[Launch Alert] Vandenberg AFB Launch Schedule

Sat Dec 1 20:17:56 EST 2007

                             LAUNCH ALERT

			            Brian Webb
		         Ventura County, California
		             kd6nrp at earthlink.net
	               http://www.spacearchive.info

				          2007 December 1 (Saturday) 17:02 PST
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		       VANDENBERG AFB LAUNCH SCHEDULE
		            As of 2007 December 1

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

DEC 5		18:31:39			Delta II		SLC-2W
Payload is the COSMO-SkyMed 2 radar earth imaging satellite. Liftoff
occurs too long after sunset for the rocket exhaust plume to be
illuminated by sunlight at high altitude. Launch window is one second
in duration

Fall?		To be announced		Minuteman III	---
The vehicle will probably send one or more unarmed warheads on a
ballistic trajectory to an impact area in the Central Pacific. The Air
Force will announce the launch date and window a few days in advance.

FEB-APR	To be announced		TLV			---
The vehicle will fly a ballistic trajectory to an impact area in the
Pacific. The NFIRE satellite will observe the launch from orbit and
collect data for the U.S. missile defense system. The DoD will
announce the launch window a day in advance.

FEB?		To be announced		GBI			---
Scenario calls for the launch of a mock warhead from Kodiak, Alaska
followed by a Ground-Based Interceptor (GBI) from Vandenberg AFB. The
DoD will announce the launch time several hours in advance.

FEB 19	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

Spring	To be announced		Atlas V		SLC-3E
Payload is the DMSP F-18 military weather satellite

APR 16	To be announced		Delta II		SLC-2W
Payload is the GeoEye 1 commercial Earth imaging satellite. The
booster will use the Delta-7420-10C configuration and insert the
payload into a 425-mile (684-kilometer), 98°, sun-synchronous orbit
with a 10:30 a.m. equator crossing time

2008		To be announced		Delta II		SLC-2W
Payload is the Missile Defense Agency's Block 2010

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	                   ASTRONOMICAL EVENTS
			          2007 December
                Computed for Los Angeles, California

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

DEC 1			04:44			Last Quarter Moon
Moon rises at midnight and sets at noon

DEC 1			05:00			Conjunction
The Moon passes 2° south of Saturn. Time of closest approach and
separation computed for the Earth's center and may vary
significantly depending on your location

DEC 8-9		---			Dark Sky Weekend
Best time this month to observe faint objects

DEC 9			09:40			New Moon
Moon passes between the Earth and the Sun and is invisible. Moon rises
at sunrise and sets at sunset

DEC 14		00:00-05:20		Geminid Meteor Shower
Observers in dark locations should see several meteors per hour. The
shower is predicted to peak on DEC 14 at 09:00 PST (DEC 14 17:00 UTC)

DEC 17		02:18			First Quarter Moon
Moon rises at noon and sets at midnight

DEC 17		07:28			Mercury Superior Conjunction
Mercury passes behind the Sun and is lost in the Sun's glare.

DEC 22		21:57			Jupiter Conjunction
Jupiter passes behind the Sun and is lost in the Sun's glare.

DEC 23		17:16			Full Moon
Moon rises at sunset, sets at sunrise, and is visible all night

DEC 24		11:48			Mars Opposition
Mars is opposite the Sun with respect to Earth and rises at sunset.

DEC 27		21:00			Conjunction
The Moon passes 0.6° south of Regulus. Time of closest approach and
separation computed for the Earth's center and may vary significantly
depending on your location

DEC 31		23:51			Last Quarter Moon
Moon rises at midnight and sets at noon

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				    TIME FORMAT

All times in this newsletter are given in Pacific Time using a 24-hour
format based on military time. Under this system, regular time is
expressed as follows:

								24-hour
				Regular Time		 Format
                    ---------------------		-------
			  12:00 a.m. (midnight)		00:00
			  6:00  a.m.			06:00
			  12:00 p.m. (noon)		12:00
			  6:00  p.m.			18:00

No distinction is made between Pacific Standard Time and Pacific
Daylight Time.

For assistance in converting military time to regular time, go to:

	http://www.spacearchive.info/military.htm

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