[Launch Alert] Vandenberg AFB Launch Schedule

Tue May 1 21:59:00 EDT 2007

                             LAUNCH ALERT

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

				                2007 May 1 (Tuesday) 17:49 PDT
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		        VANDENBERG AFB LAUNCH SCHEDULE
			         As of 2007 May 1

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

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

JUN 7		19:20-19:33			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°

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 Worldview 1 commercial Earth imaging satellite. The
booster will use the Delta-7420-10C configuration and insert the
payload into a sun-synchronous orbit

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

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	                   ASTRONOMICAL EVENTS
			            2007 May
                Computed for Los Angeles, California

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

MAY 2			03:09			Full Moon
Moon rises at sunset, sets at sunrise, and is visible all night

MAY 2			21:06			Mercury Superior Conjunction
Mercury passes behind the Sun and is lost in the Sun's glare.

MAY 9			21:27			Last Quarter Moon
Moon rises at midnight and sets at noon

MAY 10		04:20-05:39		Occultation
The Moon passes in front of the +3.0 magnitude star delta Capricorni.
The star disappears at 04:20:47 and reappears at 05:39:19. Time
computed for downtown Los Angeles and will vary for other locations

MAY 12-13		---			Dark Sky Weekend
Best time this month to observe faint objects. Amateur astronomers may
hold observing sessions at dark sites

MAY 16		12:27			New Moon
Moon passes between the Earth and the Sun and is invisible. Moon rises
at sunrise and sets at sunset

MAY 19-20		---			Dark Sky Weekend
Best time this month to observe faint objects. Amateur astronomers may
hold observing sessions at dark sites

MAY 19, 20		09:00-17:00		JPL Open House

MAY 19		18:00			Conjunction
The Moon passes 1.7° north of Venus. Time of closest approach and
separation computed for the Earth's center and may vary significantly
depending on your location

MAY 23		14:03			First Quarter Moon
Moon rises at noon and sets at midnight

MAY 27		23:00			Conjunction
The Moon passes 1.4° south of Spica. Time of closest approach and
separation computed for the Earth's center and may vary significantly
depending on your location

MAY 30		12:00			Conjunction
Venus 4° south of Pollux. Time of closest approach and separation
computed for the Earth's center and may vary significantly depending
on your location

MAY 31		18:04			Full Moon
Moon rises at sunset, sets at sunrise, and is visible all night

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                          WEB SITE UPDATES

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

  Panel Releases Solar Cycle 24 Forecast
  www.spacearchive.info/news-2007-04-26-noaa.htm

  Clock Counting Down for NASA Launch
  www.spacearchive.info/news-2007-04-25-kclu.mp3

Images of last week's Pegasus XL rocket/AIM satellite launch were
posted. Go to www.spacearchive.info/pegasus-xl-aim.htm

Information regarding the Pegasus XL/AIM launch was also posted on the
following pages:

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

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

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