[Launch Alert] Vandenberg AFB Launch Schedule

Sat Oct 16 23:22:14 EDT 2010

                            LAUNCH ALERT

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

                              2010 October 16 (Saturday) 20:11 PDT
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                   VANDENBERG AFB LAUNCH SCHEDULE
                        As of 2010 October 16

The following schedule lists rocket and missile launches from
Vandenberg AFB for the next six months. It is a composite of
unclassified information approved for public release from government,
industry, and other sources. This schedule is essentially accurate at
the time of publication, but may disagree with other sources. Details
on military launches are withheld until they are approved for public
release. For official information regarding Vandenberg AFB activities,
go to http://www.vandenberg.af.mil.

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

OCT 29          19:20:07               Delta II          SLC-2W
Vehicle will launch the COSMO-SkyMed 4 radar Earth-imaging satellite.
Launch window is 1-second in duration. Liftoff probably occurs too
long after sunset for sunlight to illuminate the first stage exhaust
plume (in other words, there will probably not be a Twilight Effect).  

JAN 15          To be announced        Delta IV Heavy    SLC-6 
Vehicle will launch the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office's NROL-49
payload  

FEB 23          02:10                  Taurus XL         576E
Payload is the Glory scientific satellite. Vehicle will carry three
small satellites as secondary payloads: Explorer 1 Prime (Montana
State University), Hermes (University of Colorado), and KySat-1
(Kentucky space consortium).  

MAR             To be announced        Minotaur I        SLC-8
Vehicle will launch the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office's NROL-66
payload  

MAR-MAY         To be announced        Atlas V           SLC-3E
Vehicle will launch the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office's NROL-34
payload  

APR             Unknown                Delta II          SLC-2W
Vehicle will launch Argentina's SAC-D scientific satellite  

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             OUTCAN CONTRIBUTIONS VITAL TO SPACE MISSION
                    by Senior Airman Steve Bauer
                   30th Space Wing Public Affairs
                           Vandenberg AFB

10/6/2010 - VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif.  -- When the men and
women of Vandenberg perform a mission, whether it is space
surveillance or launching a payload into space, it is not solely an
American effort, but rather a joint effort. 

One such example is the partnership between the Americans and
Canadians at Vandenberg. 

Stemming out of the North American Aerospace Defense Command, or
NORAD, a joint organization that provides aerospace warning, air
sovereignty and defense for the U.S. and Canada, Air Force Space
Command was created in 1982 with a focus on space surveillance,
missile warning and command and control for national leadership.
Canadians have been a part of this organization from the beginning and
its evolution through the years have brought the current group of
seven Canadians, who fill various positions, to Vandenberg. This group
is part of the OUTCAN* Space Operations Unit, or OSO. 

"Our aim is to develop a professional Canadian Forces space cadre that
can contribute to both coalition and combined space operations," said
Canadian Air Force Lt. Col. Steve Sarty, OSO commander.

Approximately 35 OSO personnel are involved in joint space missions at
various locations including Vandenberg AFB, Peterson AFB, Colo.,
Buckley AFB, Colo., Clear Air Force Station, Alaska, Thule Air Base,
Greenland, Cape Cod AFS, Md., Beale AFB, Calif., and Cavalier AFS,
N.D. 

"Members of OSO units are involved in space surveillance, missile
warning, day-to-day crew operations and anything that pertains to the
space mission as a whole, whether it is tracking objects in space,
launch support or space collision avoidance," said Canadian Air Force
Maj. Cameron Lowdon. "Every Canadian that is connected with
Vandenberg is doing a space related job."

A small number of Canadians have been stationed at Vandenberg since
the late 1990s, teaching courses at the 533rd Training Squadron. In
the last few years, the Canadian presence began to grow at Vandenberg
and Canadian personnel began filling more operational roles. 

"Canadian Forces personnel have worked hand-in-hand with U.S.
personnel with NORAD since 1958," Colonel Sarty said. "Through the
years as the Joint Command has evolved and the requirements have
changed, Air Force Space Command has been an offshoot and Canadian
personnel have maintained a presence through all these years. In
addition to having Canadian Forces personnel at the various space
warning squadrons throughout North America, we contribute through
Joint positions here in Vandenberg."

Although a small group at Vandenberg, the Canadians are here working
side-by-side the Americans solving the same problems and dealing with
the same issues. 

"We certainly gather something working in a joint environment, but we
also feel that we bring something to the table that allows our
American counterparts to perhaps see the other side of the coin in
getting a challenge fixed," Major Lowdon said. "Not only are we
learning, but we are adding to the solution at the end of the day. It
is unique and challenging, but as a unit we are getting to where we
want to be and we are certainly looking forward to the integrated
success in this capacity."

One of OSOs recent in-house achievements is becoming an independent
and self-sufficient unit as it recently stood up an orderly room for
it's geographically-dispersed unit's members. Now that OSO has
solidified its place at Vandenberg, the unit pursues another goal. 

"With this developing Canadian space cadre, our goal is to establish
the best way that our personnel, and Canada as a whole, can contribute
to the space operations to achieve coalition and national objectives,"
Colonel Sarty said. "The eventual result would be full integration
into Vandenberg's Joint Space Operations Center."

The Canadian Forces at Vandenberg are a vital asset that contributes
to the overall mission of the base. The same U.S. military customs and
courtesies are to be rendered to Canadian Forces personnel based on
the individuals rank. 

During their off-duty time, the Canadians have fully integrated
themselves into the local communities.

"The people in the local community are extremely friendly, we have had
nothing but great encounters with the local folks, military and
civilian," said Canadian Master Warrant Officer Jamie Marshall. 

"One of the things that we really try and stress on our folks when we
send them outside the country is that they are representing Canada as
well, so they must act professionally and courteously to their hosts,"
Major Lowdon said. "We try to make an effort to go out and promote the
fact that we are down here, promote what we are doing and promote how
we are working hand-in-hand with the Americans to achieve the same
goals. We always have to keep in the back of our minds that we are
representing the entire country - there are 33 million Canadians that
we are representing and there are only seven of us here at
Vandenberg."

*OUTCAN is in reference to Canadian military units stationed outside
the Canadian borders.

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