Conference 7.286::space

From: [email protected] (Peter E. Yee)
Subject: STS-36 launch draws near; Atlantis rolls out to Launch Pad 39-A
Date: 25 Jan 90 23:07:50 GMT
Organization: NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA
 
 
  Lisa Malone
					       January 25, 1990
 
  KSC News Release No. 15 - 90
 
 
  STS-36 LAUNCH DRAWS NEAR; ATLANTIS ROLLS OUT TO LAUNCH PAD 39-A 
 
       The Space Shuttle Atlantis was rolled out to Launch Pad 39-A
  today with first motion at 6:54 a.m. EST. After the 3.4 mile
  trek, the launch platform was  mounted on the pad's pedestals
  shortly after 1 p.m.  This marks the second use of Pad 39-A since
  the completion of modifications and extensive enhancements.
 
       After being tested and outfitted for the STS-36 mission,
  including about 20 modifications, Atlantis was transferred from
  its processing hangar to the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) Jan.
  19 and was bolted to the external tank and solid rocket boosters.
 
       While in the VAB, space center workers completed the Shuttle
  Interface Test which verified connections between the orbiter
  Atlantis, the external tank, solid rocket boosters and mobile
  launcher platform.
 
       While Atlantis was being prepared for flight in the Orbiter
  Processing Facility, the solid rocket boosters were being stacked
  in the VAB. Stacking operations began Nov. 7 when the left aft
  booster was stacked on mobile launcher platform (MLP) 1 and were
  completed by Dec. 14. The next processing step, mating the
  external tank to the boosters, was completed on Dec. 21.
 
       The first event during Atlantis' stay at the pad will be to
  make and validate connections between the pad and vehicle. Next,
  the Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (TCDT) is planned.
  This is a "dress rehearsal" of launch day for the STS-36 flight
  crew and for members of the KSC launch team. This test is
  currently planned for Feb. 2-3. The actual launch countdown will
  pick up about three days prior to liftoff.
 
       Standard launch preparations scheduled the last two weeks
  prior to launch countdown include loading the hypergolic
  propellants aboard the vehicle; final vehicle ordnance activites,
  such as power-on stray voltage checks and resistance checks of
  firing circuits; pressurizing the hypergolic propellant tanks;
  and a final check of the range safety and SRB ignition, safe and
  arm devices.
 
       NASA's target launch date for the Space Shuttle Atlantis and
  Mission STS-36 is Feb. 22.  An official target launch date will
  be set at the Flight Readiness Review next month.  STS-36 is a
  dedicated Department of Defense flight and all payload and
  mission specifics are classified.

Newsgroups: sci.space
Subject: NASA Headline News for 01/30/90 (Forwarded)
Date: 30 Jan 90 19:13:24 GMT
Reply-To: [email protected] (Peter E. Yee)
Organization: NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA
 
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Tuesday, January 30, 1990                     Audio: 202/755-1788
-----------------------------------------------------------------
  
    This is NASA Headline News for Tuesday, January 30:
 
    Kennedy Space Center ground crews finished loading the Atlantis
oxidizer tanks yesterday.  Today, they will be loading fuel on board
the orbiter.  A helium signature test revealed there are no leaks in
the main propulsion system or main engine.  The terminal coundtown
demonstration test with the STS-36 flight crew participating from the
flight deck is on schedule.  The count begins at 8:00 AM on Friday,
February 2, and concludes at 11:00 AM, Saturday, February 3. 
 
    Overnight preparations went smoothly at the Kennedy Space Center
as the Columbia's payload doors opened early this morning.  The Long
Duration Exposure Facility is scheduled to be removed at 4:00 PM
today.  A replay of the ten minute preparation video shown on NASA
Select TV and live on CNN is scheduled for tomorrow at 8:00 AM. 

    NASA released a new flight manifest yesterday calling for 64 Space
Shuttle missions through 1995.  The new schedule includes 13 flights
in 1993, 12 in 1992, 8 for 1991 and 9 this year. Retrieval of the Long
Duration Exposure Facility, and initially planned for last December,
put the just completed Columbia flight forward to this year.  This
moved a Strategic Defense Initiative payload to the 1992 manifest. 
Columbia and Discovery each will fly 16 missions.  Atlantis will fly
17 times and the first flight of the orbiter, Endeavour, will be
February, 1992.  
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Here's the broadcast schedule for public affairs events on NASA 
Select TV.  All times are Eastern:
 
    Tuesday, January 30:
 
         2:00 PM                  STS-32 post flight news
                                  conference from Johnson
                                  Space Center.
 
