Intro music.
GEORGE DILLER: This is Pegasus Launch Control at T-1 hour, 8 minutes, 8 seconds and counting. We see the
L-1011 taxiing now toward the end of runway 30 at Vandenberg Air Force Base, a westerly departure out over the
Pacific Ocean. Once at the end of the runway, there will be some further discussion to assure that we are, in fact,
ready for takeoff and the launch today. And once that occurs, they'll begin their climb out to an altitude of 39,000 feet.
The Vandenberg Control Tower cleared the L-1011 to begin its taxi to the end of the runway at 4:50 this morning.
At this time, we are still targeting a 5:04 departure time, but we're waiting to confirm that. Once it does
depart, it will head out to a location, what is called the drop box, which is about 100 miles west of the Monterey
peninsula, over the Pacific. That drop box is about 40 miles long by about 10 miles wide. From the time of
departure from the runway will be 58 minutes until the Pegasus is launched. At the time of the Pegasus deployment,
the L-1011 is targeted to be at an optimum altitude of 39,800 feet at a speed between 560 and 610 miles per hour.
Once the Pegasus is deployed, it will drop for five seconds before ignition, which occurs approximately 1,000 feet
below the aircraft. At T-1 hour, 6 minutes and counting, this is Pegasus Launch Control.