I used to work in Santa Maria CA in 1979-thru-1980 (Piper Aerostar Div). "We" had engineering contacts at Vandenberg AFB (~10-miles away) who let us know "when to step outside for breaks"... and get great views of ICBM & orbital launches. They NEVER got old... especially when they were accentuated with the thundering/shaking from the engines 30--45 seconds after clearing the low-hills between us and the launch pads [damm, I miss seeing/feeling launches].
I think the coolest "launch" i witnessed was a DOUBLE Minuteman III "shot" simulating war (I uderstand that the hand-picked USAF Launch crews were hyped-up for this one). All of us "taking a long-break" (early afternoon) that day swore we would remember it until we died. The (2) Minuteman cleared the hills within 30-seconds of each other, and with maybe 3-to-5 miles separation, taking parallel tracks down the Pacific range. The "up-close", visual and sensory power was magnificant and "raw"... and a bit frightening. What impressed us "intellectually" was how fast the Minuteman IIIs accelerated... and that the flights were flawless right-up to 2nd stage burnout. OH Yeah... the exhaust trails remained visible for over an hour (not much wind if I remember correctly).
Note: Afterwards, a few of us wondered-out-loud if dozens of Minuteman IIIs flying simultaneously would look as magnificant... especially if we knew they were loaded with 75KT/RVs, out to obliterate Russian souls. The answer we all came to was quite similar... It just couldn't be allowed to EVER happen...
I love watching rocket launch. There is just so much beauty. I think its the beauty coupled with the icon of distruction that makes it so amazing.
Wes C.
------------------------------ There are no engineers in the hottest parts of hell, because the existence of a 'hottest part' implies a temperature difference, and any marginally competent engineer would immediately use this to run a heat engine and make some other part of hell comfortably cool. This is obviously impossible.
1) LA Times on-line stories are only free for the first 7 days. Archived stories can be purchased ($3.95 for 1), but don't include photos. Moral: Read frequently & download anything worth saving.
2) Abstract of the Minotaur launch (from archives search):
"LAUNCH: Spectators from California to Arizona saw a military rocket streak across the sky Thursday...
A rocket launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base soars over downtown Thursday, carrying a payload that will orbit for a year to study Earth's atmosphere. The rocket was made from the first and second stages of a Minuteman 2 missile."
-- Los Angeles Times, Sep 23, 2005; page B8.
I downloaded a few of them, I'll try and post a link later today.
Wes C.
------------------------------ When they broke open molecules, they found they were only stuffed with atoms. But when they broke open atoms, they found them stuffed with explosions...