    Wednesday, January 31:
 
         8:00 AM                  Preparation for LDEF
                                  unloading from Columbia at 
                                  Kennedy Space Center.
                                  
    Thursday, February 1:
 
         11:30 AM                 NASA Update will be transmitted.
 
    Saturday, February 2:
 
         8:00 AM - 11:00 AM       Countdown demonstration 
                                  test with the STS-36
                                  flight crew.
 
All events and times are subject to change without notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
These reports are filed daily, Monday through Friday, at 12 noon, 
Eastern time.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
A service of the Internal Communications Branch, NASA 
Headquarters, Washington, D.C.

Date: 13 Feb 90 01:14:14 GMT
From: [email protected]  (Peter E. Yee)
Subject: NASA Headline News for 02/12/90 (Forwarded)
 
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Monday, February 12, 1990                     Audio: 202/755-1788
-----------------------------------------------------------------
 
    This is NASA Headline News for Monday, February 12:
  
    The next Space Shuttle flight is scheduled for February 22.  The
official launch date was established Saturday following the STS-36
flight readiness review at Kennedy Space Center.   The classified DoD
mission has a four hour launch window that extends from midnight to
4:00 A.M. Eastern time.  At the present time, there are no significant
problems that could prevent the launch from occuring. 
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Here's the broadcast schedule for public affairs events on NASA 
Select TV.   All times are Eastern.
  
    Tuesday, February 13:
 
    11:00 A.M.           LDEF briefing from Kennedy Space Center
  
    Thursday, February 15:
 
     2:30 P.M.           NASA Update will be transmitted (delay 
                         due to testing program)
  
All events and times are subject to change without notice.    
-----------------------------------------------------------------
These reports are filed daily, Monday through Friday, at 12 noon, 
Eastern time.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
A service of the Internal Communications Branch (LPC), NASA 
Headquarters, Washington, D.C.
 

Newsgroups: sci.space
Subject: NASA Headline News for 02/20/90 (Forwarded)
Date: 20 Feb 90 19:03:39 GMT
Reply-To: [email protected] (Peter E. Yee)
Organization: NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA
 
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Tuesday, February 20, 1990                    Audio: 202/755-1788
-----------------------------------------------------------------
    This is NASA Headline News for Tuesday, February 20:
 
    Soviet lawmakers toured the Kennedy Space Center Sunday as the
shuttle Atlantis were readied for launch of a DoD classified mission. 
In addition to the Soviet delegation, Britain's Prince Charles was
given a tour of the KSC facility by Director Forrest McCartney. 
  
    The commander and pilot for the STS-36 mission for Space Shuttle
Atlantis took off in a shuttle training aircraft at 3:30AM today,
simulating emergency and darkness training.  The flight ended at
sunrise. 
  
    The Atlantis flight crew were awakened last night at 7 PM on their
new sleep schedule in preparation for the night flight.  They ate
dinner at 9:30 AM and go back to sleep noon today.  All lab work is
complete and they had a fit check for their space suits.  A standard
launch minus 2-day readiness review test is scheduled at KSC for 1 PM
today.  The forecast for the four hour launch window calls for a 60
percent chance of acceptable weather. 
----------------------------------------------------------------
Here's the broadcast schedule for public affairs events on NASA 
Select TV.  All times are Eastern:
 
    Wednesday, February 21:
 
           11:00 PM   video feed begins of STS-36 mission launch
                      only coverage.  Launch is scheduled between
                      midnight and 4:00 AM on February 22nd.
          
    Thursday, February 22:
 
           11:30 AM   NASA Update will be transmitted
  
All events and times are subject to change without notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
These reports are filed daily, Monday through Friday, at 12 noon, 
Eastern time. 
-----------------------------------------------------------------

This is a high-inclination launch, right?  How far North does the beast get
before main engine cutoff?  Any chance one might observe MECO from New
England?  (I assume it would be so late that after MECO, we would not be able
to see it even if it went right overhead).

