[Launch Alert] Vandenberg AFB Launch Schedule

Thu Jan 31 22:47:36 EST 2008

                             LAUNCH ALERT

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

				          2008 January 31 (Thursday) 19:26 PST
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		       VANDENBERG AFB LAUNCH SCHEDULE
			      As of 2008 January 31

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

FEB 26		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	     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.

Spring		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.

Spring		To be announced        Minuteman III	   ---
ICBM test launch (non-orbital). Payload is one or more unarmed
warheads. Impact area is probably the Reagan Test Site at Kwajalein in
the central Pacific. The Air Force will announce the launch window a
few days in advance.

NET APR 17		To be announced	     Delta II 	         SLC-2W
Vehicle will launch the Missile Defense Agency's STSS ATRR (STSS-2010)
payload

JUN 15		To be announced	     Delta II 	         SLC-2W
Delta II 7320 launch vehicle configuration. Payload is the
OSTM/Jason-2 scientific satellite. Spacecraft will enter a 1336 km,
circular, non-sun-synchronous orbit with an inclination of 66°. The
ground track will repeat every 10 days.

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

Late AUG		To be announced	     Delta IV 	         SLC-6
Classified National Reconnaissance Office payload. The DoD will
announce the exact launch time several hours in advance. NROL-25

AUG 22		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-km), 98°, sun-synchronous orbit with a
10:30 a.m. equator crossing time

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	                   ASTRONOMICAL EVENTS
			          2008 February
                Computed for Los Angeles, California

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

FEB 2-3		---			Dark Sky Weekend
Best time this month to observe faint objects. Amateur astronomers may
hold observing sessions at dark sites

FEB 6			10:19			Mercury Inferior Conjunction
Mercury passes between the Earth and the Sun and is lost in the Sun's
glare.

FEB 6			19:44			New Moon
Moon passes between the Earth and the Sun and is invisible. Moon rises
at sunrise and sets at sunset

FEB 9-10		---			Dark Sky Weekend
Best time this month to observe faint objects. Amateur astronomers may
hold observing sessions at dark sites

FEB 10		18:04			Neptune Conjunction
Neptune passes behind the Sun and is lost in the Sun's glare.

FEB 13		19:33			First Quarter Moon
Moon rises at noon and sets at midnight

FEB 20		17:43-21:09		Total Lunar Eclipse
Moon enters umbra 17:43, totality begins 19:00, totality ends 19:51,
and Moon leaves umbra 21:09.

FEB 20		19:30			Full Moon
Moon rises at sunset, sets at sunrise, and is visible all night

FEB 24		01:48			Saturn Opposition
Saturn is opposite the Sun with respect to Earth and rises at sunset.

FEB 28		18:18			Last Quarter Moon
Moon rises at midnight and sets at noon

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                          WEB SITE UPDATES

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

  Jupiter Meets Venus
  www.spacearchive.info

  NASA Scientists Get First Images of Earth Flyby Asteroid
  http://www.spacearchive.info/news-2008-01-25-jpl.htm

  Caltech Receives $24M for Space Institute
  http://www.spacearchive.info/news-2008-01-23-cit.htm

  Inspection Under Way at Vandenberg AFB
  http://www.spacearchive.info/news-2008-01-18-kclu.mp3

  SOFIA Completes Closed-Door Test Flight
  http://www.spacearchive.info/news-2008-01-17-dfrc.htm

  Solar Cycle 24 Begins
  www.spacearchive.info

The Editor recently took an interesting photo of the constellation
Crux, better known as the Southern Cross. This image was posted to
www.spacearchive.info. Look for the heading heading "Under the
Southern Cross".

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