Jake, You were right on the money. Major news item nationally everywhere this morning and this evening. The "miss" factor seems to be the driving force. Best video I saw was from an aircraft, about 5 miles away, at about 3k-7k feet altitude (all guesses on my part), that show the rocket penetrating a lower cloud layer, climb through the clear area between layers, and disappear through the higher cloud layer. I assume this wasn't "file" data. It would be nice to watch a live feed. Probably need a different TV option. Robin Jake Rees wrote: > > Robin, the Oct. 2 one was covered locally, nationally, and internationally > on TV. This was due to the fact that it was a "Star Wars" (I don't really > like that term but it's catchy) type test more than the visual so. Calif. > angle. The local LA TV covered both aspects, i.e. the mission and the > visual display. > ------------------- > -----Original Message----- > From: Robin R. Wier <rwier@cris.com> > To: Jake Rees <jrburca@worldnet.att.net> > Cc: SeeSat-L@blackadder.lmsal.com <SeeSat-L@blackadder.lmsal.com> > Date: Tuesday, January 18, 2000 8:02 PM > Subject: Re: MMII VAFB Launch Observed Jan. 18 > > >Jake, > >Wow, good job, but me thinks you might be a little optimistic about the > >TV coverage. > >Robin > > > >Jake Rees wrote: > >> > >> Tuesday morning, I had been pessimistic about being able to see anything > due > >> to extensive clouds. However, as sunset approached, it got better and > >> better and at 6 PM, there were only a few clouds and nothing much in my > view > >> to the west towards Vandenberg. > >> > >> I saw it from near my home across an athletic field and school roof. It > >> launched about 20 min. into the window. First sighted coming up over a > tree > >> on the horizon, it appeared as a short elongated orange flame through > >> binoculars. As it climbed various flashes were seen and stages dropping > off > >> could be seen as "sparks" behind the rocket. A dim smoke trail could be > >> seen behind the missile's exhaust. After over 1:15 from liftoff, it > became > >> very bright and white and a fan-shaped display suddenly grew out from the > >> exhaust. My friend said it looked like an angel. This display remained > in > >> the sky for about a minute before fading somewhat abruptly. This most > >> interesting part of the display, I think, was looking down the tailpipe > of > >> the missile exhaust as it was high into space and the fan-shape mostly > below > >> it, was crystallized fuel propellent catching the sunrays. After it was > all > >> gone, a dim light blue patch of color remained in the sky for a few > minutes. > >> I also recorded it on camcorder; camcorder in right hand, binoculars in > left > >> hand, and split my time between looking through each and just looking > naked > >> eye. > >> > >> I would think there may be video of this certainly on local LA TV news > and > >> maybe nationally and worldwide. > >> > >> -- Jake Rees > >> Burbank, California > >> > >> ----------------------------------------------------------------- > >> Unsubscribe from SeeSat-L by sending a message with 'unsubscribe' > >> in the SUBJECT to SeeSat-L-request@lists.satellite.eu.org > >> http://www2.satellite.eu.org/seesat/seesatindex.html > > ----------------------------------------------------------------- Unsubscribe from SeeSat-L by sending a message with 'unsubscribe' in the SUBJECT to SeeSat-L-request@lists.satellite.eu.org http://www2.satellite.eu.org/seesat/seesatindex.html
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