© Bill and Sally Fletcher
Posted on 09/22/2005 6:42:10 PM PDT by Walkingfeather
RARE DUSK LAUNCH IN ABOUT 30 mins. CAN BE SEEN INTO ARIZONA. Watch for cool trail twisting and glowing hours later. details here.
LAUNCH ALERT
Brian Webb Ventura County, California E-mail: kd6nrp@earthlink.net Web Site: http://www.spacearchive.info
2005 September 22 (Thursday) 05:26 PDT ----------------------------------------------------------------------
LAUNCH REMAINS ON SCHEDULE
Tonight's scheduled launch of a Minotaur rocket from Vandenberg AFB appears to be on schedule for a dusk launch at 19:24 PDT, the start of a 16-minute launch window.
According to a computer analysis by space analyst Rick Baldridge, the rocket will climb into sunlight at T+78 seconds during the second stage burn. That may create a fine display visible across a wide portion of the Southwest and Mexico.
I'll be heading into the field later today to photograph the launch and will be unable to provide any updates for several hours. However, Spaceflight Now should provide updated launch status at:
www.spaceflightnow.com/minotaur/stpr1/status.html
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Copyright © 2005 Brian Webb. All rights reserved. This newsletter may be distributed in its entirety without restriction. Excerpts may be not be reprinted or posted elsewhere without prior permission.
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Launch updates here....
http://www.spaceflightnow.com/minotaur/stpr1/status.html
Thanks. This is one people will be talking about at work tomorrow so it is worth walking outside and looking northwest.
Crap! I live near KSC and don't get to see a launch? :-(
I was at SL-6 for a while back in the 90s. :-)
Oh, thank you for the post - I'll take a stroll outside to watch later. :)
Was at KSC in the 80s. :-)
I've seen the contrail formations of some early morning launches at White Sands. It's an awesome thing.
T-minus 6 minutes. The final management poll ended with concurrence to launch right on time. There are no problems standing in the way of liftoff.
Updates here as well, anyone have a video feed? I doubt it, being the military and all..
I have seen them before and they are so awesome! Also been to VB and seen the launch pads. They are pretty awesome themselves! No picture signs all over however!
T-minus 4 minutes. The flight computer is armed. And the C-band tracking beacon is functioning as expected on interal power.
T-minus 3 minutes. The Air Force-controlled Western Range is clear for launch.
T-minus 2 minutes, 30 seconds. Coming up on auto sequence start in 30 seconds.
T-minus 100 seconds. The rocket ordnance has been armed.
Darn, I live in the Sierras now and it is overcast tonight, and too many pine trees. I went on the back deck and can only see trees and clouds!
LIFTOFF! Liftoff of the Minotaur rocket with the Streak satellite, launching a new Space Test Program research mission for the U.S. military.
OH YEAH WHAT A SHOW!!!!
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