Scud Missile Launch From California Planned For Midday

Santa Maria Times ^ | November 14, 2002

[Shermy]

VANDENBERG AFB -- A symbol of Operation Desert Storm will fly from Vandenberg Air Force Base today as the U.S. military aims to learn more about Scud missiles.

The Scud missile will launch between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. today, according to Maj. Stacee Bako, a Vandenberg Air Force Base spokeswoman. Officials didn't announce the launch date until Wednesday afternoon.

The test is one of two Scud missile launches planned by the Missile Defense Agency before the end of the year under a $13 million program dubbed "Operation Blue Velvet."

The weapon, similar to those fired by Iraq during Operation Desert Storm, will blast off from an above-ground launcher on North Base, where other ballistic missiles are regularly tested from underground silos.

Weather doesn't look very accommodating, with officials saying there's an 80 percent chance conditions will prevent liftoff. Cloud cover is the main concern.

Military officials want to collect data on the weapon for the development of the next-generation Patriot missile, used to defend against Scud missiles during Operation Desert Storm.

Equipment on the ground and on the weapon will send back reams of data on the missile's performance.

The weapon is expected to travel about 180 miles west of the base and end somewhere over the ocean.

Typically, tests involving missiles that travel shorter distances occur over land at White Sands Missile Range, N.M.

"Vandenberg has a lot more range assets than White Sands does for that kind of missile," said Lt. Col. Richard Lehner, a Missile Defense Agency spokesman.

* Staff writer Janene Scully can be reached at (805) 739-2214 or by e-mail at janscully@ pulitzer.net.

November 14, 2002

[areafiftyone]

I wonder how many people who don't know about this are going to report a UFO siting when that happens.

[DoughtyOne]

The weapon is expected to travel about 180 miles west of the base and end somewhere over the ocean.

That's going to be a neat trick.

[sparkomatic]

Dang! Does this mean I need to don my MOPP gear again?

[RightWhale]

The weapon is expected to travel about 180 miles west of the base and end somewhere over the ocean.

The Scud. It should land somewhere over there. More or less. LOL

[My2Cents]

Cool! I live in northern California, just SW of Sacramento, and noticed a rocket exhaust trail from Vandenberg a couple of weeks ago. Unfortunately, I was probably a half hour late to actually see the launch. I recall growing up in the San Jose area, I frequently saw missle launches from Vandenberg (as a moving light, and as a luminescent exhaust trail). My family was headed south on Hwy 101 on vacation and we were fortunate to be adjacent to Vandenberg when a missle was launched, see it pretty clearly. Spectacular.

[BearCub]

That's going to be a neat trick.

Why? VAFB is on the coast.

[Shermy]

Hope ocean craft are warned! LOL. Strange things happen in that area. 'Bout a month ago a whale jumped on a boat, killing a BBQ restaurant owner.

[DoughtyOne]

The flight will end when it touches water or land. It will not rest until it reaches the bottom of the ocean. It will NOT end somewhere OVER the ocean. If it did, we'd actually be studying other physics besides flight dynamics, or more specificly trajectory.

[Paleo Conservative]

The weapon is expected to travel about 180 miles west of the base and end somewhere over the ocean.

Why not target Nancy's district in San Francisco?

[sparkomatic]

The whale was a muslim. He was killing the infidel server of pig server.

[sparkomatic]

Oops! I over used the word "server". That's a series infraction. I hope a moose doesn't bite my cheesy sister, now.

[sam_paine]

BearCub, in the future, try not to assume that everyone has an inferior intellect when you type. I enjoyed Doughty's initial jab at the statement, because it was succinct. Those who got what Doughty was saying get it, those who don't need not reply.

Try reading into a post with the assumption that you might be missing the point first, and politely ask what they meant. Sometimes it helps to ask privately via Freepmail so there's no remaining evidence of "dunceness."

The neat thing about FR is that you can smack idiots around, but if you miss something yourself, prepare to get the snot beat out of you....

"Better to keep your mouth closed and be thought a fool than to open it and remove all doubt"

[finnman69]

Lets test this at the same time

http://www.cnn.com/2002/TECH/ptech/11/06/arms.laser.reut/index.html

[blackdog]

Nancy Pelosi has never really accomplished anything as far as a legislator. Her only causes championed are the enlargement of government social spending programs. As far as I am concerned, Pelosi has been set up for failure. Her sponsored legislation shows she has no command of much that we are facing in the world today. Just how valuable is a legislator who's ride to fame is defined by hate crime legislation, gay rights(they had anyway), spiking energy exploration, Giving away clean coal in exchange for democratic cash from foreign sources, and so on....

The rats are destroying her and letting her do it with her own lust for power.

I hope the SCUD lands on a SANFRAN Mosque.(empty of course)

[DoughtyOne]

I didn't really mean to kick the snot out of BearCub. He missed my meaning and I was willing to clarify. This can be a rough and tumple forum at times, but I didn't think he was out of line. Now, as for you... LMRO Take it easy bud. Later.

[Shermy]

Collision With Whale Stuns California Fishermen (One Fisherman Dead)

[RipSawyer]

"That's going to be a neat trick."


Just where is Vandenburg located, please?

[b4its2late]

'Bout a month ago a whale jumped on a boat, killing a BBQ restaurant owner.

Did they get to keep the whale and eat it at least? Heck, if we hit a deer back east, we get to keep it if we want it. Whale BBQ sounds pretty good by the way....

[RetiredArmy]

Is it aimed at the State Governor's house?