Since 1 November 2000, the International Space Station has been manned continuously. At 11:04 PM CDT 30 September 2005 (04:04 1 October GMT), Soyuz TMA-7 lifted off atop a Starsem (a.k.a. Fregat) rocket booster from Baykonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. After nine minutes of powered flight, ISS Expedition 12 reached orbit and was on its way toward rendezvous and docking with the space station some two days later. Aboard were Soyuz Commander and Expedition 12 Flight Engineer Valery Tokarev, Expedition 12 Commander Bill McArthur, and the world's third space tourist Gregory Olsen.

Docking with ISSy took place on 3 October at 12:27 AM CDT (05:27 GMT). Following routine safety checks, hatches between the two spacecraft were opened at 3:36 AM CDT (08:36 GMT). Expedition 11 crewmen Sergei Krikalev and John Phillips offered the traditional Russian welcoming ceremony of bread and salt to the new arrivals.

For eight days, the two crews and Greg Olsen worked together. Olsen carried out his own list of scientific experiments during his time aboard. After the transition week was over, 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 (01:09 11 October GMT).

During their six month stay on ISSy, McArthur and Tokarev carried out two EVAs (Extra-Vehicular Activity or spacewalk), a wide variety of science experiments, and managed ongoing maintenance of the orbiting complex.

The first EVA of the flight was conducted in US spacesuits from the Quest airlock on 7 November 2005. The second Expedition 12 EVA was carried out in Russian Orlan suits from the PIRS docking and airlock compartment on 3 February 2006. Both spacewalks were considered a success.

At the onset of Expedition 12, there was some doubt as to whether McArthur would be the last American on ISSy for some time. Agreements between Russia and the US were expiring. There was also political tension over Russian aid to Iran, against which the US government appears to have aggressive designs. The US/Russian Soyuz agreement has since been renewed for a time. Expedition 12 is still in progress as of this writing, so updates to this summary will be added as events unfold.

ISS EVA 12a began with the opening of the hatch in the Quest airlock compartment at 9:32 AM CST (15:32 GMT) on 7 November 2005. The EVA was delayed by about an hour due to an improperly set valve, which had to be reset and depressurization done a second time.

Expedition 12 crew Bill McArthur and Valery Tokarev ventured out into the vacuum of space wearing US Spacesuits that day in order to accomplish several tasks. The first of these was the installation of a new color television camera on the P-1 Truss. This tricky job required almost 2 hours 10 minutes. (Crew seen working on camera lower right. Click on thumbnails for larger images.)

The next task was the recovery of a faulty Rotary Joint Motor Control. It was stowed back inside for return to Earth for failure analysis. Following this was a trip to the apex of ISSy, and the removal of an old and non-funcioning experiment in electric potential of the station called the FPP (Floating Potential Probe). This was jettisoned toward the aft end of the station because the FPP had been shedding parts recently. Mission Controllers wanted this danger neutralized.

The final work of the day was the replacement of a burned out circuit breaker on the Mobile Transporter. After this was done the two men made their way back to the airlock, resealing the hatch at 2:54 PM CST (20:54 GMT). In all the EVA lasted 5 hours 22 minutes. It was the third EVA for McArthur and the first for Tokarev. The spacewalk numbered the 63rd for ISS Assembly, 35th from the station itself, and 18th from the Quest airlock. It was the first EVA from Quest since April 2003. EVA 12a was deemed a successful one all around.

They probably want you to believe that there is nothing anyone can do about it, that it's just one of the characteristics of TV from outer space.

Nothing could be further from the truth!

When they WANT to have a clear picture, they do. The "snow" is NOT routine, nor is it "Just part of the facts of life for TV from space". This writer is of the opinion that the "snow" is added to the signal, AFTER it comes down from space, but BEFORE the signal reaches the public. I am of the opinion that its purpose is to obscure fine detail in night views. This sort of thing would go a long way toward keeping members of the public at large from noticing anomalous activity. These can be especially subtle as well, so the masking simply increases the likelyhood that they will be missed.

