[Launch Alert] Delta II Launch Scheduled

Sun Feb 1 21:01:40 EST 2009

                             LAUNCH ALERT

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

                                2009 February 1 (Sunday) 17:48 PST
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                      DELTA II LAUNCH SCHEDULED
                     Vandenberg AFB News Advisory
                           2009 January 30

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. - A Delta II rocket is scheduled to
launch from Space Launch Complex-2 here, Wednesday. 

The rocket will be carrying NOAA-N Prime polar-orbiting weather
satellite for NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration. 

Col. Dave Buck, 30th Space Wing commander, will be the western range
launch decision authority for this mission.

The NOAA-N Prime satellite will improve weather forecasting and monitor
environmental events around the world, according to the NASA website.
NOAA-N Prime is the fifth and last in the current series of five
polar-orbiting satellites with improved imaging and sounding
capabilities. 

The satellite will collect meteorological data and transmit the
information to NOAA's Satellite and Information Service, which processes
the data for input to the National Weather Service for its long-range
weather and climate forecasts, according to NASA. Forecasters worldwide
also will be able to access the satellite's images and data. 

NOAA-N Prime has sensors that will be used in the Search and Rescue
Satellite-Aided Tracking System to monitor for distress signals around
the world.

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                        E-MAIL CONSIDERATIONS

In the days leading up to a launch, I'm often very busy and have a
hard time answering questions via e-mail. Many questions about launch
viewing and photography can be answered by reading the following
pages:

   www.spacearchive.info/vafbview.htm

   www.spacearchive.info/vafbphoto.htm

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                   VANDENBERG AFB LAUNCH SCHEDULE
                        As of 2009 January 31

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

FEB 4          02:22:01-02:32:01        Delta II       SLC-2W
Payload is the NOAA N Prime environmental satellite 

FEB 23         01:50:29-01:57:29        Taurus XL      576-E
Payload is the Orbiting Carbon Observatory (OCO) scientific satellite.  

MAY 5          To be announced          Delta II       SLC-2W
Payload is the Missile Defense Agency's STSS ATRR 

Summer         To be announced          Atlas V        SLC-3
Payload is the DMSP F18 military weather satellite.  

JUL            To be announced          Delta II       SLC-2W
Payload is the WorldView 2 commercial reconnaissance satellite.  

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                             TIME FORMAT

All times in this newsletter are given in Pacific Time using a 24-hour
format based on military time. Under this system, regular time is
expressed as follows:
                                            24-hour
		        Regular Time            Format
                    ---------------------   -------
                    12:00 a.m. (midnight)   00:00
                    6:00  a.m.              06:00
                    12:00 p.m. (noon)       12:00
                    6:00  p.m.              18:00

No distinction is made between Pacific Standard Time and Pacific
Daylight Time.

For assistance in converting military time to regular time, go to:

       http://www.spacearchive.info/military.htm

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