[NonValueAdded]

MISSION UPDATE

Atlas 3 countdown going well
For 3:30 p.m. EST Monday Dec. 15:

Efforts to prepare a Lockheed Martin-built Atlas 3 rocket for launch from Cape Canaveral tonight are going well, officials report.

The weather is nearly perfect and there are no technical problems reported on the rocket or the spacecraft, which is a military communications satellite being launched on a commercially-procured mission from International Launch Services.

The satellite delivery mission will take about 33 minutes to complete after the blast off from pad 36B.

Stay tuned to this page for countdown updates tonight and confirmation of launch and spacecraft separation.

Jim Banke, Senior Producer in the Cape Canaveral Bureau of SPACE.com.

[Robert A Cook PE]

let's see....

Based on designs in the mid-fifties, first launched in the early 60's ....

Not bad for an old bird.

(Course, that would imply the Wright brother's FIRST plane was still state-of-the-art and could be competitive with new planes in the early-50's....

[NonValueAdded]

See also Florida Today newspaper here

Atlas 3B/Navy UHF F11 launch journal

Welcome to our journal chronicling the launch of an Atlas 3B rocket from Pad 36B at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station on Dec. 15, 2003. It is carry the Navy's ultra high-frequency follow-on or UFO satellite (F11), the last of the UFO constellation of secure communications satellites. The launch window extends from 9:38 p.m. to 11:38 p.m. EST.

7:25 p.m. EST, Monday, Dec. 15, 2003

The launch team is at the point in the countdown where the launch pad must be cleared to make the area safe for fueling. Our updates will pick up about an hour before launch, from our viewing site at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.

6:50 p.m. EST, Monday, Dec. 15, 2003

Rollback of the launch tower is nearly complete as the countdown continues toward a 9:38 p.m. lift-off.

[earlier comments omitted]

Journal updated by Chris Kridler

[ovrtaxt]

What's the launch time?

[Normal4me]

Thanks for the post. Might have to go out to Port Canaveral and watch it live.

[Normal4me]

Ping

[RightWingAtheist]

Ping :-)

[NonValueAdded]

8 PM space.com update: rocket being fueled, weather cooperating, no technical problems, on-time launch anticipated.

[RightWhale]

UFO) F11 communications satellite into Earth orbit on a commercial mission

This is soooo confusing. It's a Navy satellite. Why did they name it the UFO?