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Posted on 10/13/2003 9:31:19 PM PDT by WSGilcrest
MISSILE LAUNCH WEDNESDAY
A Titan II missile is scheduled for launch this Wednesday morning from Vandenberg AFB. The vehicle is slated to leave SLC-4W at south base at 09:17 PDT, the start of a 10-minute launch window.
Several minutes later the Titan will place a DMSP military weather satellite into a low altitude polar orbit selected to give the spacecraft's sensors global coverage.
For up-to-date countdown status and further information regarding this launch, go to the Spaceflight Now web site at:
http://www.spaceflightnow.com/titan/g9/status.html http://www.spaceflightnow.com/titan/g9/031012saga.html http://www.spaceflightnow.com/titan/g9/031010ascent.html ----------------------------------------------------------------------
TITAN II SET TO LAUNCH Vandenberg AFB News Release
(Vandenberg AFB, OCT 10) The era of Titan II space boosters comes to a close Wednesday as the last Titan II blasts off of Space Launch Complex-4 West here. The launch window is from 9:17 to 9:28* a.m. The rocket will carry a 4,200-pound Defense Meteorological Satellite Program payload into low Earth orbit approximately 458 nautical miles above the Earth. This is the first DMSP launch in four years. The DMSP satellite constellation monitors the Earth's atmosphere and oceans providing nearly complete coverage of global cloud distribution every six hours. This final launch is a joint effort between the men and women of the 30th Space Wing, Space and Missile Systems Center, Lockheed Martin, and Aerojet. The Titan program is being phased out as the Air Force moves toward the more cost-effective, efficient evolved expendable launch vehicle program.
* A reliable source indicates the launch window closes a minute earlier at 09:27 - Editor ----------------------------------------------------------------------
TITAN II LAUNCH VISIBILITY
Observing Wednesday's Titan II launch will be a challenge - even if you're relatively close to the launch site. The Titan's engines produce a transparent, colorless flame. This is also a daylight launch and that will further limit the launch's visibility.
Still, if you know exactly where to look, you might be able to see the launch for a radius of up to 75-miles. ----------------------------------------------------------------------
GLOSSARY
DMSP Defense Meteorological Satellite Program
Nautical Mile A unit of measure used in the maritime, aviation, and astronautics communities. A nautical mile is 6,076.115 feet in length. The statute mile used in everday life is 5,280 feet long.
PDT Pacific Daylight Savings Time
SLC-4W Space Launch Complex 4 West. A launch pad _______________________________________________
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