Burns

Newsgroups: sci.space
Subject: Astronaut Mullane to retire from NASA, Air Force (Forwarded)
Date: 21 Feb 90 17:19:49 GMT
Reply-To: [email protected] (Peter E. Yee)
Organization: NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA
 
Ed Campion                                   
Headquarters, Washington, D.C,                  February 21, 1990
 
Jeff Carr
Johnson Space Center, Houston
  
    RELEASE: 90-28
 
    ASTRONAUT MULLANE TO RETIRE FROM NASA, AIR FORCE
  
    Effective July 1, 1990, Colonel Richard M. Mullane will retire
from NASA and the Air Force. 
 
    Mullane was selected as a mission specialist astronaut in 1978 and
has flown two Space Shuttle missions.  His third flight is scheduled
for launch Thursday aboard Atlantis. 
 
    He flew on Discovery's maiden flight, STS 41-D, in August 1984 and
on the third flight of Atlantis, STS-27, in December 1988. 
 
    After leaving NASA and the Air Force, Mullane will return to his
hometown of Albuquerque, N.M. 

        Apparently Creighton's cold isn't much better and two of the
    launch prep crew have colds, too.  The bad weather is still 80%
    probable, so NASA is standing down the STS-36 mission until at 
    least Saturday; but the Saturday weather looks equally bad. 

        Larry

Newsgroups: sci.space
Subject: NASA Headline News for 02/22/90 (Forwarded)
Date: 22 Feb 90 19:19:43 GMT
Reply-To: [email protected] (Peter E. Yee)
Organization: NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA
 
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Thursday, Februay 22, 1990                  Audio: 202/755-1788
-----------------------------------------------------------------
    This is NASA Headline News for Thursday, February 22:
 
    The STS-36 Atlantis Shuttle launch at the Kennedy Space Center is
still on hold.  A tentative delay was announced due to Commander
Creighton's upper respiratory tract infection.  The bad weather at the
Cape also continues to be observed.  Launch officials will determine
propellant loading status for a possible launch tomorrow.  The Kennedy
Space Center reports continued prohibitive weather with a probability
of violating launch criteria as 80% on Saturday and decreasing to 30%
on Sunday morning. 
  
    NASA will provide five Space Shuttle external tanks on orbit for
Global Outpost Inc., of Alexandria, Virginia, under a launch services
agreement to be negotiated, the Company reported last week.  Global
outpost expects to market the tanks as platforms for microgravity and
other research. 
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Here's the broadcast schedule for public affairs events on NASA
Select TV.  All times are Eastern.
 
    Thursday, February 22:
  
          11:30 PM        Weather permitting, coverage of
                          launch-only of the STS-36 mission.
                          Window is open from 12 midnight to                   
                          4:00 AM.
  
All events and times are subject to change without notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
These reports are filed daily, Monday through Friday, at 12 noon, 
Eastern time.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
A service of the Internal Communications Branch (LPC), NASA 
Headquarters, Washington, D.C.

  Are details of this still a secret? If so, why?

  George

From: [email protected] (Peter E. Yee)
Subject: Launch Advisory for 02/23/90 (Forwarded)
Date: 23 Feb 90 17:10:16 GMT
Organization: NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA
 
 
                             STS-36 Launch Status Report
                        10:15 a.m. EST Friday, Feb. 23, 1990
 
 
          Weather conditions continue  to  be  unacceptable  for  cryogenic
          tanking  this  afternoon  which  would be required for a Staurday
          morning launch attempt.   The RSS will remain around the  vehicle
          to protect it from forecasted severe weather,  including rain and
          high winds.
 
          The weather front is expected to pass through the KSC  area  this
          evening,  with conditions improving on Saturday.   A decision has
          been made, therefore, to delay an additional 24 hours, aiming for
          a Sunday morning launch between midnight and 4:00 a.m.
 
          Flight surgeons have cleared crew Commander  J.O.  Creighton  for
          flight.   He and pilot,  Col. John Casper, are flying the Shuttle
          Training Aircraft this morning.

    re .9
>   Are details of this still a secret? If so, why?
    
    I'm sorry, but that's a secret too. :-)
    
    gary

RE<<< Note 595.11 by STAR::HUGHES "You knew the job was dangerous when you took it Fred." >>>

>>   Are details of this still a secret? If so, why?
>    
>    I'm sorry, but that's a secret too. :-)
    
  Actually, there may not be many more of these secret defense missions.
The fact that the Soviets are threatening us with peace plus the fact that
the military is turning away from the Shuttle toward Titan class launchers
may soon make these secret missions a thing of the past.

