Western Range

The Western Range (WR)cite web |url=http://www.fas.org/spp/military/program/nssrm/initiatives/westrang.htm |title=Western Range (U) |accessdate=2008-08-31 |publisher= |date=1997-11-07 ] is the space launch range that supports the major launch head at Vandenberg Air Force Base.cite web|url=http://snebulos.mit.edu/projects/reference/NASA-Generic/EWR/99ewr-c1.pdf |title=Chapter 1: Eastern and Western Range Safety Policies and Processes 31 December 1999 Change to 1997 EWR |accessdate=2008-08-31 |format=PDF |work= |publisher= ] rp|pg 15 Managed by the 30th Space Wingcite web|url=http://www.fas.org/spp/military/facility/00feb_vafb_1.pdf |title=30th SPACE WING/VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE LAUNCH SITE SAFETY ASSESSMENT |accessdate=2008-08-31 |author=Center for Aerospace Technology (CAST) |year=2000 |month=February |format=PDF |work=Research Triangle Institute Center for Aerospace Technology (CAST) |publisher=Federal Aviation Administration Associate Administrator for Commercial Space Transportation ] rp|pg 25, the WR extends from the West Coast of the United States to 90 degrees East longitude in the Indian Oceanrp|pg 27 where it meets the Eastern Rangecite web |url=http://www.fas.org/spp/military/facility/western.pdf |title=BASELINE ASSESSMENT WESTERN SPACE AND MISSILE CENTER |accessdate=2008-06-02 |author=Mr. Loyd C. Parker |coauthors=Mr. Jerry D. Watson Mr. James F. Stephenson |year=1989 |month=07 |format=PDF |publisher=RESEARCH TRIANGLE INSTITUTE CENTER FOR SYSTEMS ENGINEERING FLORIDA OFFICE for U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION OFFICE OF COMMERCIAL SPACE TRANSPORTATION ] rp|pg 10 Operations involve military, government, and commercial interests. Operations involve military, government, and commercial interests. The WR is operated under by a civilian contractor since it's establishment, following the precedent of the Eastern Range. On 2003-10-01, InDyne Inc. took over the range contract from ITT Industries which had operated the range for the previous 44 years. [cite web
url=http://www.indyneinc.com/homepage/Portals/0/news_articles/SantaMariaTimes2.pdf |title=New leader of Western Range signed at VAFB |accessdate=2008-06-02 |author=Janene Scully |date=2003-07-14 |format=PDF |work=Santa Maria Times (copy on InDyne website) |publisher=Pulitzer Central Coast Newspapers ]

Notable launches

* 1959-02-28 - Discoverer 1 - first spacecraft placed in a polar orbit.cite web
url=http://www.vandenberg.af.mil/library/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=4606 |title=Space Vehicles : History Office : History Office |accessdate=2008-08-31 |author=30th SW Public Affairs ] [cite web |url=http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/spacecraftDisplay.do?id=1959-002A |title=NASA - NSSDC - Spacecraft - Details NSSDC ID: 1959-002A |accessdate=2008-08-31 |work= |publisher= |date= ]

See also

* Eastern Range

External links

* [http://www.vandenberg.af.mil/~swStaff/history/chronology.asp?HLSTAFF=y&HLHISTO=y 30th Space Wing History]

References