I'd also like to point out that this "snow" is NEVER present during live downlink TV from INSIDE the Shuttles or Space Station.

It's also missing from daytime downlink broadcasts. It's only in the views from outside...at night.

Something else to consider. TV from space is not special. In fact, it's about as common in the world as sunshine. Nearly ALL of the television programming you see in your home, from the nightly news to Saturday morning cartoons, comes from space! That's right, nearly all of it. And not just for those who use dish TV services, but also cable subscribers. Those who still use antennas are getting a significant portion of their programming from outer space, because all of your local TV broadcasters receive and rebroadcast programs from communication satellites. EVEN so-called "Third World" nations are using satellites for their television broadcasts these days.

These satellites form a Saturn like ring around the Earth's equator, and are in geosynchronous orbit, 22,500 miles (36,000 km) above our heads. That's roughly 10 TIMES the altitude of ISSy and the Shuttles on orbit, ONE WAY! The round trip distance for the signals is 45,000 miles! (72,000 km) That's about one fifth the distance to the Moon.

Have you routinely noticed this sort of "snow" (which permeates NASA broadcasts from night time downlink) in your favorite shows? ...neither have I.

NASA downlink TV is USUALLY sent up from manned spacecraft to a TDRS satellite. (There are times when the signal is sent "line of sight" straight to a ground receiver) It is then relayed back down to White Sands New Mexico. At the White Sands Complex, there are two sides. One military, and the other NASA's. Sources tell me that the military reviews the signal first, and sends it over to the NASA side. From there it is sent to the Johnson Space Center, Building #8, in Houston Texas. It is only THEN that the signal is routed to the INCO/CATO desk in Mission Control. Here the officer in charge decides what is finally sent (VIA Satellite AGAIN!) out to the public on NASA Select TV. Heh Heh, there's a REASON they call it NASA SELECT TV!

The TDRS satellites reside in the same orbits, and at the same distances, as the commercial satellites. So why is it that commercial television, taking the same 45,000 mile (72,000 km) route up to space, and back to Earth, never seems to have a mask of obscuring snow? Why is it that NASA TV, at night, almost always does? The signals are routed the same way, using nearly identical technology.

The "snow" mask in NASA TV at night looks less and less justified, doesn't it?

In the case at hand, it was night on ISSy. McArthur and Tokarev were installing the new camera on the P-1 Truss. The segment begins with the two men in sight of another camera on the exterior of ISS, and the "snow" mask is very much in place. For just a moment, the view was switched by the INCO to McArthur's helmet camera. This scene was crystal clear and "snow" free. Finally, the INCO changes back to the ISSy mounted camera and the "snow" is back again. Now, one wonders WHY the helmet camera can transmit a TV signal, via the spacesuit commications unit back to ISSy and on to NASA, with a clear picture. Yet, the hard mounted camera on the hull of the station, and connected by cable to the station, can only show us a very terrible picture with plenty of "snow". Such uncomfortable questions are simply ignored by NASA. So we may never know what their explanation is, if any.

Let's have a look now at the visual presentation I've put together for you below.

The ongoing pattern of "snow" games over the years points to a deliberate degrading of the TV signal from space at night. This writer believes that the purpose is to hide something...

More On "Snow Games" Here

STS-104 Ridiculous "Snow" Games

STS-105 Snow Games

STS-110 Night Over California - NO SNOW!

ISS EVA 10a - Playing With The Night

ISS EVA 10b - Snow Games AGAIN!

ISS EVA 17 "Snow Games" Proven!

***

At all times during this incident, 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.)

More "Snow Games" Here.

STS-104 Ridiculous "Snow" Games

STS-105 "Snow Games"

ISS EVA 10b "Snow" Games AGAIN!

At the end of the day, it's up to YOU to draw your own conclusions.

© 2006 Jeff Challender