[Launch Alert] Wednesday Vandenberg Launch

Mon Mar 31 12:24:07 EST 2008

                             LAUNCH ALERT

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

				              2008 March 31 (Monday) 10:08 PDT
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                     WEDNESDAY VANDENBERG LAUNCH

A Minuteman III missile is scheduled for launch from Vandenberg AFB
early Wednesday morning, April 2nd. The ICBM is set to lift-off from
its silo at northwest Vandenberg at, or shortly after, 01:00 PDT, the
start of a six-hour launch window.

Following lift-off, the Minuteman will head west and fly an arc-shaped
trajectory. Thirty minutes later the missile's payload, an unarmed
reentry vehicle (warhead), will plunge back into the atmosphere and
arrive at its target at Kwajalein, some 4,800 statute miles downrange.

If the weather is clear, the launch should be visible to the unaided
eye as far away San Francisco, Sacramento, Reno, Las Vegas, and San
Diego.

Because the launch is a military weapon system test, launch status and
countdown audio probably will not be available to the general public.

For information about launch viewing and photography, please refer to
the following pages:

   www.spacearchive.info/vafbview.htm

   www.spacearchive.info/vafbphoto.htm

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		       VANDENBERG AFB LAUNCH SCHEDULE
			       As of 2008 March 30

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

APR 2		01:00-07:00		Minuteman III	---
ICBM test launch (non-orbital). Payload is one unarmed warhead. Impact
area is at Kwajalein in the central Pacific. Glory Trip 196GM

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.

JUN 15	01:47			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 2		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

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

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	                 ASTRONOMICAL EVENTS
			         2008 April
                Computed for Los Angeles, California

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

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

APR 5		20:55		New Moon
Moon passes between the Earth and the Sun and is invisible. Moon rises
at sunrise and sets at sunset

APR 11	23:00		Conjunction
The Moon passes 1.2° north of Mars. Time of closest approach and
separation computed for the Earth's center and may vary significantly
depending on your location

APR 12	11:32		First Quarter Moon
Moon rises at noon and sets at midnight

APR 16	00:24		Mercury Superior Conjunction
Mercury passes behind the Sun and is lost in the Sun's glare.

APR 20	03:25		Full Moon
Moon rises at sunset, sets at sunrise, and is visible all night

APR 28	07:12		Last Quarter Moon
Moon rises at midnight and sets at noon

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