[Launch Alert] Vandenberg AFB Launch Schedule

[Brian Webb]

                             LAUNCH ALERT

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

				              2007 April 16 (Monday) 17:35 PDT
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		       VANDENBERG AFB LAUNCH SCHEDULE
			       As of 2007 April 16

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

APR 25		13:23:34-13:30:03		Pegasus XL		Offshore
Vehicle will be air-dropped from an L-1011 jumbo jet staged from
Vandenberg AFB. Payload is the AIM scientific satellite. Targeted
launch time is 13:26:49

Spring		To be announced		GBI			---
An anti-missile interceptor launched from Vandenberg AFB will attempt
to intercept a mock warhead launched from Kodiak, Alaska. This test is
very similar to the test conducted on 2006 SEP 1. Test delayed from
December-January to allow for software changes and upgrades to the
interceptor. The DoD will announce the exact launch time several hours
in advance

NET NOV 8		To be announced		Delta II		SLC-2W
Payload is the Missile Defense Agency's Block 2010 satellite

Unknown		To be announced		Delta II		SLC-2W
Payload is the Italian COSMO-SkyMed-1 Earth imaging satellite

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

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              ASTEROID NAMED AFTER ASTRONOMY ENTHUSIAST
                            by Brian Webb

Astronomy enthusiast Carmeilta Miranda of Fillmore, California was
recently recognized by having an asteroid renamed in her honor.
Asteroid (48416) Carmelita was discovered on 1988 January 24 by C. S.
Shoemaker and E. M. Shoemaker at Palomar observatory.

The Minor Planet Circular announced the naming and provided the
following citation: "Carmelita Miranda (b. 1950) developed a love of
astronomy while sailing the Pacific. She focused this passion into
writing and presenting night-sky programs to over 25,000 children
using a portable planetarium."

Miranda is an avid amateur astronomer and astrophotographer and is
married to comet expert Charles Morris.

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                          WEB SITE UPDATES

The following news stories were recently added to the Space Archive
web site:

  NASA to Study Clouds at Edge of Space
  www.spacearchive.info/news-2007-04-11-nasa.htm

  NASA Finds Evidence for New Molecular Structure in Space
  www.spacearchive.info/news-2007-04-06-arc.htm

  Astronomers Invite Public to UA to 'Share the Stars' on Astronomy
  Day
  www.spacearchive.info/news-2007-04-03-ua.htm

An high quality image of the February 7 Minuteman III missile/Glory
Trip 193GM launch from Vandenberg AFB was recently posted. Go to
www.spacearchive.info/minuteman-iii-gt-193gm.htm

The following pages were updated:

  Vandenberg AFB Launch History
  www.spacearchive.info/vafblog.htm

  Vandenberg AFB Launch Observations
  www.spacearchive.info/vafbobs.htm

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Copyright © 2007 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.