[Launch Alert] Vandenberg AFB Launch Schedule

Brian Webb kd6nrp at earthlink.net
Fri Jun 1 22:34:25 EDT 2007


                             LAUNCH ALERT

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

				                2007 June 1 (Friday) 18:17 PDT
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		       VANDENBERG AFB LAUNCH SCHEDULE
			        As of 2007 May 31

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

JUN 7		19:21-19:34			Delta II		SLC-2W
Payload is the Italian COSMO-SkyMed-1 radar Earth observation
satellite. The booster will use the Delta-7420-10C configuration and
insert the payload into a 619-kilometer circular orbit with an
inclination of 97.867°

AUG?		To be announced		Delta II		SLC-2W
Payload is the Worldview 1 commercial Earth imaging satellite. The
booster will use the Delta-7420-10C configuration and insert the
payload into a sun-synchronous orbit

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

2007?		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

2007?		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

2007?		To be announced		Interceptor		---
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 test was attempted on MAY 25, but was aborted after
the target missile malfunctioned following launch.

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	                   ASTRONOMICAL EVENTS
			            2007 June
                Computed for Los Angeles, California

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

JUN 2			02:58			Mercury Eastern Elongation
Mercury attains its greatest angular separation from the Sun and is
visible low in the west at dusk.
JUN 5			16:14			Jupiter Opposition
Jupiter is opposite the Sun with respect to Earth and rises at sunset.

JUN 8			04:43			Last Quarter Moon
Moon rises at midnight and sets at noon

JUN 9			02:18			Jupiter Dual Shadow Transit
The shadows of Jupiter's moons Io and Ganymede will cross the planet's
disk

JUN 14		20:13			New Moon
Moon passes between the Earth and the Sun and is invisible. Moon rises
at sunrise and sets at sunset

JUN 16-17		---			Dark Sky Weekend
Best time this month to observe faint objects. Amateur astronomers may
hold observing sessions at dark sites

JUN 19		16:51-18:15		Occultation
The Moon passes in front of the +1.3 magnitude star alpha Leonis. The
star disappears at 16:51:49 and reappears at 18:15:33. Time computed
for downtown Los Angeles and will vary for other locations

JUN 22		06:15			First Quarter Moon
Moon rises at noon and sets at midnight

JUN 28		01:00			Conjunction
The Moon passes 0.5° south of Antares. Time of closest approach and
separation computed for the Earth's center and may vary significantly
depending on your location

JUN 30		06:49			Full Moon
Moon rises at sunset, sets at sunrise, and is visible all night

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

                          WEB SITE UPDATES

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

  Running Rings Around the Galaxy
  www.spacearchive.info/news-2007-05-30-cit.htm

  CU-Boulder Selected for Sounding Rocket Payload
  www.spacearchive.info/news-2007-05-25-ucb.htm

  Vandenberg Launch Cancelled
  www.spacearchive.info

  Missile Defense Test Delayed
  www.spacearchive.info

  U. of Colorado to Partner on Chile Infrared Telescope
  www.spacearchive.info/news-2007-05-18-uc.htm

An additional image was added to the Minuteman III Missile / Glory
Trip 193GM Launch photo page. This page is located at:

  www.spacearchive.info/minuteman-iii-gt-193gm.htm

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

			           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

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

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.



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