BY JUSTIN RAY

August 17, 2000 -- Follow the countdown and launch of a U.S. Air Force Titan 4B rocket with a classified payload for the National Reconnaissance Office. Reload this page for the very latest on the mission live from Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif.

THURSDAY, AUGUST 17, 2000

The Lockheed Martin-built Titan 4B rocket successfully completed its mission today by placing a hush-hush reconnaissance spacecraft into Earth orbit today.

Watch a video clip of the liftoff from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, which was recorded from Air Force TV.

We also have a clip of the rocket turning and heading downrange and a movie from an infrared tracking camera showing the first stage igniting and solid rocket boosters separating over two minutes into flight.

Today's launch is thought to have lofted the fourth Lacrosse radar-imaging spy satellite for the National Reconnaissance Office. The craft, built by Lockheed Martin, can see through clouds and operate in daylight or darkness to observe sites of strategic interest around the globe.

The Titan delivered its cargo into orbit inclined 68 degrees to the Equator, matching the orbit of the aging Lacrosse 2 satellite which the new spacecraft likely would replace.

This launch marked the 30th for the Titan 4 program dating back to 1989, the 10th from Vandenberg Air Force Base and the 1,800th launch from this West Coast site extending back to December 1958.

The next Titan 4 launch is scheduled for the end of October from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida when a Milstar communications relay satellite will be carried into space for the Pentagon. The next Vandenberg Titan 4 is expected next spring with another classified NRO payload. There are nine more Titan 4 rockets firmly scheduled to fly before being phased out in favor the next-generation Boeing Delta 4 and Lockheed Martin Atlas 5 Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle fleets, which will provide medium-to-heavy launch capabilities.

2354 GMT (7:54 p.m. EDT)

T+plus 9 minutes, 30 seconds. SPACECRAFT SEPARATION! Officials have confirmed separation of the top-secret NRO spy satellite from the Titan rocket's second stage. Release occurred 9 minutes and 16 seconds after a spectacular liftoff from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.

2354 GMT (7:54 p.m. EDT)

T+plus 9 minutes. The second stage has shut down, completed the powered phase of today's launch of the Titan 4 rocket. Standing by for payload separation momentarily.

2352 GMT (7:52 p.m. EDT)

T+plus 7 minutes. Firing of the Titan rocket's second stage should continue for another two minutes before engine shutdown.

2350 GMT (7:50 p.m. EDT)

T+plus 5 minutes, 30 seconds. The second stage is now firing as the Titan 4 pushes into space.

2349 GMT (7:49 p.m. EDT)

T+plus 4 minutes. The 66-foot long payload fairing enclosing the Titan rocket's hush-hush cargo has been jettisoned. Less than 90 seconds left in the first stage burn.

2347 GMT (7:47 p.m. EDT)

T+plus 2 minutes, 30 seconds. The twin solid rocket boosters have separated from the Titan 4 rocket's core vehicle. The first stage has ignited.

2346 GMT (7:46 p.m. EDT)

T+plus 90 seconds. Titan continues right down the Range track into a clear blue sky.

2345 GMT (7:45 p.m. EDT)

T+plus 30 seconds. The Titan rocket is shaking Central California as it streaks to orbit. Official liftoff time was 2345:00.818 GMT.

2345 GMT (7:45 p.m. EDT)

LIFTOFF! Liftoff of the Titan 4B rocket launching on a clandestine mission with a top-secret spy satellite onboard. And the vehicle has cleared the tower.

2344 GMT (7:44 p.m. EDT)

T-minus 30 seconds. The Titan rocket -- nicknamed "Julia Ann" -- is "go".

2344 GMT (7:44 p.m. EDT)

T-minus 1 minute. The Range has issued its final "go" for launch.

2343 GMT (7:43 p.m. EDT)

T-minus 2 minutes. Sequence start. Computers are now controlling the remainder of the countdown to ready the Titan 4 rocket and ground systems for the liftoff.

2341 GMT (7:41 p.m. EDT)

T-minus 4 minutes. The final clear-to-launch poll has been conducted with nothing amiss. Liftoff remains on track.

2339 GMT (7:39 p.m. EDT)

T-minus 6 minutes and counting. The countdown continues for liftoff of the Titan 4B-28 mission carrying a classified National Reconnaissance Office payload.

2337 GMT (7:37 p.m. EDT)

T-minus 8 minutes and counting. A final readiness check of the Titan 4 rocket's systems has been conducted and all is still go.

2335 GMT (7:35 p.m. EDT)

T-minus 10 minutes and counting. The terminal countdown has started for today's launch of the Titan 4B rocket. If any problems crop up, the count can hold at T-minus 6 minutes. However, all systems remain "go" for liftoff at 2345 GMT.

