On 5 December 2001 at 4:19 PM CST (22:19 GMT), Space Shuttle Endeavour lifted off from Launch Complex 39B at Kennedy Space Center, in Florida. STS-108 spent the next 46 hours chasing ISSy for a rendezvous and docking. The STS-108 Crew were accompanied by the fresh ISS Expedition Four Crew on their journey to assume command of ISS for their increment aboard. Final docking took place 7 December at 2:03 PM CST (20:03 GMT). When hatches were opened, the Shuttle crew were greeted by the ISS Expedition Three Crew. There ensued eight days of joint operations.

A single EVA (Extra-Vehicular Activity or spacewalk) was mounted in support of ISS Assembly Flight UF-1 on 10 December. Astronauts Linda Godwin and Daniel Tani spent 4 hours 12 minutes outside the spacecraft installing insulation blankets around the rotation gimbals on the main Solar Array atop the P-6 Truss. In addition, a number of "get ahead" tasks were carried out in anticipation of the STS-110 EVAs in April 2002.

The main Cargo of STS-108 was carried in the Raffaello MPLM (Multi-Purpose Logistics Module). Inside were 12 racks and platforms carrying close to three tons (2.7 metric tonnes) of equipment and supplies for ISSy. Most of the equipment was intended for the Destiny Laboratory Module. Endeavour also contributed a large quantity of water for stowage and use aboard ISSy. The Starshine 2 Satellite (pictured right) was launched from Endeavour. Middle-school students from 26 coutries around the world would follow its orbit in order to calculate upper atmospheric densities.

On 15 December, STS-108 undocked from ISSy at 11:28 AM CST (17:28 GMT), to fly solo for the remainder of the mission. Endeavour landed safely at the KSC Shuttle Landing Facility on 17 December 2001, at 11:55 AM CST (17:55 GMT). All mission goals were met successfully. Total flight duration: 11 Days 19 hours 36 minutes.

By 15 December, the STS-108 mission was winding down toward the end. Endeavour had undocked from ISSy Hours before the event covered on this page. By this time, the two spacecraft were many miles apart, but still on the SAME orbit.

At one point, we were treated by the INCO to an out of focus view of the payload bay, the Ku-Band dish antenna, and deep space.

As this scene was playing out, there was the sudden flyby of a pulsating point of light object. This object was very similar, in appearance and behavior, to one called "The Fast One", seen at the beginning of STS-98, some 11 months earlier. There were also several others sighted during Hubble servicing mission of STS-109, in March 2002. (These pages listed in NASA 21st Century Section)

The anomaly which concerns us in this examination is interesting because of where it came from, the trajectory it followed, and the fact that the Shuttle components in view were out of focus, whilst the anomaly was sharp. All of these factors combined tell us we are not dealing with ordinary ice flakes or debris.

Let's have a look at our first animated GIF. All frames used on this page were captured from the original raw video tape recorded from the "live" broadcast on NASA Select TV.

In this picture the anomaly is circled in yellow. The red arrow indicates the path it took.

Keep in mind that in the direction from which this object came there is NOTHING which would be a source for anything like ice chips or debris. This factor alone makes the object very hard for debunkers to account for.

Although ISSy was still in the neighborhood, it was on the SAME orbit as Endeavour, and therefore wouldn't have crossed her path at an angle like the anomaly did.

Now we can study the animated GIFs composed of still frames from the original raw VHS tape.

In the last frame, the camera focus is adjusted to sharpen the "local" items, yet the anomaly remains well defined. This tells us that the object is further away than those Shuttle components we can see here.

Most of the time, one has nothing by which to judge distance by in space. In THIS case we do; for a rare change of pace. This object is "out there" a ways. How far we cannot tell, but it's crisp focus proves its not very close.

This is the scene at Mission Control Center in Houston Texas. This is what the INCO cut to when he rescinded our downlink from space.

Endeavour's location is circled in yellow.

As usual, when things begin to get interesting, NASA officials routinely take away our television downlink from the Shuttle. These scenes of bored technicians sitting at their blue consoles is almost always what they give us instead.

Which would YOU rather see? The magnificience of outer space with all its mysteries, or the above?

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At all times during this event, 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. He also remotely operates the helmet cameras in space suits. 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