It hasn't hit the news yet. I heard the rumbling and my house shook at around 5:45 or so this morning. I ran out to see the delta 4 rocket that was supposed to be cancelled because of weather. It was clear as a bell and you could see the rocket clearly. I kept waiting for the first stage to drop off and it never did. about 1.5 minutes into the flight they detonated it. They had a high tech weather satellite aboard that was capable of even measuring the moisture content of the soil from space. The rocket malfunctioned and we lost it.

 

Whoops .... someones day just got a whole lot worse .

Wonder what malfunctioned. I sure would hate to live downwind from that place ... I don't imagine having millions of pieces of satellite and rocket raining down on your head would feel too good.

PISTOL

 

Calif. Launch for Weather Satellite

Saturday, November 04, 2006

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. — A military weather satellite was launched into orbit early Saturday aboard a Boeing Delta 4 rocket.

The 207-foot-tall rocket blasted off at 5:53 a.m. PDT carrying the Air Force Defense Meteorological Satellite Program payload called DMSP-17, which will be used for global weather forecasting.

The Delta 4 is the tallest rocket launched from Vandenberg. Its inaugural West Coast launch was in June.


www.foxnews.com


Didnt see anything there....m

 

Vandenberg launches second Delta IV rocket

by Staff Sgt. Raymond Hoy
30th Space Wing Public Affairs

11/4/2006 - VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- Vandenberg successfully launched a Delta IV evolved expendable launch vehicle at 5:53 a.m. today from Space Launch Complex-6 carrying a Defense Meteorological Satellite Program satellite.

The two-stage Delta IV medium booster hauled the 2,700-pound DMSP-17 spacecraft into a polar orbit around Earth.

The approximately $445 million rocket was able to launch during its 10-minute window without any delays. A weather system off the coast of California created a 60 percent chance of mission delay; however, weather cleared in the early morning for no delay.
Col. Terry Djuric, 30th Space Wing vice commander, was the spacelift commander, or final "go for launch" authority, for this mission.

"I'm extremely proud of the precision with which the base and the Vandenberg Launch Team planned and executed this Delta IV mission," Colonel Djuric said. "This west coast launch helped kick off the Air Force's year-long 60th anniversary celebration."
"With today's launch, Vandenberg has provided 100 percent assured access to space, successfully launching 17 DMSP satellites since the first DMSP satellite was launched in 1976."

This launch is the second successful launch of a Delta IV from Vandenberg. The first was launched June 27, 2006.

"From an operational perspective, this was another perfectly-executed mission by the entire team," said Lt. Col. David Goldstein, 4th Space Launch Squadron commander. "Vandenberg worked extremely well with our launch partners to bring everything together for that one perfect shot." Colonel Goldstein was the Air Force's launch director.

The launch was Vandenberg's second using the Air Force's new family of evolved expendable launch vehicles. The EELV is designed to improve the United States' access to space by making space launch vehicles more affordable and reliable. The program is replacing the existing fleet of launch systems with two families of launch vehicles, each using common components and common infrastructure. The vehicles are the Boeing Delta IV and Lockheed Martin Atlas V.

This was the seventh overall Delta IV to be launched from both Vandenberg and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. However, this will be the first DMSP satellite to ride the new rocket in to space. This was also the first DMSP launch since 2003.

The DMSP provides current weather data to servicemembers on the battlefield all around the world on land, sea and air and has done so for more than 30 years. The satellite has the means to observe virtually the entire planet twice daily. The new F17 spacecraft will replace a nearly 11-year-old DMSP satellite.

"As you know very well, weather permeates every one of those environments," said Col. Bradley Smith, commander of the Defense Meteorological System Group. "The success of this launch continues the 40 plus year legacy of providing environmental support for both the military and civilian users. Literally thousands of people have put tremendous effort into this. I am extremely proud of the hard work and dedication to mission that I have witnessed. I just really feel blessed to be associated with this whole team."
"I look forward to our continued efforts and to mission success as priority one," he added.

www.vandenberg.af.mil

 

Well that's interesting. I've seen dozens of launches. I'm 9 miles from the base. You can usually see the first stage drop off then the second stage lights up and you can watch it until it disappears. All of the ones that I have seen that were unsuccessful have kind of a star effect that quickly expands when they detonate them. I didn't see the stage drop on this one and it had that quickly expanding star shaped glow that looked like a detonation. I've never seen a successful launch look like that. I apologise for jumping the gun. I guess that I should have waited for the news story.
Maybe I should change the name of the thread to half awake dummy spreads rumors of rocket detonation. Maybe he should go back to bed and stay away from the computer.

 

As you wish.

 

haha thanks Dave! I could have sworn that they killed that thing. You could usually hear the rocket motors running all the way until it's out of sight. That strange starlike glow coupled with the rocket motor noise stopping I could have sworn they detonated that thing. Oh well it won't be the first time or last time that I was wrong.

 

Man,.............. having grown up in Germany during the cold war when I see one of those things light off on a clear night my blood runs cold!!

It just scares the poop out of me!!!

We in Sacramento do not get notified of such events.

I sure hope that the ICBM's that we have scattered about the country are one heck of a lot more reliable!!

Rick