2330 GMT (7:30 p.m. EDT)

T-minus 15 minutes and counting. The final "go" for flight vehicle and spacecraft readiness today wil be made by the Mission Director, which serves the National Reconnaissance Office -- operator of the spy satellite to be carried aloft today by the Titan 4B rocket.

The final operational "go" including safety and launch range assets is made by the Air Force Space Command Ops Group Commander.

The final launch decision authority resides with the Space Wing Commander and is based on the inputs from the Mission Director and the Ops Group Commander.

2326 GMT (7:26 p.m. EDT)

T-minus 19 minutes and counting. A readiness poll of the launch officials has just been completed and no problems have been reported. Liftoff remains set for 2345 GMT from Titan 4B rocket at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. This has been a very smooth and quiet countdown this afternoon.

The countdown is being run by a primary team of about 80 people stationed in the Remote Launch Control Center in Building 8510 on Vandenberg's North Base. In addition, there are dozens of others in the Western Range Control Center, other buildings on Vandenberg plus at Los Angeles Air Force Base and rocket-maker Lockheed Martin's Denver plant.

2316 GMT (7:16 p.m. EDT)

The Ariane 4 rocket has just launched from Kourou, French Guiana in South America. See our updates on that launch.

2315 GMT (7:15 p.m. EDT)

T-minus 30 minutes and counting. Officials have just verified all weather at the launch site and flight path are "go" for launch. Also, the Range is ready to enter terminal count in 10 minutes.

There are no technical problems being worked and liftoff remains set for 2345 GMT.

2309 GMT (7:09 p.m. EDT)

As the countdown continues smoothly here in California for the Titan 4B rocket, in South America Arianespace is preparing to launch an Ariane 4 rocket with a pair of communications. See our updates on that launch.

2302 GMT (7:02 p.m. EDT)

Launch officials have just received an updated weather briefing. All weather conditions are currently acceptable and expected to remain that way through liftoff at 2345 GMT, though there is a 20 percent chance ground winds could pose a problem.

The forecast is calling for clear skies, northwesterly winds 8 to 12 knots, unrestricted visbility and a temperature of 57 to 59 degrees.

If the launch is delayed to tomorrow for some reason, the forecast calls for a 60 percent of good conditions, with ground winds again the main concern.

2245 GMT (6:45 p.m. EDT)

T-minus 1 hour. The countdown remains on track for today's liftoff of the Titan 4B rocket. The Air Force says the winds at the SLC-4E pad is light and from the west, which is acceptable for liftoff. The winds had been the main threat for today's launch attempt. If the winds were from the northwest and above 14 knots, the winds could have caused the rocket to strike the tower at liftoff.

2221 GMT (6:21 p.m. EDT)

The launch team is now beginning first and second oxidizer tank pressurization now that the pad is cleared of all personnel.

2215 GMT (6:15 p.m. EDT)

T-minus 90 minutes and counting. The launch pad is now been cleared of all workers in advance of today's liftoff at 2345 GMT from Space Launch Complex-4 East at Vandenberg Air Force Base. It is a beautiful afternoon in Central California as the countdown continues smoothly.

2145 GMT (5:45 p.m. EDT)

Now two hours from the planned launch of the Titan 4B rocket from Vandenberg Air Force Base from Central California. The countdown is continuing and the Air Force is not reporting any significant problems standing in the way of liftoff at 2345 GMT (4:45 p.m. PDT; 7:45 p.m. EDT).

2036 GMT (4:36 p.m. EDT)

The behemoth 300-ft tall mobile service tower has been rolled into its parked position for today's liftoff of the Titan 4B rocket from Space Launch Complex-4 East at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California. The tower is essentially a building on wheels, serving as an assembly plant to put the rocket together on the pad, while providing workers access to all areas of the vehicle and giving the Titan 4 shelter from the weather. Roll back was completed at about 4:10 p.m. EDT (2010 GMT).

Technicians have spent the morning disconnecting various electrical, water and other lines to allow the tower to be retracted. The actual roll took about an hour as the tower moved 300 feet east of the table where the Titan 4 sits.

The SLC-4E pad also has a fixed umbilical tower, which feeds power, fuel and conditioned air to the rocket and its top-secret satellite cargo.

At this point in the countdown, efforts are underway to begin clearing the pad of workers as clocks continue ticking towards today's 2345 GMT (4:45 p.m. PDT; 7:45 p.m. EDT) launch.

Meanwhile the problem resolution team convened at 2000 GMT meeting today to discuss a readiness issue with the Programmable Aerospace Ground Equipment, or PAGE. Further details are expected later. It is not clear if this will affect tonight's planned launch.

