Slashdot Mirror
Vandenberg AFB Missile Launches
Anonymous Coward writes "Hi All: My Space Archive web site covers the activities of Vandenberg AFB, a military and civilian spaceport on California's central coast. After several weeks of work, I have finished extensively revising and expanding the Viewing Vandenberg AFB Launches page on my site. I've been observing and photographing these launches for several years. Some are visible over much of the western U.S., but there is little information about them. As far as I know, this is the only article ever written on observing these launches. Regards, Brian Webb"
A suspected terrorist was arrested in California today. He was reportedly gathering military intelligence and distributing it to terrorist cells via the internet.
Now for the weather....
"If I were bound by all laws everywhere I'm sure I would have committed a capital crime somewhere."
Making a web site out of this will most probably attract some attention from the men in black and the guy will have to take it down.
Oh well, what the hell...
Why is it irresponsable? As he states, these launches are viewable over a huge area, theres no way they can keep this stuff secret. The US certainly monitors launches made by other countries, so why is a little bit of monitoring of its own launches so bad? Do they really deem themselves that far above the rest of the world?
Why is it irresponsable? As he states, these launches are viewable over a huge area, theres no way they can keep this stuff secret. The US certainly monitors launches made by other countries, so why is a little bit of monitoring of its own launches so bad? Do they really deem themselves that far above the rest of the world?
You are correct: it is not secret. But it is sensitive.
It comes down to the argument of where does one draw the line of protecting secret versus sensitive information. Both can allow a third party to reach the same conclusion. For instance, take the first Gulf War. It was secret as to when the U.S. was going to attack. So that wasn't leaked. But newspapers remarked on how much take-out food was being delivered to the White House. This is sensitive information because a third party could do a traffic analysis and come to the conclusion that increased food deliveries means increased planning activity and therefore they're going to attack very soon.
haha, foriegn power already watch these tests, no great secret.
The Kruger Dunning explains most post on
VAFB has published information on unclassified launches on their website already. All the website talks about is what places are good to watch said launches from, what to look for, what laucnhes look most impressive, and what to bring. This is sensitive how?
So this makes things easier. Webb's sight tells us all the launches. Vandenberg tells us which were unclassified. A - B = C, which launches were classified.
You are such an obvious troll.
The site linked just tells good public places to get a view of the launch from. That's all. There is a small launch schedule, that says:
This schedule is a composite of unclassified information approved for public release from government, industry, and other sources. It is essentially accurate at the time of publication, but may disagree with other launch schedules (including the official Vandenberg AFB schedule). This listing does not provide sensitive or potentially sensitive information on military launches.
See? No information on classifieds launches, moron.
Chapter and verse huh? a. Drive up to any military base and look at the big sign at the gate saying "no cameras...".
b. Go read the Patriot Act.
Nuff sed.
Oh well, what the hell...
It's not sensitive at all. If he posts an article about a military payload going up, that would just give information about the launch time. Big deal.
But when it's orbiting, the orbit can be observed. The satellite can be observed. Very good guesses can be made about the satellite.
In other words, you don't know what you're talking about. Even if he reports classified launches, there's no information that he is releasing that can't and isn't be figured out by observing the orbit.
And the pizza thing is apocryphal.
No weapon in the arsenals of the world is so formidable as the will and moral courage of free men.-Ronald Reagan
Damn you really are an idiot. Do you know how the bad guys figure out what classified payloads we launch?
They look up. That's right, they can see the fricking satellite from their front yards. They can observe the orbit with their eyes, with cameras, and with radars.
You've posted a dozen messages on this forum claiming these guys are giving away secrets. They are not giving away anything that the bad guys can't see with their own eyes.
Jeez. Some people really don't have a clue at all. Read some satellite observing newsgroups sometime. They are filled with stories that go like this:
Man #1: Hey, I saw a new satellite last night. Don't know what it is, but I've observed it on two passes so far, and I have calculated some orbital elements. So, it looks like it was launched at 4:15 yesterday from Vandenberg, and it's in a 450x300 mile orbit, polar. Here's the orbital elements so you can find it: (gives elements)
Man #2: Thanks, I imaged the new sat last night, and it looks like it's a replacement for the Lacrosse that failed last week. Looks nice, got some photos of the solar arrays shining in the sun.
These people can figure out exactly what a payload is, where it was launched, when it was launched, and who owns it, without ever seeing a launch.
In short, you're a dummy.
No weapon in the arsenals of the world is so formidable as the will and moral courage of free men.-Ronald Reagan