Pegasus rocket launches C/NOFS satellite

April 16, 2008 

A Pegasus-XL carrier rocket, air-launched by a Lockheed L-1011 TriStar flying from Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands, has placed the much-delayed C/NOFS satellite into a low Earth orbit. 
C/NOFS, which stands for Communications/Navigation Outage Forecasting System, will investigate and forecast scintillations in the Earth's ionosphere, which are responsible for degradation of signals from navigation and communications satellites. It was originally scheduled to launch in 2003, but owing to a string of delays, it was finally launched at 17:01 GMT today. It will be operated by the Air Force Research Laboratory and Space Test Program offices of the United States Air Force. 
The launch was conducted by Orbital Sciences Corporation. It is the first launch of a "Pegasus" rocket in almost a year. The next "Pegasus" is scheduled to launch in July, with NASA's IBEX satellite. The launch of C/NOFS is the 17 launch to orbit this year and the 39 orbital "Pegasus" launch.
Pegasus rocket launches C / NOFS satellite April 16 , 2008 A Pegasus - XL carrier rocket , air - launched by a Lockheed L-1011 TriStar flying from Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands , has placed the much - delayed C / NOFS satellite into a low Earth orbit . C / NOFS , which stands for Communications / Navigation Outage Forecasting System , will investigate and forecast scintillations in the Earth 's ionosphere , which are responsible for degradation of signals from navigation and communications satellites . It was originally scheduled to launch in 2003 , but owing to a string of delays , it was finally launched at 17:01 GMT today . It will be operated by the Air Force Research Laboratory and Space Test Program offices of the United States Air Force . The launch was conducted by Orbital Sciences Corporation . It is the first launch of a " Pegasus " rocket in almost a year . The next " Pegasus " is scheduled to launch in July , with NASA 's IBEX satellite . The launch of C / NOFS is the 17 launch to orbit this year and the 39 orbital " Pegasus " launch .
Pegasus rocket
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C/NOFS satellite
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April 16, 2008
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A Pegasus-XL carrier rocket
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a Lockheed L-1011 TriStar
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Kwajalein Atoll
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the Marshall Islands
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the much-delayed C/NOFS satellite
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a low Earth orbit
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C/NOFS
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Communications/Navigation Outage Forecasting System
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scintillations
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the Earth's ionosphere
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degradation
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signals
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navigation and communications satellites
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a string
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delays
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17:01 GMT
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the Air Force Research Laboratory and Space Test Program offices
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the United States Air Force
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The launch
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Orbital Sciences Corporation
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the first launch
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a "Pegasus" rocket
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almost a year
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The next "Pegasus
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July
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NASA's IBEX satellite
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The launch
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C/NOFS
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the 17 launch
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the 39 orbital "Pegasus" launch
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the United States
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Earth
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Earth
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