Weather conditions are looking generally favorable for launch. Winds at the pad are fairly light and coming from an acceptable direction.

1505 GMT (11:05 a.m. EDT)

The countdown has continued overnight at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California for today's launch of the Lockheed Martin-built Titan 4B rocket. Liftoff remains on track to occur at 2345 GMT (4:45 p.m. PDT; 7:45 p.m. EDT) from Space Launch Complex-4 East located on Vandenberg's South Base along California's Central Coast.

The launch team is now entering the second phase of the countdown, which officials say is when the bulk of final pre-flight preparations are conducted. The next major milestone in this day-long countdown will be retraction of the mobile service structure from around the Titan 4B rocket. The timeline calls for the move to begin around 1915 GMT (12:15 p.m. PDT; 3:15 p.m. EDT), but could slip until T-2 hours without impacting other countdown activities.

We will update once the tower is rolled back, plus hopefully post a picture of the event. Then our extensive live coverage will begin in the final 2 1/2 hours of the countdown to launch of this $1.4 billion mission.

0510 GMT (1:10 a.m. EDT)

Here at Vandenberg Air Force Base countdown activities are progressing toward liftoff of the Titan 4B rocket from Space Launch Complex-4 East. Since the countdown clocks starting rolling towards to the appointed 2345 GMT (4:45 p.m. PDT; 7:45 p.m. EDT) launch time, technicians have been working through initial pad preparation chores, running final pressurization checks on the rocket and making ordnance connections, officials reported. These tasks are slated to continue through the first phase of the count, which extends to 1445 GMT (7:45 a.m. PDT; 10:45 a.m. EDT).

Phase 2 of the countdown will begin at T-minus 9 hours when efforts start in earnest to roll the mobile service tower away from the Titan 4B rocket at SLC-4E, such as disconnecting various water, electrical and other systems. The 30-minute retraction is currently targeted to occur at approximately 1915 GMT (12:15 p.m. PDT; 3:15 p.m. EDT).

0055 GMT (8:55 p.m. EDT)

ALL SYSTEMS GO! The U.S. Air Force reports launch crews have successfully passed through a round of tests with batteries onboard the Titan 4B rocket this evening at Vandenberg Air Force Base, clearing the way for Thursday's planned 2345 GMT (4:45 p.m. PDT; 7:45 p.m. EDT) liftoff. The same tests uncovered a ground equipment problem 24 hours ago, which caused the one-day delay in the launch.

Meanhwile, weather forecasters are predicting a 40 percent chance of acceptable conditions for the $1.4 billion mission's rescheduled take off. The main weather concern is launch drift winds that could cause the rocket to impact the pad's tower in the first seconds of flight.

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 16, 2000
2345 GMT (7:45 p.m. EDT)

The countdown has been restarted at Vandenberg Air Force Base along Central California's Pacific coastline after a one-day delay in the launch of the Titan 4B rocket.

In an afternoon meeting today, Air Force and Lockheed Martin managers cleared countdown clocks to begin ticking toward a planned 2345 GMT (4:45 p.m. PDT; 7:45 p.m. EDT) liftoff on Thursday from Space Launch Complex-4 East. The launch time has remained unchanged from today's. The duration of the available launch window is classified, but doesn't extend beyond 0200 GMT (7 p.m. PDT; 10 p.m. EDT).

Officials ordered the postponement after technicians noted suspect readings from ground support equipment hooked up the battery pack for the rocket's safety self-destruct system. The glitch was found Tuesday evening routine load testing of the battery unit.

Workers have replaced a component in the Programmable Aerospace Ground Equipment, or PAGE, which was blamed for causing the problem. However, confirmation the issue has been resolved won't be known until the load testing is repeated during the countdown later this evening.

Check back for continuing coverage of this countdown and launch, plus extensive reports and video coverage tomorrow.

1457 GMT (10:57 a.m. EDT)

SCRUB! A faulty electronics card in ground equipment has forced the U.S. Air Force to postpone by one day the planned launch of a Titan 4B rocket loaded with a top-secret spy satellite. Liftoff from Space Launch Complex-4 East is now scheduled for Thursday afternoon from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. A precise launch time will be announced this afternoon, but is expected to be around 2345 GMT (4:45 p.m. PDT; 7:45 p.m. EDT).

The problematic card is part of the Programmable Aerospace Ground Equipment, or PAGE, which was designed as an enhancement for readying the newer Titan 4B rocket for launch. PAGE conducts continuously monitoring of rocket systems.

During routine launch preparations yesterday, engineers uncovered a problem with the electronics card responsible for monitoring a battery for the automatic safety destruct system on one of the Titan's twin solid rocket boosters.

