[Launch Alert] Vandenberg AFB Launch Schedule

[Launch Alert]

                             LAUNCH ALERT
 				  
                              Brian Webb
                     Ventura County, California
                  launch-alert-editor at earthlink.net
                     www.spacearchive.info
		       
                                2017 January 16 (Monday) 15:33 PST
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                   VANDENBERG AFB LAUNCH SCHEDULE

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

TBD             To be announced          Atlas V             SLC-3E
Vehicle will launch the classified NROL-79 payload for the U.S.
National Reconnaissance Office. Launch delayed from JAN 26 due to
problems with the Atlas V second stage

TBD             To be announced          Falcon 9            SLC-4E
Vehicle will launch Taiwan's Formosat 5 satellite and the Sherpa
dispenser carrying several small payloads  

TBD             To be announced          Falcon 9            SLC-4E
Vehicle will launch Iridium Next commercial communications satellites
11-20  

NET MAY         To be announced          Minotaur C          SLC-576E
Vehicle will launch six SkySat earth observation satellites  

JUN 13          To be announced          Atlas V             SLC-3E
Vehicle will launch the classified NROL-42 payload for the U.S.
National Reconnaissance Office  

SEP 23          To be announced          Delta II            SLC-2W
Vehicle will launch the JPSS-1 weather satellite  

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.

NET: No earlier than

TBD: To be determined

PDT: Pacific Daylight Time

PST: Pacific Standard Time

SLC: Space Launch Complex

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                    FALCON 9 LAUNCH OBSERVATIONS

The editor received several observations of last Saturday's Falcon 9/
Iridium Next launch from Vandenberg AFB. The following is a digest of
these reports:


Rick R.
Palom Alto, CA

"White vertical exhaust trail seen (unaided eye) from Palo Alto, 204
miles away. Just a degree or two above the horizon. Beautifully clear
day after the rains."


Stan F.
East of Morgan Hill, CA

"Saw it as well, from up in the foothills, east of Morgan Hill, CA....
Visible, but considering the distance from the launch site and the
sun angle, rather unspectacular...."


Ed C.
Arroyo Grande, CA

"I watched the launch from my back patio in Arroyo Grande. I could see
the orange flame from stage 1 with my 8X72 binoculars. I also could
not see the re-ignition of either stage 2 or the re-ignition of stage
1."


Vivian K.
Arroyo Grande

"It was incredible to watch.  I'm in Arroyo Grande, I would say about
60 or so miles.  Here are the two shots I got from our backyard .. My
parents live in Solvang.  They watch from their backyard and could
plainly see the flames.  They said it was incredible to watch. I ran
in the house and watched the landing portion on line.  Wow!"


Joseph G.
Hawk's Nest, next to Vandenberg AFB, CA

"My daughter and I went to the "Hawk's Nest" observation area right on
Highway 1 next to VFB.  Great Show! Had speakers for the countdown and
outhouses for the visitors - around 100, I guess"


Jack
Location not specified

"I watched the initial blast off on the Space X website and then the
rest of it from my patio. The Space X webcast also showed the landing
which was perfect. With my binoculars I could see the 1st stage coming
back down part of the way. It was perfect weather here for viewing."


Larry F.
Burbank, CA

"At launch time,  my wife and I were on my viewing platform (our
deck!) and watched from the hills of Burbank. We were not able to see
any flame but the straight, then very squiggly contrail was easily
visible to the eye. We followed for a few seconds till we couldn't see
anything."


David E-W
Mission Viejo, CA

Informationally, the ground exhaust plume was visible from a park in
Mission Viejo.  I was able to (briefly) track the first stage as it
continued, but only for a few seconds."

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