Space Shuttle Atlantis rocketed from launch pad 39B, Kennedy Space Center at 4:04 AM CDT (9:04 GMT), on 12 July 2001. ISS Station Assembly flight 7 A, this was mission STS-104, the 105th Shuttle flight. Atlantis and crew spent nearly two days catching up with ISSy. Docking took place on 13 July, at 10:08 PM CDT (3:08 14 July GMT). The Crew were enthusiasticly welcomed aboard ISS by the Expedition 2 Crew.

The main porpose for this flight was to deliver the new Quest Joint Airlock module. This unit allows for EVAs (Extra Vehicular Activity or spacewalk) to be mounted from ISSy using American EMU and Russian Orlan space suits. The Quest module is seen at right. The Joint Airlock is 20ft long, 13ft in diameter and weighs 6.5 tons. It was built at the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) by Boeing. The airlock has two main components: a crew airlock and an equipment airlock for storing EVA gear. STS-104 also carried a Spacelab Pallet with four High Pressure Gas Assembly containers that were attached to the exterior of the airlock.

Three EVAs were carried out by Astronauts Michael Gernhardt and James Reilly. On the first EVA, they assisted the two Robotic Arms (operated by ISS Flight engineer Susan Helms & Astronaut Janet Kavandi) during the installation of the Quest Module. The other two EVAs concentrated on finishing the installation of the High Pressure Gas Assembly containers, applying handrails, and other hardware associated with the airlock module. The third spacewalk saw first test of the Quest Airlock, and it performed very well.

Undocking from ISSy occurred on 21 July, at 11:54 PM CDT (4:54 22 July GMT). The final two days on orbit were spent resting and conducting various science experiments. Atlantis landed safely back at Kennedy Space Center on 24 July 2001, at 10:41 PM CDT (3:41 25 July GMT). Total flight duration: 12 days 18 hours 37 minutes. All mission goals were met, and the Quest Module was joined by the Russian PIRS Docking & Airlock compartment, on ISS Assembly Flight 4r, a month later via unmanned launch atop a Proton booster from Baykonur Cosmodrome.

In this examination, we'll have a look at that "snow" that seems to permeate almost all of NASA's "live" downlink television pictures at night. 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 this incident, the Shuttle/Station complex was orbiting high above the Rocky Mountains in the central United States. The usual mask of "snow" was missing. This "snow" is almost always present in night-time camera views from Shuttle. I've seen it turned on, and turned off. I've seen the picture colors cycling from red, to green, to blue. But on this particular occasion, there was none of it. Must be somebody forgot.

On this page, we'll demonstrate visually what Shuttle based low-light night cameras are really capable of. They CAN transmit crystal clear images from space in the darkness of night. The long term pattern shows that NASA discourages such quality for night views. WHY they do this isn't officially explained, but we can figure it out for ourselves anyway. They want to obscure fine detail in night shots in order to make it more difficult to spot self-luminous anomalies. Such anomalies stand out more conspicously in the dark, since there shouldn't BE anything out there with its own light source, according to the official government line.

OK, our visual presentation begins with an animated GIF from STS-98, the Three Lights event. The frames making it up demonstrate BOTH the "color cycling" AND the "snow mask" very well.

I'm sure it will be denied, but based on many years of observation, I believe this is a deliberate policy. I think it this overlay is intended to obscure fine detail, and to prevent "unauthorized" objects being seen by the public.

Now we will see how the usual "snow" was missing from the TV signal aired on the morning of 19 July 2001.

WOW! What a difference from what they usually give us at night! IF they can do this SOME of the time, why is that we get the horrible mess like the STS-98 scene MOST of the time?

Heh Heh, you already KNOW what I think.

This animation compresses several minutes into mere seconds. The Shuttles don't orbit QUITE this fast!

***

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-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 12a Snow Games Yet Again

ISS EVA 17 "Snow Games" Proven!

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

© 2005 Jeff Challender