STS-114...The Dark Object
|
||
| |
|
|
| STS-114...The Dark Object |
||
| 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. |
 |
| STS-114
Liftoff |
|
 |
|
| Belly
Inspection |
|
 |
|
| Inside
ISSy |
|
 |
|
| Robinson
On EVA |
|
 |
|
| STS-114
Landing |
|
THE
DARK OBJECT |
On 28 July 2005, Shuttle Discovery was making her final approach to rendezvous and docking with ISSy. A number of unusual objects appeared earlier in this operation (STS-114 U.F.O.s During Docking?), but the most amazing was a dark object with a single visible light on it. As the Shuttle was approaching the station, very suddenly a DARK OBJECT passed BETWEEN the two spacecraft. As it crossed their paths, it momentarily blocked out part of the lights from Discovery. Before and after it obscured the Shuttle lights, a small light was seen approaching and leaving. The impression was that this small light was attached to the dark mass. A selection of animated GIFs, and a still frame, have been prepared for your inspection. Let's look at them now, shall we? |
| THE
EVENT |
|
 |
The animated GIF at left is the "full view" captured from the original VHS tape recorded "live" at the time. In the interest of brevity, some of the frames showing the object passing in front of Discovery have been omitted from this GIF. They have been left in those animations to come. |
| The mpeg segment was brightened a few points, by me, to allow a better look at the tiny light which accompanies the dark object as it passes in front of Discovery. Shuttle Discovery is the object which is lighted up like a Christmas tree in the distance. Watch as the light closes in, something dark blocks out part of the Shuttle, and the light departs toward top screen. | |
|
ENHANCEMENTS |
|
 |
Here we are looking at a 250% zoom-in on the image of Discovery. The approaching light is circled in yellow. |
 |
From the same 250% zoom, we have captured the light moving upward after the dark object passed across Discovery. |
 |
This full motion animated GIF (Digitally zoomed 250%) of the incident, shows the most detail attainable with my equipment. The black object can even be seen to have a rather wing-like shape. To me personally, this is one of the most amazing incidents I've ever found in spaceflight. |
 |
The same 250% zoom animation, embossed. This technique makes the small light easier to follow. |
 |
This frame is from approximately one hour before the dark object manifested itself. On the hunch that the dark mass MIGHT have been some piece of hardware attached to ISSy, I checked back before night set in to see if anything was in the field of view. As you can see for yourself, the scene was empty of all save Discovery. |
Another point which must be made concerning the idea that the dark mass was some part of ISSy herself, is that for this to be so, the camera would have to have been panning noticeably. Think about that...if something solidly fastened to ISSy were to appear in motion relative to a camera onboard, then that camera itself would HAVE to be moving . In addition, the image of Discovery out in space would have been in apparent motion too. So I think we can safely rule out the possibility that the dark mass was an ISS antenna, solar panel, radiator, etc. WHAT WAS THAT BLACK ANOMALY? I have no idea what it was. There certainly shouldn't have been anything larger than an ice chip in the vicinity. And from the distance of Discovery at that moment, an ice chip or bit of debris SHOULD not have been visible, not to mention there was a lack of sunlight to make such things visible. NASA keeps very close tabs on satellites orbiting Earth. The chance that a satellite would pass between the Space Station and Shuttle during such a critical maneuver without notice is just about zero. That any such satellite could move so SLOWLY between the two craft would prove that it was on almost exactly the SAME orbit. This reduces the chances of a satellite to absolute zero. There IS NO satellite orbiting parallel to ISSy. A person once wrote me to strongly suggest that the many anomalies I've found in manned spaceflight footage were sure to be SPY SATELLITES from "foreign powers". This is a very uninformed concept. It presupposes a number of factors. One is that such satellites could approach a Shuttle or ISSy undetected. Not possible. Another is the assumption that satellites and spacecraft can flit about at different altitudes and orbits like an aircraft in Earth's atmosphere. Orbital mechanics, and the enormous amounts of fuel required for such maneuverability, make this an absolute impossibility. Like all other man-made craft in orbit around Earth, spy satellites must adhere to pretty much one basic orbit, and one basic altitude. Depending on the fuel carried for powering small thrusters, they CAN make a certain number of subtle changes, but nothing like what the correspondent suggested. The only conclusion left for this writer is that the object was an unknown. The very fact that it was dark is probably the only reason it slipped past the ever vigilant censors at NASA, whose very job it is to prevent these anomalous objects being seen by you and me. *** At all times during these incidents, the camera was under the direct control of the CATO 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
|
 |
 |
