Salutes bid commander farewell

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- Commander Joel Hicks, deputy director of the Joint Space Operations Center, walks the red carpet during a piping over the side ceremony during his retirement Feb. 17. During this symbolic departure from the ship the servicemembers flank the "gangway" and salute the retiring commander as he departs, accompanied by the Boatswain's whistle. This ceremonial farewell is often extended to family members as well, as the strength and support of a sailor's family is monumentally important to the completion of a successful Navy career. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Christian Thomas)

Census listers to visit Vandenberg

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- U.S. Census Bureau listers can be identified by their bright orange vests, employee badges and their hand-held computers they carry with them door-to-door. Census listers are scheduled to visit Vandenberg AFB in early April. (Courtesy photo)

Taurus awaits launch

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- On Space Launch Complex 576-E here, NASA's Orbiting Carbon Observatory is scheduled to launch aboard the Taurus LX rocket Feb. 24. The spacecraft will collect precise global measurements of carbon dioxide in the Earth's atmosphere. (U.S. Air Force photos/Senior Airman Cole M. Presley)

Taurus XL launch scheduled

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- With the fairing door off, Orbital Science's Jose Castillo and Mark Neuse remove the fairing payload access door on NASA's Orbiting Carbon Observatory spacecraft on Launch Complex 576-E here. Orbital Science's Glenn Weigle and Brett Gladish stand by to take the GN2 flow reading The encapsulated OCO tops Orbital Sciences' Taurus XL rocket, which is scheduled to launch Feb. 24. The spacecraft will collect precise global measurements of carbon dioxide in the Earth's atmosphere. (Photo courtesy of NASA)

Go for launch

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- A Delta II rocket launches at 2:22 a.m. February 6, 2009 from Space Launch Complex-2 here. The rocket carried a NOAA-N Prime polar-orbiting weather satellite for NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. This was Vandenberg’s first launch of 2009. (U.S. Air Force photo/Joe Davila)

Go for launch

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- A Delta II rocket launches at 2:22 a.m. February 6, 2009 from Space Launch Complex-2 here. The rocket carried a NOAA-N Prime polar-orbiting weather satellite for NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. This was Vandenberg’s first launch of 2009. (U.S. Air Force photo/Joe Davila)