Space Shuttle Atlantis served well during the flight of STS-98 in February 2001. Liftoff from Launch Pad 39A Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral Florida, took place on 7 February 2001 at 5:13 PM CST (23:13 GMT). This marked the first NASA Shuttle flight of the 21st Century (Many think that the century & millenium began on New Year's Day 2000, but this is erroneous. The 20th Century ended at Midnight 31 December 2000).

Atlantis docked to the International Space Station on 9 February, at 10:51 AM CST (16:51 GMT). When the hatches between the spacecraft were opened, the Crew of STS-98 were rung aboard Navy style by Commander Bill Shepherd of ISS Expedition 1.

This was ISS Assembly Mission 5A, and its main task was the intallation of the new US built Destiny Laboratory Module. Three EVAs (Extra Vehicular Activity or spacewalk) were carried out by Astronauts Robert Curbeam and Thomas D. Jones, who helped install and connect Destiny. They executed a number of other tasks outside the Shuttle/Station Complex as well. The science side of the flight included the on orbit SIMPLEX experiment.

The mission ended on 20 February 2001, with a safe landing on Runway 22 at Edwards Air Force Base (NASA's Dryden Research Center) in the California desert, at 3:33 PM EST (20:33 GMT). My colleague L.L. Wille had access to the NASA internal engineering channel at the time, and captured photos after the landing which showed that the brakes on the port side main landing gear had failed, with a large hydraulic fluid leak seen in the photo at bottom right. Total duration: 12 days 21 hours 21 minutes.

On Atlantis' second orbit, some three hours after liftoff, she passed directly over my (then) home in Sacramento, California. This was the very first time I video taped a Shuttle pass. It was some six weeks later, during the flight of STS-102, that the real inspiration for Project P.R.O.V.E. came to me.

On 16 February 2001 at 8:06 AM CST (14:06 GMT), Atlantis undocked from ISSy. She then performed the customary "fly-around". It was during this maneuver that a strobeing object was seen from TWO different payload bay cameras. In the first segment, the object was seen to be just hanging out in space; not too far from the brand new Destiny Lab Module.

In a matter of a few seconds, the perspective changed suddenly to a different camera, revealing the same object. This time it was moving toward the new laboratory module. In both of the short views afforded us, the image of ISSy was way over exposed. The INCO was playing with the camera iris again. We see a lot of this, and it would seem that the overexposure may be designed to obscure anomalous objects, whilst keeping the station in the picture.

Finally, the active camera was changed yet AGAIN! THIS time, the image of ISSy was inverted, and the angle of solar illumination was different. The area near Destiny was cut out of the field of view completely. Sure looked like someone didn't want us to see that anomaly any more.

What we have, in this very rare instance of two different perspectives on the same anomaly, is a chance to use mathematics to achieve Triangulation! Because of this, someone, who knows the mathematics involved, could calculate the position and distance of our anomalous object. All that is needed to do this is specific information on WHICH payload bay cameras were involved. Then, the distance between the two cameras, and their relative angles to ISSy, could be used to calculate the exact distance and position of the anomaly!

This has never happened before...at least in my collection of NASA anomalies. As a rule, it's not possible to determine distance for objects in the vacuum of space. When one doesn't know how large something is, then it's distance from the viewer can only be guessed at, because there is nothing to use for reference. THIS case is different.

Our first still frame, taken from the raw video tape recorded live at the time, shows us a sample of the first segment.

Next is a still frame from the second camera angle. It should, once more, help you orient yourself to the circumstances here.

Now for the animated GIF depicting the second part of the event. This is what allows us to triangulate the anomaly. Please bear in mind that both of these segments were originally "joined" in the NASA TV broadcast. What I mean, is that the change from camera to camera was intantaneous. I have separated the three of them artificially in order to concentrate on the aspects of each.

It is interesting to note that the sudden turn didn't show up in the natural color, or embossed, versions of the zoom clip. This is why we use more than one method of enhancement in our research.

We were allowed the second camera view for only a few seconds before the INCO changed cameras AGAIN!

It would be nice if someone, who knows the mathematics required, could do the calculations needed to find out how far away, and exactly where in relation to ISSy, the anomaly was during this incident.

An event including several anomalies similar in appearance to the one in this incident, was found by Mr. L.L. Wille of Minnesota. It was ssen during the same undocking procedure when STS-84 was visiting the Russian Space Station MIR in May 1997. I don't have access to this footage for further enhancement, as it is Mr. Wille's work. Andy Ellis, of Yorkshire UFO Info had done this story for Project P.R.O.V.E. in a page featured here:

STS-84 The "Wille" Mir Sequence

In any case, this event leaves the viewer wondering what that object was, and why it was so close to the newly delivered Destiny Laboratory. We may never know.

***

At all times during this incident, the camera was under the control of the INCO in Houston Mission Control.

(INCO - INstrument & Communication Officer - The man in Houston Mission Control Center who is responsible for operating the Shuttle payload bay, and robotic arm, cameras. In the case of ISS, this officer is referred to as the CATO - Communications And Tracking Officer. In both cases, these persons CONTROL everything which is PERMITTED to go out on broadcast to the public. It is a commonly believed falacy that the cameras are operated by Astronauts & Cosmonauts on the Shuttles, and Space Station. Very little camera work is done by the crews. They're way too busy for that.)

At the end of the day, it's up to YOU to draw your own conclusions.

© 2005 Jeff Challender