hunter”
Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) test event off the coast of southern
California on Feb. 15.

Using a recent upgrade to its Aegis weapons system, Hopper was tasked
with detecting and tracking a Minuteman III Inter-Continental
Ballistic Missile (ICBM) launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base,
Calif. during the boost and initial ballistic portions of flight and
providing cueing data to SPAWAR Space Systems Center (SSC) in San
Diego and the Joint National Test Center in Colorado Springs for
analysis.

In a role known as long range surveillance and track (LRS&T), Hopper
has the capability to detect and track ICBMs and report track data to
shore-based components of the missile defense system.

It can further provide fire control data to the ground-based ICBM
interceptors located at Fort Greely, Alaska and Vandenberg Air Force
Base.

At-sea tracking events, such as “Sky Hunter,” have verified the
capability of surface ships to track ICBMs and demonstrated the
reliability of transmitting track data necessary to support missile
defense situational awareness, target cueing and engagements.

Hopper has participated in three successful BMD missions. "Sky Hunter"
and "Glory Trip-189" tracked ICBMs launched from Vandenberg.

During "Stellar Valkyrie" in November, Hopper provided cueing and
track data on a medium range ballistic missile, which USS Lake Erie
(CG 70) acquired and engaged with the newest variant of Standard
Missile (SM-3).

Hopper’s technicians are excited by the new mission area and the
opportunity to flex their system.

"We get invaluable training and technical support from civilian Aegis
experts during these missions," said Fire Controlman 2nd class James
Wickham.

"I have learned a lot about our system – its capabilities and the
future of BMD,” said Wickham.

Thirteen Aegis destroyers are currently equipped with the LRS&T
capability.

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                  MINUTEMAN III LAUNCH OBSERVATIONS

Several Launch Alert readers looked for the February 16 Minuteman III
launch. Here are their comments:

Anonymous
Near Fresno, Calif.

"...Beautiful clear night, so I had a great view from near Fresno
(great circle distance from Vandenberg is about 144 miles). Saw
staging and watched for quite a while."

Rick Baldridge
Campbell, Calif.

"Thanks for the heads-up on the Minuteman launch. Right at the
beginning of the launch window at 12:01 am -- was very cool. Watched
with binoculars from in front of my house. Didn't do any video or
photos this time (too cold!) so just enjoyed the show. The payload
stage separation (cuniform puff) was easily visible in the moonlight
... It was neat seeing the vehicle pass Sirius! Seeing that, I wish I
had made the effort to photograph the launch."

Randall Clague
Mojave, Calif.

"Saw it from Mojave in a truly impressive wind chill. I've never
needed image stabilized binoculars to compensate for shivering
before..."

Keith Cress
Santa Cruz, Calif.

"It was nice and clear here in downtown Santa Cruz! My two kids and I
watched it."

Tom Gerald
Vandenberg Village, Calif.

"Yes, I had actually forgotten and fallen asleep. I live in Vandenberg
Village and the rumble awoke me, so I dashed out to find the sky
perfectly clear. There was a curled bit of ghostly smoke trail, like a
flattened "C," clearly visible in the sky; then I moved past some
trees and saw the orange spot of light racing westward. In rushing
from the bed, I had not grabbed my binoculars, but was still able to
observe staging, a sudden brightening of the otherwise steady glow.
Within a few seconds, however, the speck of light dimmed and was gone
from sight.

One thing, there seemed to be an observer craft nearby, moving slowly
to the west. Could have been a non-associated flight, but appreared to
be very close to the launch scene. Is this common?"

Roger Haas
Phoenix, Ariz.

"Man, I was up on my roof with tripod & video camera ready to go. The
winds had been blasting all day and were still pretty strong. It was
freezing (for Phoenix) at 59 degrees plus the wind chill. I guess
because of all the wind there was massive dust in the air, very hazy,
and I didn't see a thing. Dang. Looking forward to the next launch!"

Dee Ann Joyner
Simi Valley, Calif.

"It was crystal clear out here in Simi Valley, watched the Minuteman
III the whole time! It was awesome!"

John Kelso
Santa Monica, Calif.

"I caught this one from my apartment in Santa Monica. The sky was
absolutely clear. Cold with a breeze.

I was viewing with the naked eye, no magnification. The rocket rose
and traveled  with a thin tail of light. A intervals I caught bursts
of red which I assume were stage seperations, boosters, or some
transition in the propellant?

The missle was really hauling the mail. It ascended P.D.Q. ( Pretty
Damm Quick)

I lost it as a "white dot" very high in the sky. I assume it was
heading away from my P.O.V. That would make the trajectory north
westerly."

Tony Lazar
San Carlos, Calif.

"Observed the Minuteman launch last night from my deck in the San
Carlos hills about 250 miles to the North. Spectacular view – very
bright, long, dazzling orange-pink glow through 10x50 binoculars. The
entire powered flight path was visible (except the first few seconds
below the horizon). Both staging events were impressive – big puffs of
whitish smoke followed by flashing lights as the boosters trailed. The
end of powered flight produced a wide exhaust plume that I could
follow even several seconds after engine cut-off, while the remaining
engine glow flashed faintly.

The view from my vantage point seems to be just right for observing
the entire show, especially the later stages to the South-West. I was
too cold and lazy to set up the camera, though. Next time."

John Rittenhouse
Orange County, Calif.

"What the heck! I was watching for the launch until about 12:45. Did
not see it."

Robert Shroll
Santa Barbara County, Calif.

"Was sitting along 154 near Santa Ynez River... absolutely phenomenal
launch and clear viewing conditions."

Tim
San Mateo, Calif.

"Just FYI, from my home in San Mateo CA (20 air miles S of the Golden
Gate Bridge) I caught it at about 12:03 AM Pacific Time, and saw it
for probably around 75 seconds until it suddenly disappeared from view
(not obscured by clouds)."

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