[Launch Alert] New Mexico Missile Launch

[Launch Alert]

For those of you in New Mexico might be interested in the following news release from White Sands Missile Range.

Classification: UNCLASSIFIED
Caveats: FOUO

Release No.  9
Date:  February 14, 2011

White Sands Missile Range, N.M., February 14, 2011 - Preparations
are being completed at Fort Wingate near Gallup, N.M., for a Juno target
missile firing from the old depot to White Sands Missile Range.  The
launch is tentatively scheduled for February 16 between 6:30 and 7:30
a.m. and may be viewed from Red Rock State Park.

     The Juno missile will drop a booster into an evacuated safety zone
during its flight to the missile range.  In addition to this safety drop
zone near Datil, N.M., there will be short safety roadblocks and
evacuations around the immediate Fort Wingate area - mostly to the south
and east.

     The roadblocks include the following:  New Mexico Route 400 between
the Fort Wingate historic monument and McGaffey Lake; Forest Route 191
between New Mexico Route 400 and six miles to the west; Forest Route 547
between Sixmile Spring and McGaffey Lake.  In addition, gates along New
Mexico Route 400 will be closed to passage.

     The roadblocks should last between two and four hours.  However,
traffic traveling straight through on New Mexico Route 400 will be
screened through up to 30 minutes before launch time.

     In addition to the roadblocks, Quaking Aspens campground will be
evacuated for the launch.  Since the firing will be in the early
morning, camping at the site will not be allowed the night before so
that National Forest Service officials can be assured the area is
evacuated.

     The evacuation area for the booster drop zone is comprised of
private and national forest lands north of Datil and includes the
northern portion of the Datil Mountains.  The area is north of U.S.
Highway 60, west of State Highway 52 and east of Forest Road 6A.
Roadblocks of the perimeter of the area will be set at 4 a.m.

     The airspace over Fort Wingate and the booster drop zone will be
restricted for several hours for the launch.  The avoidance area will be
posted by the Federal Aviation Agency in the form of a Notice to Airmen
(NOTAM).  The airspace at the end of the flight is over White Sands
Missile Range and is already restricted.

     There have been 13 target missions from Fort Wingate to White Sands
Missile Range.  The first mission as conducted in November 1997 and the
most recent mission was in October 2009.  The most recent Juno mission
was launched from the missile range call-up area north of New Mexico
Highway 380 in February 2010.