[Launch Alert] Vandenberg AFB Launch Schedule

Mon Jul 4 22:51:30 EDT 2011

                             LAUNCH ALERT

                              Brian Webb
                     Ventura County, California
                  launch-alert-editor at earthlink.net
                        www.spacearchive.info

                                    2011 July 4 (Monday) 17:43 PDT
----------------------------------------------------------------------

                   VANDENBERG AFB LAUNCH SCHEDULE
                         As of 2011 July 4

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

JUL 27           To be announced         Minuteman III       ---
Vehicle will probably send one or more unarmed warheads on a ballistic
trajectory to an impact area in the Central Pacific. The Air Force will
announce details about the launch a few days in advance.  

NET OCT 25       02:47:35-02:57:35       Delta II            SLC-2W
Vehicle will launch the NPP environmental satellite for NASA and NOAA  

The above schedule is a composite of unclassified information
approved for public release from government, industry, and other
sources. It represents the Editor's best effort to produce a schedule,
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.

All launch dates and times are given in Pacific Time using a 24-hour
format similar to military time (midnight = 00:00, 1:00 p.m. = 13:00,
11:00 p.m. = 23:00, etc.). 

The dates and times in this schedule may not agree with those on other
online launch schedules, including the official Vandenberg AFB
schedule because different sources were used, the information was
interpreted differently, and the schedules were updated at different
times.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

                             USS MIDWAY

Yesterday I took a day trip to visit one of the more interesting
attractions in southern California, the aircraft carrier USS Midway in
San Diego. Now a museum, the Midway is permanently moored on the
city's waterfront* and is open to the public.

There was a lot to see aboard the Midway, but one special treat was
visiting the Ready Room (flight crew briefing room) used by VF-151
(Fighter Squadron 151). More than a few F-4 aircrews I knew had used
that very room. Among the aviators who were briefed in that warm,
humid compartment was Frank Culbertson, Jr. who later became an
astronaut.

The Midway has had other connections with spaceflight over the years.
In 1947, a captured German V-2 was launched from its flight deck.
Also, Don Bursch served as a Strike Operations Officer on the Midway
before being selected as a NASA astronaut.

All told, it was an interesting trip.

*It is also strategically located a few blocks from San Diego's
Little Italy. Finding a place to eat was not a problem.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

                        LAUNCH ALERT WEB PAGE

For information about this newsletter, including how to:

   - Subscribe, unsubscribe, or change addresses

   - Make a donation

Point your browser to www.spacearchive.info/newsletter.htm

----------------------------------------------------------------------