RE: Dogleg in T-4B launch?

Richard Baldridge (RBaldridge@Filss.com)
Mon, 24 May 1999 11:44:36 -0700

	Paul L. Sventek wrote:

	I am wondering whether the upper air winds at the time were
strong enough
	to blow the contrails the amount you describe.

	________________________________________

That of course is very possible. I didn't go into all the details in my
report, but most of the observations were also based on background star
positions or horizon lights as 'fixed' locations.

The "1st Observation Point" where I first saw the rocket rise above the
hills to my South was fortuitously marked by a house light on the hill,
so contrail drift was not a factor in seeing were the boosters fell
relative to the first sighting point.  By the same token, the final 1st
stage sighting was based on this house light, and the staging was
clearly to the left about 2 degrees.

Darn. I should have spend the time hooking up my image intensified video
camera.  I could have grabbed a very interesting video.  This was my 1st
Titan IV observation and gave me a few surprises.  I've seen many Delta
II, Minuteman and four Pegasus launches now, so I'm getting some good
experience.

Thanks for the comments.

RICK BALDRIDGE