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[OT] Peacekeeper Launch from Vandenberg
On Thu, 22 Jul 2004 01:05:39 GMT, Chris S
wrote: I saw one from 1 mile down range back in 1992. I worked on the Minuteman III and just so happened to be present for a Peacekeeper launch. Very impressive stuff and I remember it just as you described. The one cool thing I did get to see was the missile exit the launch tube and light the first stage because we had a downhill vantage point to the launch facility. Maybe I'll get to see another some day. :-) There's a Minuteman III scheduled to launch Friday morning with a six-hour launch window opening at 1:01 AM. Mike Simmons |
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[OT] Peacekeeper Launch from Vandenberg
I saw just what you describe with a spent stage. I could see it tumbling
(I assume that's the cause of the on-off behavior) for quite a long time as the next stage continued to take the warhead downrange. Mike Simmons On Thu, 22 Jul 2004 03:23:52 GMT, Skywise wrote: I observed the launch from Stanton down in Orange County, 118.0w 33.8n, through my telescope at both 19x and then at 30x. I misjudged the location on the horizon where it would rise and didn't see it until it was almost due west and rising over a building. I caught it in time to observe (19x) one of the stages fall away. I then switched to 30x after the next stage lit and continued following it until burnout. It was an orange diffuse dot at all times. After burnout was the interesting part. It would fade completely but every 5-7 seconds it would flare up again to about 1/3 it's brightness before burnout. It almost looked as though I was watching a slow tumbling satellite. I fianlly lost it when I accidently bumped the scope. I would guess I was either seeing course correction firings or was following a spent booster as it tumbled down range, occasionally looking down the still smoldering 'barrel'. Brian |
#13
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[OT] Peacekeeper Launch from Vandenberg
I saw just what you describe with a spent stage. I could see it tumbling
(I assume that's the cause of the on-off behavior) for quite a long time as the next stage continued to take the warhead downrange. Mike Simmons On Thu, 22 Jul 2004 03:23:52 GMT, Skywise wrote: I observed the launch from Stanton down in Orange County, 118.0w 33.8n, through my telescope at both 19x and then at 30x. I misjudged the location on the horizon where it would rise and didn't see it until it was almost due west and rising over a building. I caught it in time to observe (19x) one of the stages fall away. I then switched to 30x after the next stage lit and continued following it until burnout. It was an orange diffuse dot at all times. After burnout was the interesting part. It would fade completely but every 5-7 seconds it would flare up again to about 1/3 it's brightness before burnout. It almost looked as though I was watching a slow tumbling satellite. I fianlly lost it when I accidently bumped the scope. I would guess I was either seeing course correction firings or was following a spent booster as it tumbled down range, occasionally looking down the still smoldering 'barrel'. Brian |
#14
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[OT] Peacekeeper Launch from Vandenberg
Mike Simmons wrote: On Thu, 22 Jul 2004 01:05:39 GMT, Chris S wrote: I saw one from 1 mile down range back in 1992. I worked on the Minuteman III and just so happened to be present for a Peacekeeper launch. Very impressive stuff and I remember it just as you described. The one cool thing I did get to see was the missile exit the launch tube and light the first stage because we had a downhill vantage point to the launch facility. Maybe I'll get to see another some day. :-) There's a Minuteman III scheduled to launch Friday morning with a six-hour launch window opening at 1:01 AM. PDT? |
#15
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[OT] Peacekeeper Launch from Vandenberg
Mike Simmons wrote: On Thu, 22 Jul 2004 01:05:39 GMT, Chris S wrote: I saw one from 1 mile down range back in 1992. I worked on the Minuteman III and just so happened to be present for a Peacekeeper launch. Very impressive stuff and I remember it just as you described. The one cool thing I did get to see was the missile exit the launch tube and light the first stage because we had a downhill vantage point to the launch facility. Maybe I'll get to see another some day. :-) There's a Minuteman III scheduled to launch Friday morning with a six-hour launch window opening at 1:01 AM. PDT? |
#16
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[OT] Peacekeeper Launch from Vandenberg
Chris S wrote:
"Alexander Avtanski" wrote in message ... I just saw the Peacekeeper launch from Vandenberg AFB (California). Excellent view from San Jose - I've seen several launches from here, and this one was in the "very good" category. Bright yellow-orange exhaust, separation of the first stage clearly visible; after separation could trace the first stage boosters falling down for about 30 sec. The sight of couple of dozen million dollars evaporating is always impressive, :-) - Alex I saw one from 1 mile down range back in 1992. I worked on the Minuteman III and just so happened to be present for a Peacekeeper launch. Very impressive stuff and I remember it just as you described. The one cool thing I did get to see was the missile exit the launch tube and light the first stage because we had a downhill vantage point to the launch facility. Maybe I'll get to see another some day. :-) Lets hope not in anger. shawn |
