Look to the Sky Dawn Saturday, 11/4/06

[SHGA Communications]

From Malury Silberman:

I wanted to let you know of a planned launch from Vandenberg early on Saturday. Wake up and look west!
Payload is the DMSP F-17 military weather satellite.

“The Air Force is scheduled to launch a military weather satellite from Vandenberg Air Force Base into orbit, atop a Delta IV on Saturday morning, between 5:53 AM and 6:03 AM, Pacific Standard Time.

“Because the launch window ends shortly before sunrise (6:09 AM in San Diego, 6:26 AM at Vandenberg AFB), there's a good chance that the vehicle's plume will suddenly brighten dramatically as it climbs into the sun, against a dark pre-dawn sky.

“This "twilight effect" is especially important for the Delta IV, which will be riding a hydrogen/oxygen engine after the solid rocket motors burn out in the first couple of minutes of the flight. The plume from a hydrogen/oxygen engine is not thick and opaque like a solid rocket motor
plume. You need good lighting to make the plume visible.

“This is a launch worth getting up early for.