[Launch Alert] Vandenberg Launches Minuteman III

[Brian Webb]

                             LAUNCH ALERT

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

				            2008 April 2 (Wednesday) 05:12 PDT
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                  VANDENBERG LAUNCHES MINUTEMAN III
                     Vandenberg AFB News Release
                            2008 April 2

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. – A Minuteman III intercontinental
ballistic missile configured with a National Nuclear Security
Administration (NNSA) test assembly was launched from North Vandenberg
today at 1:01 a.m.

The launch was an operational test to determine the weapon system's
reliability and accuracy.

The missile's single unarmed re-entry vehicle traveled approximately
4,200 miles to its pre-determined target at the Reagan Test Site
located in the Marshall Islands.

The data collected will be used by the entire ICBM community,
including the United States Strategic Command planners and the Program
Office at Hill AFB, UT and the NNSA/Department of Energy laboratories:
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratories and Sandia National
Laboratories.

Col. Michael E. Fortney, 30th Space Wing vice commander, was the
spacelift commander.  Lt. Col. Lesa K. Toler, 576th Flight Test
Squadron commander, was the mission director for this test launch.

"A huge thank you to everyone involved in the preparation and
execution of this mission," said Lt. Col. Toler. "We met our test
objectives but ultimately proved our nation’s nuclear ICBM force is
reliable and will continue to play a vital role in deterrence and
security of the United States."

"An outstanding display of teamwork ensured 100-percent mission
success," Colonel Fortney said. "We constantly focus on flawless
execution of our launch, range and expeditionary missions. I am
extremely proud of the collaboration between the 30th SW and the 576th
FLTS."

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