  George

    Well, as most of us are aware, the launch was scrubbed this morning at
    T-31 due to a faulty range saftey back-up computer.  The SSME prestart
    temperature limits were also exceeded (actually from what I saw on CNN
    the temps were lower than allowed).  Which brings me to my next point
    (or question):
    
    It seems that last nights temperature was the coldest for a shuttle
    launch since Challenger.  The temperatures after midnight were reported
    to be 41�F.  The pictures of the vehicle over the NASA select TV showed
    a lot of frost on the External Tank (I have never seen the frost so
    pronounced).  What are the new LCC limits for outside air temp?
    
    Thanks

    About 7 min after lift off the STS-26 will be in radio range with
    the Boston Mass area.   Even though this is a DOD mission it is
    a NASA rule that the 1st and last orbit have to have 'clear'
    communication.  The radio window will last for about 7
    min also....  thus if lift off was a 01:10 EST then 
    from 01:17 to 01:24 there would be the window.  The shulttle will
    not be visable range..
    
    
    john....

Newsgroups: sci.space
Subject: NASA Headline News for 02/27/90 (Forwarded)
Date: 27 Feb 90 17:59:20 GMT
Reply-To: [email protected] (Peter E. Yee)
Organization: NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA
 
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Tuesday, February 27, 1990                   Audio:  202/755-1788
-----------------------------------------------------------------
 
    This is NASA Headline News for Tuesday, February 27:
  
    Kennedy Space Center ground crews at Pad 39-A are proceeding
toward picking up the launch count this afternoon.  The four-hour
launch window for the STS-36 shuttle Atlantis will open at midnight,
tonight.  During this most recent delay, the liquid oxygen and liquid
hydrogen propellants were replaced and the shuttle main engine purge
was completed.  Mission managers meet this afternoon to review the
shuttle status and decide when to begin cryogenic tanking. 
 
    The weather conditions have improved since Monday - only a 40%
possibility of violating launch constraints exists.  However, a cloud
deck at 8,000 feet and possible high winds at the nearby shuttle
landing facility are still a primary concern. 
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Here's the broadcast schedule for public affairs events on NASA 
Select TV.  All times are Eastern.
  
    Tuesday, February 27:
 
          11:30 P.M.              Weather permitting, coverage
                                  of the STS-36 launch only.  
                                  Window is from 12 midnight to 
                                  4:00 A.M., Wednesday.
  
    Wednesday, February 28:
 
          2:30 P.M. - 3:00 P.M.   Quarterly aeronautics and
                                  space report from NASA 
                                  Headquarters audio-visual 
                                  office.
  
    Thursday, March 1:
 
          11:30 A.M.              NASA Update will be 
                                  transmitted.
 
All events and times are subject to change without notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
These reports are filed daily, Monday through Friday, at 12 noon, 
Eastern time.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
A service of the Internal Communications Branch (LPC), NASA 
Headquarters, Washington, D.C.

Apparently this is a 62 degree inclination orbit, which means that there's a
good chance it might pass overhead here in New England.

Any orbital predictions for the next few nights (which are also supposed to
be clear)?

- dave

    
    there will be no good visual passes over New England.  I just ran
    a simulated element set based on best fit for AW data.  Radio
    communications will not be possible untill the last orbit on
    Sunday.   The Satellite should be deployed on Thursday.
    
    daytime passes over New England will be in the 10 to 12 AM range
    and night time passes will be in the range of 2 to 4 AM.  The
    STS-36 would not be in sunlite at this time, however.
    
    john
    

Newsgroups: sci.space
Subject: NASA Headline News for 02/28/90 (Forwarded)
Date: 28 Feb 90 22:56:02 GMT
Reply-To: [email protected] (Peter E. Yee)
Organization: NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA
 
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Wednesday, February 28, 1990                  Audio: 202/755-1788
-----------------------------------------------------------------
 
    This is NASA Headline News for Wednesday, February 28:
  
    Scattered clouds over Florida delayed but did not prevent the
spectacular night launch of the STS-36 Space Shuttle Atlantis during
clear skies this morning at 2:50 A.M., EST.  After one hour and 50
minutes into the flight, the crew was given the go ahead for orbit
operations after Commander Creighton and Co-pilot John Casper fired
the orbital maneuvering engines and put the spacecraft into its
operational orbit.  The orbiter and crew are performing well. 
 
    The landing time announcement will be made later.  The public
viewing site for watching Space Shuttle landings at Edwards AFB will
be closed when Atlantis touches down.  Officials say, "it's been DOD
policy during all classified missions." 
 
    Donald E. Williams, who has flown on two Space Shuttle missions,
will retire on March 1 to become a senior systems engineer for a
Houston engineering firm.  Williams served as pilot of Discovery on
STS-51D in April, 1985, which included the first unscheduled satellite
rendezvous and space walk as well as STS-34D to deploy the Jupiter
probe, Galileo. 
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Here is the broadcast schedule for public affairs events on NASA 
Select TV.  All times are Eastern.
  
    Thursday, March 1:
 
          11:30 A.M.         NASA Update will be transmitted.
 
    To be determined:
 
                             Landing of the STS-36 Atlantis
                             orbiter at Edwards Air Force Base,
                             California.
 
All events and times are subject to change without notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
These reports are filed daily, Monday through Friday, at 12 noon,
Eastern time.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
A service of the Internal Communications Branch (LPC), NASA 
Headquarters, Washington, D.C.

Newsgroups: sci.space
Subject: NASA Headline News for 03/01/90 (Forwarded)
Date: 1 Mar 90 17:32:44 GMT
Reply-To: [email protected] (Peter E. Yee)
Organization: NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA
 
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Thursday, March 1, 1990                       Audio: 202/755-1788
-----------------------------------------------------------------
    This is NASA Headline News for Thursday, March 1:
  
    The STS-36 Space Shuttle Atlantis is expected to return to Earth
Sunday, March 4, at Edwards Air Force Base in California.  Meanwhile,
the five-member crew and orbiter are performing well.  The exact
landing time will be announced on Saturday - 24 hours before
touchdown.  The four-day flight is the sixth DoD mission out of 
a total of 34 Space Shuttle flights to date. 
  
    An earthquake in the Los Angeles area shook up the Jet Propulsion
Laboratory at Pasadena and the Dryden Flight Research Facility at
Edwards, California, yesterday afternoon.  Both NASA centers said they
experienced some rock and rolling, but there was no damage at either
site.  Shocks of 3.7, 5.5, and 4.8 on the Richter scale were recorded. 
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Here's the broadcast schedule for public affairs events on NASA 
Select TV.  All times are Eastern.
  
    Sunday, March 4:
 
          Time to be         Landing of STS-36 shuttle Atlantis
          announced          at Edwards Air Force Base in
                             California.
  
    Thursday, March 8:
 
          11:30 A.M.         NASA Update will be transmitted.
     
All events and times are subject to change without notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
These reports are filed daily, Monday through Friday, at 12 noon, 
Eastern time.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
A service of the Internal Communications Branch (LPC), NASA 
Headquarters, Washington, D.C.

here is the offical nasa element set for STS-36, not the
    higher then normal SMA and the high inclination of 62 deg
    
    sts-36                                              
          Epoch Year: 1990  Day:  59.632265120    Orbit #      ??
          Inclination  =  61.99540000     R.A.A.N      = 178.29880000
          Eccentricity =   0.00081840     Arg of Per   = 257.97950000
          Mean Anomaly =  98.73830000     Mean Motion  =  16.09399700
          Drag         =  0.91149E-03     Frequency    =        0.000
          S.M.A.       =    6626.5858     Anom Period  =      89.4744
          Apogee Ht    =     253.8490     Perigee Ht   =     243.0026
    
                                                             

From: [email protected] (Mary Shafer (OFV))
Newsgroups: sci.space,sci.space.shuttle
Subject: Atlantis has landed.
Date: 4 Mar 90 18:49:03 GMT
Organization: NASA Dryden, Edwards, Cal.
 
    The Space Shuttle Atlantis landed at Edwards AFB at ~10:08 PST
today, Sunday. It landed on runway 23, which is a lakebed runway, with
headwinds of 22 kt. (I'm not sure if that was steady or gusting.  It
didn't feel like steady, but I may have been somewhat in the lee of
the building). 
 
