On the morning of 9 September 2006, at 10:15 AM CDT (15:15 GMT), Space Shuttle Atlantis boosted away from Launch Complex 39B, at Kennedy Space Center Florida. This marked the beginning of flight STS-115 (ISS Assembly Flight 12A). After roughly nine minutes of powered flight, the engines were cut off, and orbit attained.

Two days later, after a complicated chase and rendezvous, Atlantis docked to ISS on 11 September. Once a hard seal had been achieved with Pressurized Mating Adapter 3 mounted to the U.S. Destiny Laboratory Module, hatches were opened, and the two crews greeted each other. ISS Expedition 13 members Pavel Vinogradov (Commander), Jeff Williams (Flight Engineer), and Thomas Reiter (ESA Astronaut) were very happy to welcome the STS-115 Crew aboard.

In the ensuing days, three intense spacewalks were mounted from ISSy's Quest Joint Airlock for the purpose of installing the new P3/P4 Solar Arrays. This was the first station assembly mission since STS-113 in 2002. The spacewalkers on STS-115 included veteran Joe Tanner, first timer Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper, Canadian Steve MacLean, and Dan Burbank. Each team "camped out" in the Quest airlock over night before their EVA. They were breathing pure oxygen to flush nitrogen from their bloodstreams before suiting up and going outside.

Following undocking from ISSy on 17 September 2006, Atlantis flew solo for the next four days. On this date, ISS Expedition 14 launched from Baykonur Cosmodrome aboard Soyuz TMA-9. The new crew consisted of Commander Michael Lopez-Alegria, and Flight Engineer/Soyuz Commander Mikhail Tyurin. The third member, Sunita Williams will swap places with Thomas Reiter at a later date. Along for the ride was the first woman space tourist, Anousheh Ansari.

Unexpected objects were sighted whilst Atlantis was flying alone. Engineers announced that these were all Shuttle based debris. Landing was delayed for an extra day to determine if the Shuttle's delicate heat shield had somehow sustained damage. None was found, and Atlantis landed safely at the KSC Shuttle Landing Facility on 21 September 2006, at 5:21 AM CDT (10:21 GMT). It had been a successful and productive mission.

This event constitutes the SECOND time we've seen the "Pink" lakes. The first time was 7 August 2005, during the flight of STS-114.

The pictures seen on this page were recorded from NASA Select TV as Shuttle Discovery orbited high above southern Russia.

When these "Pink" lakes first caught my attention in 2005 during STS-114, I was extremely surprised to say the least. The first one was shocking enough, but when a second one appeared, it was too much and I took notes to remind me where this was on the tape.

I believe what we are seeing here is a vast area of severe chemical pollution. Pollution is not my area of expertise, but I can't think of anything else which would cause entire lakes to be tinted the color pink.

Astronauts and Cosmonauts have often spoken of a changed attitude toward our home planet after seeing her from outer space. They talk of all humanity being confined to this single ball of rock, and political boundaries being invisible from "up there". They have reminded us many times that we are fouling the only nest we have, and that we'd best "clean up our act", or there won't BE one...

Will we destroy the ecosystem of Earth to such an extent that she will no longer support life as we know it? Is it perhaps too late? Let's have a good long look at the pictures below, and think about what is happening to the only home humanity has.

The region is heavily involved with Russia's oil industry, being the prime source for petroleum in that nation. Could this be the cause for pink lakes?

By the way, the Caspian is home to the Beluga Sturgeon, from whence comes the famous and prized caviar. Feel like eating some now? ...Yum! Yum!

The 2005 sighting of these same polluted lakes is available here:

STS-114 Pollution Seen From Orbit 08/05

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New information regarding this event has been contributed by Dr. Stephen McKay of the UK. Looks like this mystery has been solved!

Hi Jeff

I think I may have solved your `pink`lake mystery :

The pinkish coloration of salt lakes in the hot, lower Volga region, north of the Caspian Sea is caused by the presence of Dunaliella salina, either dying naturally or excreted in the fecal mass of brine shrimp (Artemia), which feed exclusively on it. Dunaliella in the very saline northern arm of the Great Salt Lake in Utah are brilliant red. There the water is colored red by both the Dunaliella and the red halophilic bacteria. Some authorities recognize a red and a green species of Dunaliella; however, all the Dunaliella I have observed in Searles Lake and Owens Lake were bright green. It appears that the brilliant red coloration of brine in these lakes is caused primarily by halobacteria.
more info is available here:

http://www.desertusa.com/mag98/april/owens/owenslake.html


Dr. Stephen D Mckay
U.K

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At all times during this event, the camera was under the direct remote control of the INCO.

(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