On 1 March 2002, Space Shuttle Columbia lifted off at 5:22 AM CST (11:22 GMT) from Launch Complex 39A, at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. This was to be Columbia's last successful flight. Due to safety concerns, STS-109 was also to be the final manned service mission (SM3B) to the Hubble Space Telescope (HST). (Following the loss of STS-107 on 1 February 2003, it was decided that Shuttles would only fly to ISS) The Crew accomplished capture of HST on 3 March at 3:31 AM CST (9:31 GMT).

No less than five EVAs (Extra-Vehicular Activity or spacewalk), in five consecutive days, were carried out to repair and upgrade the Hubble Space Telescope. That's as heavy a schedule of EVAs as you'll ever see. The EVAs were mounted by two teams of Astronauts: John Grunsfeld - Richard Linnehan and James Newman - Michael Massimino. Astronaut Nancy Currie operated the Canadarm in support.

A number of new Hubble components were on the STS-109 Cargo manifest, for installation on the HST. The major work done on Hubble included installation of the Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS). This phone booth sized unit will, amongst other things, take part in the search for extra-solar planets. Hubble's two solar arrays were replaced, improving the telescope's ability to power itself. The Near Infrared Camera and Multi-Object Spectrometer (NICMOS) received a new cryocooler, capable of maintaining temperatures as low as -334°F (-203°C). A new Power Control Unit (PCU) was installed as an upgrade to the electrical system. Finally, a fourth Reaction Wheel Assembly (RWA) was added to the previous array of three, to increase the telescope's stability during long photographic exposures.

The Hubble Space Telescope was released back to orbit on 9 March at 4:04 AM CST (10:04 GMT). The mission had gone exactly as planned, and there were no glitches with the work on Hubble. Columbia flew solo for her last two days on orbit. A safe landing was accomplished on 12 March at 3:32 AM CST (9:32 GMT). STS-109 touched down at the Kennedy Space Center Shuttle Landing Facility on Runway 33. Total flight duration: 10 days 22 hours 11 minutes.

During The Third EVA, a total of three anomalies appeared in less than three minutes. These anomalies, as a group, are what I call "The Big One".

The object we will deal with on this page was the third one seen. (Hence the designation Pt.3) The other objects, all seen within mere seconds of each other, are "STS-109 The Big One Pt.1 - A Fast Object!" and "STS-109 The Big One Pt.2 - The RIGHT-ANGLE Turn!"

This event occurred just a few seconds after Pt.2. In this case, a very high speed object came from, once AGAIN, outer space. It appeared suddenly from nowhere, and JUMPED to a new position in the time space of ONE FRAME. It then flew from lower right, toward upper left. It went from "zero to sixty" almost instantly. (Way too fast for the INCO to percieve and censor) Ice, debris, and heavenly bodies simply DO NOT DO THIS... EVER!

It has the exact same appearance as the object seen in Pt.1. The only difference is that it went by on the port (left) side of the Shuttle. The first object passed by on the starboard (right) side. Other than the difference in place and time, they are identical. You may compare for yourself. If you haven't already, just look at Pt. 1.

Please bear in mind that the animated GIFs of this event are slowed considerably, so that you may see the object in better detail.

Let us now have a look at the visual presentation put together for you, shall we?

In this frame, we can see Astronaut Richard Linnehan perched on the end of the Canadarm, along with his equipment rack. Earth is in the background, of course.

The blue arrow is the direction he was facing in Pt.1 of "The Big One". He was looking in the direction indicated by the red arrow in Pt.2, and the purple arrow indicates his orientation when the object in Pt.3 passed by.

This frame is in "full view", as originally presented on NASA Select TV.

The object, circled in yellow, appeared from nowhere, JUMPED intantly down, and sped off in the direction indicated by the red arrow.

Deep space is the area in blue filled with hexagonal lens flares caused by the Sun.

This is the "full view" as originally seen in the NASA Select TV broadcast.

Paying very close attention, you might notice that the object curves its trajectory as it approaches the top of the frame. This sort of "gentle bend" is not characteristic of ice or debris. In the real time video tape, this thing is moving so fast it's just a blur, and very easily missed.

Now we are looking at the 120% zoom. You can watch the behavior of the anomaly for yourself.

See how it JUMPS from one place to the next in the blink of an eye? Additionally, there is no way that ordinary ice or debris can make an instant turn like that. The angle is even more acute than the 90° turn executed by the object in Pt.2!

All things considered "The Big One" was one of the major events of STS-109, or any Shuttle flight I've analyzed over the last eight years. Due to the factors of its appearance, and sudden course change, I must classify this "jump and scoot" object as unknown.

This event was the last of the three constituting "The Big One" of STS-109. Amongst friends, I sometimes refer to STS-109 as "The U.F.O. Party". This is because more anomalous events took place during this flight than in almost any other I've recorded since this work began in 1997. STS-114 in summer 2005 was the first to exceed the number of anomalous incidents.

There is another example on Project P.R.O.V.E. of an anomaly which JUMPS from one place to another instantly. This is called "ISS EVA 9d The Jumping Strober".

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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