[net.columbia] Western VI Lost in Space

alb@alice.UUCP (Adam L. Buchsbaum) (02/04/84)

The Challenger crew toady ejected Western VI, a Western
Union satellite, from the cargo bay today on schedule.
The ejection and initial firing of the satellite kick motor
went well, but somewhere into the ascent to geosynchronous
orbit, all contact with the satellite was lost.  At the
moment, there is no further information on what happened,
and the satellite is considered lost in space.  Western
Union paid $10 million for the launch.