[Launch Alert] Vandenberg AFB Launch Schedule

Tue Jul 1 22:24:08 EDT 2008

                             LAUNCH ALERT

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

				            2008 July 1 (Tuesday) 18:47 PDT
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		       VANDENBERG AFB LAUNCH SCHEDULE
			       As of 2008 July 1

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

JUL 23      02:15-03:20		TLV		LF-06
Target Launch Vehicle. The missile's flight will be observed from
space by the NFIRE satellite to collect data for the Missile Defense
Agency. 

AUG 22      ~11:50            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 

SEP 18      Mid-morning?      Atlas V     SLC-3E
Payload is the DMSP F-18 military weather satellite 

Fall		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. 

OCT 23      To be announced	Delta II	SLC-2W
Vehicle will launch the COSMO-SkyMed 3 earth observation satellite. 

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				 ASTRONOMICAL EVENTS
					2008 July
		    Computed for Los Angeles, California

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

JUL 1		10:54		Mercury Western Elongation
Mercury attains its greatest angular separation from the Sun and is
visible low in the east at dawn. 

JUL 2		19:19		New Moon
Moon passes between the Earth and the Sun and is invisible. Moon rises
at sunrise and sets at sunset 

JUL 5-6	---		Dark Sky Weekend Best time this month
to observe faint objects. Amateur astronomers may hold observing
sessions at dark sites 

JUL 9		00:39		Jupiter Opposition
Jupiter is opposite the Sun with respect to Earth and rises at sunset. 

JUL 9		21:35		First Quarter Moon
Moon rises at noon and sets at midnight 

JUL 17      05:00		Conjunction
The Moon passes 3° south of Jupiter. Time of closest approach and
separation computed for the Earth's center and may vary significantly
depending on your location 

JUL 18      00:59		Full Moon
Moon rises at sunset, sets at sunrise, and is visible all night 

JUL 25      11:42		Last Quarter Moon
Moon rises at midnight and sets at noon 

JUL 29      13:04		Mercury Superior Conjunction
Mercury passes behind the Sun and is lost in the Sun's glare. 

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