karn@ka9q.bellcore.com (Phil Karn) (02/28/90)
I heard UHF air-to-ground communications during this morning's launch of Atlantis on its "secret" shuttle mission. I heard a total of four very brief transmissions, all on a frequency of 259.7 MHz (the "secondary" UHF comm frequency listed in the press kits). The first transmission heard here in northern NJ was at about 2:59:30 AM EST, and the last was at 3:01:14. The last message clearly said "APU shutdown on time"; this seems right given that the launch had occurred about 10 minutes earlier. Among other things, my ability to hear the shuttle at this location confirms the high inclination orbit. Phil
mike@ames.arc.nasa.gov (Mike Smithwick) (03/02/90)
In article <20405@bellcore.bellcore.com> karn@ka9q.bellcore.com (Phil Karn) writes: < <I heard UHF air-to-ground communications during this morning's launch of <Atlantis on its "secret" shuttle mission. I heard a total of four very brief <transmissions, all on a frequency of 259.7 MHz (the "secondary" UHF comm <frequency listed in the press kits). < >Phil On the Westar 4 I intercepted a CBS TV feed (which I don't think was carried on the network) of the liftoff. They received the a/g directly and mixed it with the launch commentary. There were also a few prelaunch exchanges heard dealing with the weather. mike *** mike smithwick *** "E Pluribus Unix!" [disclaimer : nope, I don't work for NASA, I take full blame for my ideas]
neal@lynx.uucp (Neal Woodall) (03/03/90)
In article <20405@bellcore.bellcore.com> Phil Karn writes: >I heard UHF air-to-ground communications during this morning's launch of >Atlantis on its "secret" shuttle mission.....The last message clearly said >"APU shutdown on time"; this seems right given that the launch had occurred >about 10 minutes earlier. >Among other things, my ability to hear the shuttle at this location >confirms the high inclination orbit. Yes.....since people as far north along the east coast of the US as Washington, DC reported being able to see the shuttle launch, all of the evidence points to a very high inclination, perhaps a polar orbit. The payload has been said to be a spy satellite.....is a high inclination orbit good for a sypsat? If the intended observaton target is the Soviet Union, most of which is in the far northern lattitudes, this would seem to fit with a high inclination orbit. Neal
pflueger@thewav.enet.dec.com (Free speech is a sound investment) (03/04/90)
In article <7117@lynx.UUCP>, neal@lynx.uucp (Neal Woodall) writes... >In article <20405@bellcore.bellcore.com> Phil Karn writes: > >>I heard UHF air-to-ground communications during this morning's launch of >>Atlantis on its "secret" shuttle mission.....The last message clearly said >>"APU shutdown on time"; this seems right given that the launch had occurred >>about 10 minutes earlier. > >The payload has been said to be a spy satellite.....is a high inclination orbit >good for a sypsat? If the intended observaton target is the Soviet Union, most >of which is in the far northern lattitudes, this would seem to fit with a high >inclination orbit. > >Neal I was greatly amused the other night, tuning in to CNN to follow the status of the launch, to see them displaying a simple diagram of a KH-12! They were saying that their sources had confirmed that that was what it was. But of course, no one official would admit it (and the NSA still dosen't use computers either ;^). =Jp= *- --*-- -* Jim Pflueger (@LAO) | pflueger@thewav.enet.dec.com DEC Enterprise Integration Services | !decwrl!thewav.enet!pflueger Los Angeles, California | < this space for lease > *====================================*=========================================* "Central Intelligence Agency. Now there's a contridiction in terms for ya!" (Nick Mancuso, C.O. USS Dallas in "The Hunt for Red October")