    It came in from the North.  There's a few insubstantial clouds
around and the sun angle wasn't entirely favorable.  Most of us picked
it up just before the HAC (heading alignment circle) when it was still
overhead.  Just after it rolled into the HAC it obligingly generated a
contrail so that everyone could see it.  I thought the rollout was
shorter than normal, perhaps due to the headwind and the lakebed
runway, but that may have been an illusion caused by it being pointed
more directly at me than is usual. 
 
    The STA (shuttle training aircraft) flew over Atlantis near the
end of the rollout (it wasn't flying chase, it had done approaches to
test the wind) and then flew over Dryden.  Numerous comments, none
favorable, comparing this to the SR-71 flyby two weeks ago were made
by the employees.  Calls for afterburner were ignored. :-) 
 
    The wishes of the military for secrecy were respected and it is
Sunday, so the crowd was very small.  There were some Distinguished
Visitors (including the astronauts' family and friends) on the roof
and employees on the ramp.  I'd say about 100 on the roof and about
100 on the ramp, but these are just guesses. 
 
    The SR-71 was on display, as were the other research aircraft.
 
Mary Shafer  [email protected] or ames!skipper.dfrf.nasa.gov!shafer
         NASA Ames Dryden Flight Research Facility, Edwards, CA
                   Of course I don't speak for NASA

    Unlike the last spy-sat, this one is a steady mag of
    about -1.5, thus the guess is that it is a KH type bird.
    
    cheers john
    

Newsgroups: sci.space
Subject: NASA Headline News for 03/06/90 (Forwarded)
Date: 6 Mar 90 20:07:36 GMT
Reply-To: [email protected] (Peter E. Yee)
Organization: NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA
 
-----------------------------------------------------------
Tuesday, March 6, 1990                  Audio: 202/755-1788
-----------------------------------------------------------
    This is NASA Headline News for Tuesday, March 6:
  
    The orbiter Atlantis is reported to be in excellent condition 
with only one tile that needs to be replaced.  Work at Dryden Flight
Research Facility to prepare the Atlantis for the ferry trip back to
Florida is currently delayed due to a high winds forecast.  Officials
are planning a one-day ferry flight back to the Kennedy Space Center
pending good weather and completion of planned work. 
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Here's the broadcast schedule for public affairs events on NASA 
Select TV.  All times are Eastern.
  
    Thursday, March 8:
 
          11:30 A.M.         NASA Update will be transmitted.
  
    Wednesday, March 21:
 
          1 - 2:30 P.M.      Total Quality Management in Action 
                             colloquium.
  
All events and times are subject to change without notice.
----------------------------------------------------------------
These reports are filed daily, Monday through Friday, at 12 noon, 
Eastern time.
----------------------------------------------------------------
A service of the Internal Communications Branch (LPC), NASA 
Headquarters, Washington, D.C.

    Well, looks like there will be a new crew designation in addition to
    CDR, Pilot, Payload Commander, Payload Specialist, Mission Specialist,
    there will have to be "SOI" or Skull of Interest or something like
    that.  Av Leak has an interesting article on STS-36 where a human
    skull was making it's second flight.  Its third is planned next month.
    The donator was unaware that it would become an astronaut.
    
    (Some might argue that we've flown skull's before.)

Reports circulating today indicate that the satellite has broken up for 
some unknown/undisclosed reason and that parts of it will reenter soon.

jb

    Reports indicated that the sat is a total rightoff. Though I doubt
    whether Lloyds of London will be refunding any monies.
    
    Can someone grab the full press release off the NASA line and enter it
    soon. It was a bit of strange one even with the mission being
    classified, why did the sat fail?
    
    Simon 

Subj:	More on USA 53 

Novosti claims that the object broke into 4 large pieces on the 7th of Mar.

this make sense, USA-## have been move out of their
parking orbits about 7 days after deployment.  One
of several thing could have happen....

 o it exploded
 o it did not go into the desired orbit and after several
   days of trying it was exploded into smaller pieced for
   deorbiting
 o shot down ( space mine, micro wave zapped, laser zapped, etc )
 o other (hit by ufo, mis-information,  etc) 

cheers john

the only one keep in the dark are US


    

    
USA 53 coming down?  Cuttings form the rumor mill....  corrected 
    
    
There has been intense media speculation regarding the STS 36 payload,
USA 53, all afternoon and this evening.  It started with a report from
the Soviet's Novosti news agency, that the Atlantis' payload was falling
back to earth.  The story was picked up by a French agency and then CNN
in the U.S.A.  Later, the Pentagon issued a statement that "hardware
elements" associated with a successful mission were coming down and that 
they were not a danger to persons or property.  It is difficult to know
what all this means, however.

