STS-114 lifted off from Launch Pad 39B, Kennedy Space Center, on 26 July 2005 at 9:39 AM CDT (14:39 GMT). This daylight launch was the most watched in Shuttle history, with the possible exception of STS-1, the initial Shuttle launch on 12 April 1981. The timing and solar angle were chosen to maximise opportunities to film the liftoff, and ascent, from every possible perspective. These even included modified old jet bombers from the 1950s (WB-57 Canberras), carrying special camera turrets in the nose for the purpose of photographing Discovery at high altitude as she was on her way to orbit. The reasoning behind all of this was to make sure that if there were ANY debris strikes on the orbiter's sensitive heat shield, like the one which doomed Columbia in 2003, they would be captured on film for detailed analysis before allowing Discovery to re-enter the atmosphere.

The Crew experienced some facets of Shuttle flight that are entirely new. On orbit inspection of the heat shield, manual repairs to that heat shield, and experiments with different methods of on orbit heat shield repair. In addition, Discovery carried over 15 tons of equipment and supplies to the International Space Station ( in the Raphaello MPLM module ), where she was greeted upon arrival by the Expedition 11 Crew. Three EVAs (Extra-Vehicular Activity or spacewalk) were carried out. These involved Space Station repairs, improvements, and attending to heat shield problems. A fourth EVA to repair a flaw in the insulation below Commander Eileen Collins window was cancelled as unnecessary.

Space Shuttle Discovery and her crew landed safely at Edwards Air Force Base (NASA's Dryden Research Center) in the California desert at 7:11 AM CDT (12:11 GMT) on 9 August 2005. Total flight duration was 13 days 21 hours 32 minutes. The mission was highly successful, accomplishing every goal set for it.

The sad news is that in the wake of continued problems with external tank insulation breaking away during liftoff, the Shuttle fleet has been indefinately grounded until the problem is solved.

In the morning hours of 1 August 2005, EVA #2 was mounted from the Shuttle airlock. It commenced at 3:42 AM CDT (8:42 GMT), and lasted 7 hours 14 minutes. During this spacewalk JAXA Astronaut Soichi Noguchi & US Astronaut Steve Robinson (both pictured right) replaced a faulty Control Moment Gyroscope on the Z-1 Truss module (pictured right), which had stopped functioning in June 2002. By the time the two men had completed the task, ISSy had all four gyroscopes working for the first time in over three years.

During this EVA, Astronaut Soichi Noguchi was high up on the Z-1 Truss. His helmet camera was in use, and rendering a very clear view of his ongoing work. At one point, as he was facing the depths of space, something zipped across the field of view at very high speed. It was a great surprise to me, as it was of a definate "cigar" or "rod" shape. It so happens that objects like this have turned up in the past for me. One was a personal experience in December 1974 (3rd Event). The other was seen during the Docking of STS-106 To ISS in September 2000. So this object grabbed my attention very quickly!

Let's look at the visual presentation below to see what happened, shall we?

When the event took place, the Shuttle/Station Complex was orbiting above the Pacific Ocean on its way toward the western coast of North America.

Oddly, another anomalous incident happened in this very region later in the mission of STS-114. That story is STS-114 An U.F.O. Buzzing Discovery?

One has to wonder if there are non-intelligent life forms indigeonous to outer space. Legendary Astronaut John Glenn has referred to possible "critters" in space. US Astronaut Story Musgrave has described what he called a "space snake", seen during one of his many flights aboard Shuttle. When all is said and done, what do we REALLY know about the possibilities of life in space?

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Astronaut Noguchi's helmet camera was under the control of the INCO when the anomaly whizzed past out in space that morning.

(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