ROCKET LAUNCH ILLUMINATES NIGHT SKY.Byline: Associated Press Associated Press: see news agency. Associated Press (AP) Cooperative news agency, the oldest and largest in the U.S. and long the largest in the world. A Boeing Delta II This article is about the rocket. For the submarine see Delta class submarine. Delta II is a space launch system originally designed and built by McDonnell Douglas, then later built by Integrated Defense Systems division of Boeing. rocket carrying a cluster of satellites launched successfully Saturday night creating a spectacular light show that resembled the aurora borealis spreading across the skies over Southern California. The swath of color that blazed across the twilight sky, known as the ``twilight phenomenon,'' was caused by light reflecting from propellant pro·pel·lant also pro·pel·lent n. 1. Something, such as an explosive charge or a rocket fuel, that propels or provides thrust. 2. particles as the rocket fired at 5:34 p.m., said Air Force Sgt. Michael Ward. ``Typically we get this effect when we launch at this particular time,'' Ward said. The mixture of water and propellant freezes in the less dense, upper atmosphere, reflecting sunlight and causing a ``luminescence'' in the sky, which prompts excited calls from the public. The light show from the launch was seen as far away as 130 miles southeast in Los Angeles, 200 miles to the north in Modesto, and several hundred miles to the southeast in Arizona. The rocket carried a cluster of five Motorola Iridium iridium (ĭrĭd`ēəm), metallic chemical element; symbol Ir; at. no. 77; at. wt. 192.22; m.p. about 2,410°C;; b.p. about 4,130°C;; sp. gr. 22.55 at 20°C;; valence +3 or +4. telecommunications satellites, which was expected to be deployed shortly after launch. CAPTION(S): Photo PHOTO A rocket bearing a cluster of satellites was successfully launched Saturday from Vandenberg Air Force Base Vandenberg Air Force Base, U.S. military installation, 3,456 acres (1,399 hectares), SW Calif., near Lompoc; chief Pacific coast launch site for military satellites. . Michael Owen Baker/Daily News |
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