Wednesday, April 02, 2014

Go to work/school late tomorrow

and watch the launch of DMSP F-19 from the beach.
From Spaceflight Now:
April 3, Atlas 5, DMSP-F19
Launch window: 1446-1456 GMT (10:46-10:56 a.m. EDT; 7:46-7:56 a.m. PDT)
Launch site: SLC-3E, Vandenberg Air Force Base, California

A United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket, designated AV-044, will launch the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program 19 spacecraft for the U.S. Air Force. Built by Lockheed Martin, this polar-orbiting weather satellite will be used by the military for global weather forecasting. The rocket will fly in the 401 vehicle configuration with a four-meter fairing, no solid rocket boosters and a single-engine Centaur upper stage.
F19 means it will be the 19th Defense Meteorological Satellite launched.  This is the second to last one; only 20 were manufactured.

I've previously pulled my kid out of school for the entire day to drive her to Vandenburg AFB for a prior DMSP satellite launch.  This time, I think we will just watch the satellite fly by from the Manhattan Beach Pier.

Spaceflight Now 101 has a page about the launch with links to the launch webcast and the ascent ground track.  As I explained before, polar-orbiting weather satellites fly nearly due south from Vandenburg AFB.  Tomorrow morning's sky is forecast to be clear so the entire Santa Monica bay should get a good view of the satellite as it flies by.

In case you missed it, you can watch the video.

Watch live streaming video from spaceflightnow at livestream.com

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