The B~HiVe 清僥

Issue#4...Dec~97

INTRO Hello Space fans and welcome to Issue #4 of The 邁Hive 桥冮. of not yet famous fame. In the previous issue, I stated that I was going down to visit Kennedy Space Center and to watch the launch of Cassini. Well, I made it down there and yes indeed, I did visit KSC. I also found myself standing at the corner of U.S 1 and U.S. 50(this is THEE best spot to watch a night launch..!!) at 4:55am on Oct. 13th, ready to see the launch of a lifetime.......but it was postponed for 48 hours and I had to get back to work so I missed it.....as you can imagine, I was a little upset but i'm also very well aware that launch schedules often change without notice so no big deal. I felt that way until I watched the launch almost exactly 48 hours later on CNN. Then I was pissed..This was a truly spectacular night launch...!!!..View this MPEG movie of the Cassini launch and see for yourself. I mean how often is there one single cloud hovering over the launch site waiting to be lit up like a candle in the night sky?? I did, however, take a few photos at KSC and I had some of them scanned. You can see one here and some more of them in the newly updated LINKS CAfE for now until I get my B-Hive PHOTO Gallery up and running....i've also added some other killer cool links here to the far reaches of the Web so be sure to check them out. Also in this issue, you'll find the usual fare of updates and other space happenings and well as more additions to the recently added Conspiracy Corner and plenty else.....so put on your zero gravity suits, strap on those magnetic boots and join ship with BUCKYZ for a few orbits around The 邁Hive 桥僥... - -

UPDATES from way outer space These days, with most of us living in big cities, surrounded by bright lights all the time, it's easy to forget that just a few hundred miles above us are people living in earths orbit, racing by overhead at speeds exceeding 17,500 MPH!! The MIR space station has had it's share of problems lately but things have steadily improved since the russian crew was replaced with a fresh one and the arrival of U.S astronaut David Wolf.Together, they have managed to fix some of the broken solar panels and they have also replaced a computer which was breaking down frequently. Also, another spacewalk is planned for early December to attempt to fix the hole in the side of the Spektre Module. Once done, this will be like adding an extra room to a small house....the extra space will feel HUGE..!!
In other MIR news, ..it seems that the cash strapped Russian Space agency has been looking into alternative ways to raise money to keep the MIR program afloat. One idea that is receiving serious consideration includes putting an american jounalist on board MIR for a period of one to three weeks.CNN's John Somthingorother ,their leading space correspondent, seems to be the obvious candidate at this time. Current estimates report the fee the Russians will charge to be around 20 million dollars plus training expenses. No doubt that this is mostly a publicity stunt to quell fears about MIR's safety, if I had the money, i'd be signing up for this one too....This is not, however, the first time a reporter will be in space; a Japanese reporter was aboard MIR in 1991. . . .Another avenue the Russians are considering to generate income and publicity for MIR is to allow a movie to be filmed on board the Russian Space Station...A Russian film producer has come up with a script and after showing it to Russian Space Agency officials, has received tentative approval (pending the signing of two major hollywood actors and big dollar backers). Rumours are abuzz all over Hollywood about this one and two serious contenders for the film are TOM HANKS and EMMA THOMPSON...The current script calls for the cosmonaut not wanting to return to earth after a prolonged stay in orbit (he'd rather die in space) and a rescue crew being sent up to get him back...more on this in future issues of The 邁Hive 桥僥.

Mission (out of)Control The Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) has successfully arrived at THE RED PLANET and began a slow (and delayed) 18 month process of achieving a tight circular orbit. In early March '99, MGS will begin mapping and sending back pics of our favorite planetary neighbor. This is an exciting mission for a few reasons. MGS will spend an entire Martian year (two Earth years) mapping the planet but will remain in orbit to act as a communication relay satellite with future probes for many years to come. Also, the MGS pics sent back will be many times better than the famous VIKING photos from 1977.And, if things go as planned we can expect to see overhead views of the actual VIKING landers and the Sagan Memorial Station (Pathfinder Landing Site) and many other interesting features of the Martian surface, Maybe.

It seems there's a little conspiracy storm brewing around NASA regarding all this....(see the Conspiracy Corner below for details)..

In other Mission news,the Space Shuttle Columbia went up on Nov. 19th for a 16 day mission that'll be the last STS of 97

Also, the Hubble Space Telescope is still opening new doors to deep space photography and adding new dimensions to astronomy by actually taking the first ever image of a black hole See the Pic Here another new feature of the 邁hive cafe is the:

Picture of the month ...This months pic is of a shuttle night launch taken from the Visitors Center at KSC

a cool pic

If you have a pic you feel is worthy of The B~Hive 'pic of the month' status, then feel free to send it to Pic O' the Month for consideration and maybe win a stupid prize!俊 NOT!!!

Conspiracy Corner ...if the Mcdaniel Report is true, then maybe we are all Visitors to this planet
Is it possible that we're really colonial ancestors from another planet??? a planet that was dying millions of years ago??? Mars?? There is some compelling evidence.
...the whole key to this theory lies in the Cydonia Region of Mars and specifically the Mars Face, itself. Click here to view some fascinating pictures and all the evidence of an ancient martian race!!! have your own informed opinion, and read an exciting theory on The Mars Face here Is the 'face' an ancient ruin??
Was it built to withstand millions of years of erosion ??..
To stand out and be recognized??
To be imaged by the VIKING Orbiters...???
...and will the Mars Global Surveyor send back as many or even more incredible images when it maps the planet in 1999 ??..
"Maybe Not..!!"Click here for the conspiracy of the month

LINKS, links, LINKS

Be sure to visit the recently upgradedLINKS CAfE ...but be careful, 'cause people have been known to get lost in there......

FINAL CUT

R.I.P. the Mars Pathfinder Mission..... it's now official...The Pathfinder mission has officially been declared 'dead' by NASA. Mission scientists have been unable to contact or receive data from the lander or rover for several weeks..With the Martian winter rapidly approaching, chances of further communication are minimal.."the Pathfinder batteries are completely dead and the solar panels are covered in dust" said one scientist... Hailed as the most widely followed space exploration mission in history, the Mars Pathfinder Mission broke all internet records with over 70 million hits at it's website on july 7th-97..(the day the rover rolled onto the martian surface) The amount of information this mission recovered was simply phenomenal!! MORE THAN 16,550 PITURES!!!

go to the links cafe to see them all Also impressive is the fact that the rover lasted a whopping 12 times longer than it was designed to and the lander lasted three times longer than it was designed to!!! All in all, the entire mission can be called a great american success story...and as an appropriate finish to this issue of The B-Hive Cafe I give you, the martian sunset...

"...given the fact that Pathfinder is the first of several missions to mars, we'll say 'see you later' rather than 'goodbye'"

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