NASA Satellite Launch From Vandenberg AFB Saturday Morning, May Be Visible From Bay Area
VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE (CBS SF) – NASA will attempt to launch a climate research satellite from Vandenberg Air Force Base early Saturday, a launch that could be visible from the Bay Area.
A Delta 2 rocket carrying the Soil Moisture Active Passive satellite is scheduled to be launched at 6:20 a.m. Pacific Time on Saturday from the base, which is located off the Santa Barbara County coast.
The launch was supposed to take place early Thursday morning, but it was scrubbed by NASA because of a sharp wind shear 34,000 feet above the pad. The launch was rescheduled for Friday, but NASA said technical problems forced another rescheduling for Saturday morning.
Saturday's satellite launch would likely be visible from the Bay Area and much of California, barring local weather conditions.
The satellite's mission is to map the amount of moisture locked in soil, data that could be key to understanding the historic drought afflicting California.