The Air Force and contractor personnel are still working to correct the problem so the Titan can fly Thursday.

The weather forecast for Thursday calls for a 40 percent chance of acceptable conditions. The main threat is ground-level winds.

0401 GMT (12:01 a.m. EDT)

America's most powerful unmanned rocket is aimed at blastoff today from Central California carrying a spy satellite vital to national security but troublesome winds could postpone the $1.4 billion mission. Read our launch preview story for details on the Lacrosse radar-imaging satellite believed to be aboard the Titan 4.

TUESDAY, AUGUST 15, 2000
2210 GMT (6:10 p.m. EDT)

The U.S. Air Force is counting down to tomorrow's launch of the Titan 4B rocket carrying a classified cargo for the National Reconnaissance Office from Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. Officials have just announced the target liftoff time is 2345 GMT (4:45 p.m. PDT or 7:45 p.m. EDT), which is near the middle of the launch period extending from 2200 to 0200 GMT. The duration of the usable launch window remains a secret.

The latest weather forecast continues to predict questionable conditions for liftoff with the main threat being unfavorable winds at the pad. There is still just a 40 percent chance weather will cooperate tomorrow. Launch Weather Officer Capt. Eric Barela issued this forecast a short time ago:

"Current Pacific High pressure extending over Vandenberg will build over the next 24 hours. Current Thermal Low over southern California will also continue to expand westward, which will help increase the pressure gradient over Vandenberg on day of launch. Still expect surface winds to be main concern. Current charts have the tightest pressure gradient just off Vandenberg's coastline. Placement of this tighter pressure gradient will be crucial and will be monitored closely. Do not expect much clouds, except for some thinly scattered Cirrus and a slight chance of stratus. Upper-level winds will be light with a max wind of 20 knots out of the west-southwest at 35-40KFt."

Check back later tonight for a full preview of the $1 billion launch as Spaceflight Now reports live from Vandenberg Air Force Base.

0401 GMT (12:01 a.m. EDT)

The countdown is scheduled to get underway this afternoon at California's Vandenberg Air Force Base for Wednesday's planned launch of a Titan 4B rocket carrying a top-secret U.S. national security spacecraft.

The $358 million rocket, America's most powerful unmanned expendable launch vehicle, is loaded with a hush-hush payload for the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office. The rocket is comprised of a two-stage, liquid-fueled core vehicle with a pair of solid rocket boosters and a 66-foot long payload fairing. This Titan 4 does not have an upper stage.

All that is currently known about the classified launch is the Lockheed Martin-built rocket will fly sometime between 2200 and 0200 GMT (3 and 7 p.m. PDT; 6 and 10 p.m. EDT). The actual launch window is contained within that four-hour period. Despite announcing the planned liftoff time later today, which is most likely the opening of the launch window, officials will never disclose the end of the window.

The exact start time of the countdown has not been released in advance given the classified nature surrounding this launch. But once clocks begin ticking backwards today from T-minus 26 hours, that will signal the targeted liftoff time.

The weather forecast, meanwhile, is iffy for launch on Wednesday and gets even worse on Thursday. Air Force meteorologists are concerned winds at Space Launch Complex-4 East will be gusting from the northwest at 14 to 18 knots, which would violate the 13 to 14 knot limit. Launch Weather Officer Capt. Eric Barela issued this forecast on Monday:

"Current Pacific High pressure extending over Vandenberg will remain in place for day of launch. Expect some high clouds, as upper-level monsoonal moisture will move into our area from the southeast. However, the amount of these clouds will be minimal. Surface winds will be the greatest concern. Expect Northwesterly winds, 330-350 degrees, at 14-18 knots (Constraint: 13-14 knots). Upper-level winds will be light with a max wind of 20-30 knots out of the west-southwest at 30-40KFt.

"24Hr Slip Forecast: High pressure continues to dominate, however, surface winds will increase, 15-20 knots from the northwest. Expect to see an increase in high clouds, however, impact remains minimal. Upper level winds will remain southwesterly with max wind speed of 20-30 knots."

Wednesday's launch time conditions will include a thin deck of cirrus clouds at 27,000 feet, visibility of 7 miles or better, northwesterly winds 14 to 18 knots, a temperature of 58 to 63 degrees F and no significant weather. Overall, there is a 40 percent chance of acceptable weather conditions.

For Thursday, there is a 30 percent chance weather will permit a launch with winds again the main concern.

Spaceflight Now will have extensive coverage of the $1 billion rocket mission with live reports from Vandenberg during the final hours of the countdown and launch.

Check back later today for the announcement of Wednesday's launch time and our complete mission preview story, which will include details of what many military space experts believe the rocket is carrying.