MINUTEMAN III LAUNCH SCHEDULED
Vandenberg AFB News Release

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. – An unarmed Minuteman III
intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) configured with one joint
test assembly is scheduled to launch from North Vandenberg Wednesday
morning as an operational test to determine the weapon system’s
reliability and accuracy. The six-hour launch window is from 12:01
a.m. to 6:01 a.m.

The missile will be launched under the direction of the 576th Flight
Test Squadron. Operational tasks were conducted by maintenance and
operations task force personnel from the 90th Missile Wing, F.E.
Warren AFB, WY. Members of the 576th FLTS installed tracking,
telemetry and command destruct systems on the missile to collect data
and meet safety requirements. A crew on the Airborne Launch Control
System from the 625th Strategic Operations Squadron, Offutt AFB, NE,
will send preparatory and execute launch commands to the missile
during the countdown.

Col. David J. Buck, 30th Space Wing commander, is the spacelift
commander for this mission. Lt. Col. Lesa K. Toler, 576th FLTS
commander, is the mission director.

“This is an exciting time right now in the nuclear business with many
changes in organizational structure, policy and procedures” said Lt
Col Toler. “but, one thing that will remain constant is the extremely
high probability of placing a bomb on target,” she said.

The missile’s one unarmed re-entry vehicle is expected to travel
approximately 4,190 miles, hitting a pre-determined target near the
Kwajalein Atoll.

The entire ICBM community, including the Department of Defense and the
Department of Energy, will use the data collected from this mission
for continuing force development evaluation.

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VANDENBERG AFB LAUNCH SCHEDULE
As of 2008 November 1
Launch
Time/Window
Date (PST/PDT) Vehicle Pad/Silo
——– ————— ————- ——–

NOV 5 00:01-06:01 Minuteman III —
Vehicle will send one unarmed warhead on a ballistic trajectory to the
central Pacific. A crew aboard an aircraft from the 625th Strategic
Operations Squadron, Offutt AFB, NE, will send preparatory and execute
launch commands to the missile during the countdown.