Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!bellcore!decvax!genrad!panda!talcott!harvard!seismo!hao!nbires!boulder!cisden!lmc
From: lmc@cisden.UUCP (Lyle McElhaney)
Newsgroups: net.columbia
Subject: Re: Vandenburg
Message-ID: <493@cisden.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 7-Feb-86 17:47:52 EST
Article-I.D.: cisden.493
Posted: Fri Feb  7 17:47:52 1986
Date-Received: Tue, 11-Feb-86 06:17:37 EST
References: <678@ihwpt.UUCP>
Distribution: net
Organization: ConTel Information Systems, Denver
Lines: 13

>  While discussing the shuttle over the weekend a question came up
> concerning Vandenburg launches.  Does anyone know if the launches
> are retrograde launches.

The whole idea in using Vandenburg is that launches into *polar* orbit
could be done over water.  I can't imagine a use for a retrograde orbit;
it would not cover any features that are not covered by a normal Kennedy
SC orbit, and it would cost a whole lot in weight-to-orbit.  As far as I
know, Vandenburg will not be making any launches that do not fly over
water; therefore it will be only useful for highly-inclined orbits.

Lyle McElhaney
...hao!cisden!lmc