Posted on 08/28/2013 12:49:43 PM PDT by BenLurkin
VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE (CBSLA.com) — The largest rocket ever to be launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base had a succesful lift-off Wednesday.
The Delta IV Heavy rocket was launched with a $1 billion spy satellite for the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) “in support of national defense,” according to aerospace engineering firm United Launch Alliance (ULA).
Once it reaches orbit in about two days, the classified payload is expected to be able to distinguish details back on Earth as minute as the make and model of an automobile.
ULA officials alerted the public about the launch through its Facebook and Twitter pages “so they wouldn’t be concerned when they felt their windows rattle and felt the vibrations,” Hennigan added.
The official launch time was initially scheduled for 10:52 a.m., but the actual launch did not take place until 11:03 PDT.
Los Angeles Times aerospace reporter Bill Hennigan told KNX 1070 NEWSRADIO residents up and down the California coastline may hear – and even feel – the 235-foot rocket following the launch.
“It’s the largest rocket ever to be launched from Vandenberg,” Hennigan said. “They launched the same rocket in January of 2011, and it was so big, it caused such a stir, people were pulling off the road to see this and some people reported hearing it about 50 miles away.”
Click here to watch footage of the rocket launch on the ULA website
No, Vandenburg is used for polar orbits. They launch due south, over water.
Fixed it.
Ah-so. I did not know that.
I think the Titan III’s with the sold strap-on boosters were the biggest rockets launched at Vandenburg back in the day. Vandenburg didn’t have a vehicle assembly building big enough to put together a Saturn V. I just saw one at Houston Sunday. Those were really, REALLY big rockets.
I still remember grabbing mom away from her housekeeping to make her watch the Gemini launches. I was about four or five years old at the time.
I’m about 20 miles from Vandenberg. We were all surprised at work as there were no windows rattling or ground shaking when the rocket was launched today, unlike the launch in January 2011.
There was a shuttle launching facility at Vandenberg, SLC 6. Apparently after the Challenger disaster they scrapped it due to safety issues and politics. They’ve modified it and today it’s used for the Delta IV launches.
Well, yes, they've had that ability for some time. This one makes out the make and owner of any particular human face that is in the database. And if you've ever owned a drivers license, had your pic posted on facebook, surfed the web with a computer that has a built in camera, or driven through a toll, they have your face.
‘_______to step outside and see it rise_______’
Ditto that - we’re in Ventura county and have easily seen the contrails from Vandenberg, for years. Not lately, tho.
Guess next to nothing has been launched.
Occasionally we knew beforehand.
I worked the VAFB GSS program for 7 years.
There were multiple reasons it was never used.
Post Challenger, they decided they didn’t want liquid fueled Centaur upstages flying on shuttle, and most all missions required this upper stage.
The VAFB Shuttle missions require a high escape velocity, which was to be aided by lighter filament wound solid rocket cases. After the seals failed on the East coast steel cases, this was less attractive.
There were also issues with the ducting under the launch mount trapping gases, which would have been a very expensive fix.
The first reason is the primary reason.
WOW beyond description. What kind of camera, and where is it located? Fantastic. Thanks for the post.
Space X is supposed to launch their three-core, 27 engine, Falcon Heavy from Vandenberg “in 2013” . Should be very impressive. Haven’t heard much about their heavy lately however and it’s nearly September.
Fixed it.
they say 5 inches.....
Do we even still have a space program these days, except to turn Hubble telescopes on us earthlings?
Yes, they can image 5-6 inches. That is not a lie. What you are not told is how much more resolution it has, just as the government claimed that the SR-71 was capable of flying at 60,000 back in it's heyday. Of course, now we know it flew much higher.
Wouldn't that burn us up like ants?
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