#17
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[OT] Peacekeeper Launch from Vandenberg
Chris S wrote:
"Alexander Avtanski" wrote in message ... I just saw the Peacekeeper launch from Vandenberg AFB (California). Excellent view from San Jose - I've seen several launches from here, and this one was in the "very good" category. Bright yellow-orange exhaust, separation of the first stage clearly visible; after separation could trace the first stage boosters falling down for about 30 sec. The sight of couple of dozen million dollars evaporating is always impressive, :-) - Alex I saw one from 1 mile down range back in 1992. I worked on the Minuteman III and just so happened to be present for a Peacekeeper launch. Very impressive stuff and I remember it just as you described. The one cool thing I did get to see was the missile exit the launch tube and light the first stage because we had a downhill vantage point to the launch facility. Maybe I'll get to see another some day. :-) Lets hope not in anger. shawn |
#18
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[OT] Peacekeeper Launch from Vandenberg
Mike Simmons wrote: On Thu, 22 Jul 2004 03:23:52 GMT, Skywise wrote: I observed the launch from Stanton down in Orange County, 118.0w 33.8n, through my telescope at both 19x and then at 30x. I misjudged the location on the horizon where it would rise and didn't see it until it was almost due west and rising over a building. I caught it in time to observe (19x) one of the stages fall away. I then switched to 30x after the next stage lit and continued following it until burnout. It was an orange diffuse dot at all times. After burnout was the interesting part. It would fade completely but every 5-7 seconds it would flare up again to about 1/3 it's brightness before burnout. It almost looked as though I was watching a slow tumbling satellite. I fianlly lost it when I accidently bumped the scope. I would guess I was either seeing course correction firings or was following a spent booster as it tumbled down range, occasionally looking down the still smoldering 'barrel'. Brian I saw just what you describe with a spent stage. I could see it tumbling (I assume that's the cause of the on-off behavior) for quite a long time as the next stage continued to take the warhead downrange. Mike Simmons Yes, I also think that should've been the spent stage - I was able to see it tumbling for about 30 sec in the same FOV as the missile (I was using 8x35 binoculars) and it was flashing exactly as Brian describes. The missile itself continued steady for about 30 seconds after I lost the spent stage and then seemed to turn off quite abruptly. I guess this was the "coast" phase of the flight, right? - Alex |
#19
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[OT] Peacekeeper Launch from Vandenberg
Mike Simmons wrote: On Thu, 22 Jul 2004 03:23:52 GMT, Skywise wrote: I observed the launch from Stanton down in Orange County, 118.0w 33.8n, through my telescope at both 19x and then at 30x. I misjudged the location on the horizon where it would rise and didn't see it until it was almost due west and rising over a building. I caught it in time to observe (19x) one of the stages fall away. I then switched to 30x after the next stage lit and continued following it until burnout. It was an orange diffuse dot at all times. After burnout was the interesting part. It would fade completely but every 5-7 seconds it would flare up again to about 1/3 it's brightness before burnout. It almost looked as though I was watching a slow tumbling satellite. I fianlly lost it when I accidently bumped the scope. I would guess I was either seeing course correction firings or was following a spent booster as it tumbled down range, occasionally looking down the still smoldering 'barrel'. Brian I saw just what you describe with a spent stage. I could see it tumbling (I assume that's the cause of the on-off behavior) for quite a long time as the next stage continued to take the warhead downrange. Mike Simmons Yes, I also think that should've been the spent stage - I was able to see it tumbling for about 30 sec in the same FOV as the missile (I was using 8x35 binoculars) and it was flashing exactly as Brian describes. The missile itself continued steady for about 30 seconds after I lost the spent stage and then seemed to turn off quite abruptly. I guess this was the "coast" phase of the flight, right? - Alex |
#20
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[OT] Peacekeeper Launch from Vandenberg
"scurry" wrote in message
... Chris S wrote: Maybe I'll get to see another some day. :-) Lets hope not in anger. shawn Amen to that... |
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