[Launch Alert] Thursday Launch

[Launch Alert]

The launch time for Thursday morning's Atlas V launch from Vandenberg AFB is 05:49 PDT. Following liftoff, the Atlas will rise vertically for several seconds and then probably begin a gradual turn towards the south.

The announced launch time is several minutes before the start of morning twilight at Vandenberg. If the rocket makes a gradual climb into orbit, the powered phase of the launch will probably end before the Atlas climbs into sunlight. In this case, the Atlas will resemble a moving orange or white light.

However, if the rocket makes a steep climb into orbit, the Atlas initially will resemble a moving orange or white light. The rocket may then climb high enough during the powered phase of the launch for the exhaust plume to catch the Sun's rays, creating a weak Twilight Effect.

Regardless of the angle of the rocket's climb, the event could be visible to the naked eye for a few hundred miles.

The probability of acceptable weather at launch time is 70%.

Webcasts of the launch should be available from the following web sites:

  https://spaceflightnow.com/

  http://www.ulalaunch.com/

  https://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/

Because of my schedule, I will not be able to answer questions regarding this launch. For information about viewing Vandenberg AFB launches, go to:

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

For information about photographing Vandenberg launches, go to:

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

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