The U.S. Air Force is set to launch its next Defense Meteorological Program satellite, DMSP Flight 18, from Vandenberg Air Force Base's Space Launch Complex 3, Sunday, October 18. The launch is scheduled to occur within a 10 minute window beginning at 9: 12 a.m. PDT.

The DMSP mission is to generate terrestrial and space weather data for operational forces worldwide. The Air Force is the Department of Defense's executive agent for this program. The data from this program is also furnished to the civilian community through the Department of Commerce.  "DMSP has been providing weather related data to the nation for nearly 50 years, said Col. Steve Pluntze, Defense Meteorological Satellite Program Systems Group Commander at Air Force Space Command's Space and Missile Systems Center. We are very proud of the DMSP legacy in providing this weather mission for the nation. I look forward to working with the

SMC, The Aerospace Corporation and The United Launch Alliance have spent many months preparing the space lift vehicle for this vital weather mission, the 51st in a long history of the DMSP program. DMSP satellites circle the Earth at an altitude of about 500 miles in a near-polar, sun-synchronous orbit. Satellites are three-axis stabilized and provide precision pointing to support mission sensors. The primary sensor on board is the Operational Linescan System that observes clouds via visible and infrared imagery for use in worldwide forecasts. Each scan covers an area 1800 miles wide and covers the entire Earth in about 12 hours. A second important sensor is the Special Sensor Microwave Imager Sounder, which provides all-weather capability for worldwide tactical operations and is particularly useful in typing and forecasting severe storm activity. The spacecraft also carries a suite of additional sensors, which collect a broad range of meteorological and space environmental data for forecasting and analysis. 

The launch may also be viewed by webcast at www.ulalaunch.com.