Summary of reports indicated that something went wrong on Tuesday.
The latest reports on CNN say that whatever it is that is going to 
deorbit on or about the 15th of April.
    

    I found an interesting note in the UFO notes file, 
    this could have been USA-53 deorbiting
    
    
United Press International
	A bright flash oflight streaked across the night sky over parts of
    four Midwest states, leaving stargazers and police puzzling Sunday over
    whether they witnessed a meteor, lightning or perhaps a more mysterious
    phenomenon.
	Calls to police and National Weather Service offices were fielded
    Saturday in Illinois, Iowa, Missouri and Indiana.
	In Iowa, several law enforcement agencies as well as the weather
    service office in Des Moines reported receiving dozens of calls
    Saturday night about the strange sky show.
	A State Patrol trooper in central Iowa ``indicated he saw a streak
    like a meteor,'' while a second trooper in Appanoose County, in
    southern Iowa, saw a ``bright, momentary light with a little bit of a
    tail on it,'' a patrol spokesman in Fairfield said.
	A woman in rural Marion, Iowa, said she thought a plane had crashed
    near her home. Debbie Sigmund said she was looking out her living room
    window at about 9:30 p.m. Saturday when she saw a ``pretty big flash --
    yellow, red and green.''
	At about the same time in Missouri, Marshall Faintich, who holds a
    doctorate in astronomy, was setting up his telescope in his backyard at
    Chesterfield, a suburb of St. Louis.
	The light flashed by at about 9:36 p.m., Faintich said.
	``About five minutes prior to the bright flash, I did see a fairly
    bright meteor going from the south to the northwest at about 30 degrees
    elevation, and that was nothing out of the ordinary,'' he said.
	``But about five minutes later, at about 9:36, there was a bright
    flash in the sky that really went from horizon to horizon. It's not
    anything I've ever seen before. And as that was fading a second light
    flashed brighter than the first one, which seemed to come from the
    south.
	``I've seen meteors blow up in the atmosphere ..., but I've never
    seen anything like this before,'' Faintich said. ``I really don't think
    it was a meteor shower.''
	The North American Air Defense Command said it did not consider the
    object to be manmade.
	John Eyse, a forecaster for the National Weather Service in St.
    Louis, said his office heard calls about the streak in the sky.
	``Basically, it was just a flash of a white light, and that was
    pretty much it,'' Eyse said. ``We did have some initial reports that
    some people said they may have felt a tremor or an impact, but none of
    this can be confirmed by us.''
	In Belleville, Ill., about 15 miles southeast of St. Louis, St.
    Clair County Sheriff's Lt. Charles Airhart was home Saturday night and
    got a look at the light show.
	``It was one real bright flash and that's it,'' Airhart said.
    ``Like a flash of white lightning, real bright.''
    
    [edited for typography only....dwp]
    
    

SOVIET SPOKESMAN ON US SPY SATELLITE DISINTERGRATION   19/3 TASS

MOSCOW MARCH 19 TASS -  "The Soviet public is disturbed by
reports that a U.S.Intelligence satellite, put into orbit on
March 1, has gone out of control and its fragments may drop on
Soviet Territory,"  Soviet foreign ministry spokesman Gennady
Gerasimov told a briefing her today.

"In view of the possible negative consequences,"  he noted,
"the Soviet  Foreign Ministry has asked the U.S. State Department
for information about the satellites flight, including
forecast of possible places where fragments may be expected to
drop

ITEM END

    

Bright flashes, successful mission, satellite in pieces...

Sounds to me like a full scale test of a high powered laser/particle weapon 
system from ground to space that worked. An initial burst to ionize the channel
and then a second burst at full power...


But this is just speculation of a physics major doing software programming...



;^)

    
    the UPI article fits the orbit of USA-53, in order
    however to settle the matter does anyone have any more
    information about this event, ie better timing and 
    location in the sky etc
    
    thanks john
    

    re: 30
    the deorbit of the two pieces of the UFO story does
    fit that of USA-53 plus a resent press released did
    mention that two of the four satellites parts did
    de-orbit.
    
    john