Message posted by WheresJanet on November 12, 2016 at 21:33:27 PST:

WOW! Great memory. I remember being parked right before the checkpoint past the main gate on S VAFB. It was one of the very few launches i've ever seen! It was beautiful! I'm so grateful that one of the only launches I was able to see on base was at night!

I was also at a Minuteman III launch at VAFB. Also at night! I don't remember the exact day it was, i'd have to look at my photos. I remember being with a few other people at the checkpoint on base that leads to the Minuteman/interceptor silos. Everyone was asking the SF guard when it was going to launch (since we were standing there for quite some time). He kept saying he wasn't allowed to say the exact time. He gave us about a 15 second heads up that it was about to launch because he got a call on his radio. The most amazing thing I remember about that night was hearing a very loud "pop" and I wasn't able to find the missile in the air. Then about 10 seconds later, It was so high up in the sky, I couldn't even guess the altitude so please forgive me. What I do remember though, is it was one of the greatest things i've ever witnessed in my life. Besides NROL-41 and the shuttle landing at EDW.

Thank you for sharing your viewpoint on a launch we both were at...Small world! :)

WheresJanet.

In Reply to: Re: Satellite launches. posted by Peter Merlin on November 12, 2016 at 5:21:12 PST:

Replies: