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Since 1 November 2000, the International Space Station has been manned continuously. Expedition 11 (April to October 2005) consists of (Commander and Soyuz Pilot) Sergei Krikalev, and (Science Officer and Flight Engineer) John Phillips. In the third seat aboard Soyuz was ESA Astronaut, Italian born Roberto Vittori. He spent a week aboard ISS conducting a series of experiement. Soyuz TMA-6 lifted off atop a Starsem booster from Baykonur Cosmodrome on 14 April 2005 at 7:46 PM CDT (00:46 15 April GMT). Orbit was achieved some eitght minutes later. TMA-6 docked to the station at 9:19 PM CDT on 16 April 2005 (2:19 17 April GMT), prepared for a six month stay. The three men were greeted by Leroy Chiao, and Salizan Sharipov of the 10th Expedition Crew, who had occupied the station since the previous October. Following a week of joint operations, and handover of command, Expedition 10 along with Vittori, undocked Soyuz TMA-5 and returned home on 24 April. The Expedition 11 crew hosted the first Space Shuttle flight to ISS since the STS-107/Columbia disaster. STS-114 arrived on 28 July 2005, delivering supplies, effecting repairs and making upgrades. Conducting three EVAs, unloading the Raphaello MPLM, and removing trash and uneeded equipment, STS-114 was a welcome change of pace for the 11 crew. Discovery undocked from ISS for her return home on 6 August, leaving Expedition 11 on their own again. One EVA (Extra-Vehicular Activity or spacewalk) was carried out by Expedition 11. This on 18 August 2005, it was mounted from the PIRS docking and airlock compartment in Russian Orlan spacesuits. A week after the arrival of the Expedition 12 crew aboard ISSy, Expedition 11 undocked and departed ISS in their Soyuz TMA-6 vehicle. They landed safely, along with space tourist Greg Olsen, back in Kazakhstan on 10 October 2005 at 8:09 PM CDT (1:09 11 October GMT). It had been a highly successful six month mission in space. |
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11 Launch |
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| Crew
On Orbit |
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Calling! |
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On EVA |
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| Home
Oct. 2005 |
| THE
EVENT |
On 6 May, 2005, NASA Select TV was presenting its usual daily broadcast of coverage and commentary for the ISS program. The commentator announced that NASA was having a temporary loss of communication, or L.O.S. (Loss Of Signal) with ISS. No explanation for WHY was given. We were simply expected to swallow this story, no questions asked. Well, I'm here to ask questions! An incident similar to this occurred on 13 April 2005. That story is ISS Expedition 10 The Guam "ZOE". Other material on this subject is available from the Cover-Up Index. There was no apparent reason for the L.O.S. I suspect that it may be a cover for something else which was going on. We may never know the truth of the matter, even though we pay all the bills for NASA.... Without further adieu then, let's take a look at the visual and audio facets of this case, shall we |
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SETTING
THE SCENE |
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This
frame, from the original 6 May video, shows us where ISSy was at the time
of the alleged "LOS" (Loss
Of Signal). |
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The animated GIF to the left illustrates the distance traveled by ISSy during this suspicious LOS. There should be no communication trouble over this part of the Atlantic Ocean. |
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NASA's
COMMUNICATIONS NETWORK |
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| TDRSS Constellation (NASA) This map, provided by NASA, shows where all the TDRSS satellites are stationed around the Earth. There are 3 over the Pacific Ocean, 3 over the Atlantic Ocean, and 1 over the Indian Ocean.
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The satellite over the Indian Ocean, known as F-3 or TDZ, is linked back the the White Sands Complex (left) via the relay terminal on the island of Guam. |
| White
Sands Complex (NASA) |
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This
quote is from NASA. "The Guam Remote Ground Terminal (GRGT)
is the replacement for the GRO Remote Terminal System (GRTS).
Implemantation of the GRGT has extended that capability
to ALL TDRSS customers thus making TDRSS capable of providing 100% coverage
to ALL our customers."
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Guam
Remote Ground Terminal (NASA) |
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Even though the satellites are in line of sight to each other whilst on orbit, it appears that they can't communicate with each other. So the TDRSS is dependent on being in line of sight with a ground based tracking station in order to relay signals to the USA from the far corners of the Earth. |
| Atist's
conception of a typical TDRS (NASA) |
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This frame, with an overlay of the TDRSS Constellation diagram, ought to help clarify the situation. From ISSy's position over the South Atlantic Ocean, she had direct line of sight communication availability with AT LEAST 3 TDRS satellites. These are F-1, F-4, and F-6, hovering above the Atlantic Ocean. How can ISSy NOT be able to communicate through at least one of these?
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| THE
"ATLANTIC ZOE" |
Next we present a transcript of the announcement for this inexplicable loss of signal over a region of the globe well covered by NASA's TDRS System. C = The NASA Commentator who remarks on events as they unfold All Orange italics mine for emphasis. Hesitations and grammatical errors are left in as originally spoken. JC. Actual Transcript of Announcer's Words C: "And so we're temporarily, uh, out of, uh, communication with the International Space Station, that's known as L.O.S., or Loss of Signal. Station orbiting about, uh, 230 statute miles (368 km - JC) over the South Atlantic now, and , uh, making a northeasterly track that will soon take it over the western coast of Africa, uh, it'll be going over, uh, central Africa and the Sahara Desert. Uh, and then directly overhead of, uh, Egypt, uh, and the Sinai Peninsula." End Transcript Optional Download. Actual words of NASA Commentator available below: An Atlantic "ZOE" ? (MP3 file 440 kb © 2005 Jeff Challender)
What might have been the REAL reason for this fake sounding L.O.S.? Listen to the narration from the NASA commentator with your own ears. Can you see any reason why ISSy would not be able to communicate from high above the Atlantic Ocean? The station passes over this area numerous times each day, and 99% of the time, there are no problems with audio or video downlink. However, there HAVE been strange instances of communication being cut off in just this region before. And just like here, there was no apparent reason for it. See these articles for more phony seeming signal losses. ISS Expedition 10 Antics Over Argentina! ISS Expedition 10 More Antics Over Argentina!
Why did NASA lie again? Where is the motivation for such prevarication? We, the public who PAY for all of this, may never be told. *** At the end of the day, it's up to YOU to draw your own conclusions.
© 2005 Jeff Challender
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