On 10 August 2001 at 4:10 PM CDT (21:10 GMT), Space Shuttle Discovery lifted off from Launch Complex 39A, Kennedy Space Center. Mission STS-105 was all set to carry out ISS Assembly flight 7 A1. The orbiter spent the next two days chasing ISS for rendezvous and docking. Final docking was on 12 August at 1:42 PM CDT (18:42 GMT). The Crew of STS-105, along with the fresh and ready ISS Expedition Three Crew, were welomed aboard by the homebound ISS Expedition Two Crew. The traditional Russian offer of bread and salt greeted the visitors on arrival.

Two EVAs (Extra Vehicular Activity or spacewalk) were conducted by Astronauts Daniel Barry and Patrick Forrester (pictured right). On the first spacewalk, the Early Ammonia Servicer (EAS pictured right) was installed, along with an external experiment package called MISSE. On the second EVA, cabling and handrails were placed along the outside of the Destiny Lab Module. Total spacewalk time was 11 hours 45 minutes.

The main Cargo of STS-105 was the Leonardo MPLM and its contents. Leonardo is one of three ESA Italian built Shuttle "moving vans". The module was intalled to a hatch on the Unity Node on 13 August, and returned to Discovery's payload bay 19 August. Its payload included over a dozen experiment racks, and another 12 racks and platforms carrying the wide range of supplies needed by crews aloft. Total weight in cargo was 6775 lbs. (3073 kg).

After saying their fond goodbyes, the Shuttle crew and their Expedition Two passengers sealed the hatches between the spacecraft. Undocking occurred on 20 August at 9:52 AM CDT (14:52 GMT). Discovery slipped away from ISSy and spent the next 28 hours getting ready to come home.

A safe daylight landing took place on 21 August 2001 at 1:23 PM CDT (18:23 GMT). Discovery touched down on Runway 15 at the KSC Shuttle Landing Facility. Total flight duration was 11 Days 21 hours 14 minutes. Eight of those days, Discovery was docked at ISSy.

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?

On rare occasions, during routine downlink, whomever is responsible for this "snow" mask forgets to turn it on after dark. When the error is noticed, the "snow" returns like the flick of a switch. I have located, from the flight of STS-105, three such examples. They exist from other flights as well.

Please enjoy and learn from the visual aids presented for you below. These will simply be in "before & after" order.

In frame one, the sun sets in the distance, and the "snow" is very much in evidence.

Suddenly in frame two, it's gone!

It's as if someone accidentally tripped a switch and turned it off. These moments without the mask show us just what NASA IS capable of with TV from space.

In this case, the "snow" mask appears to have been forgotten in frame one as night set in.

This mistake was caught, and the mask turned on in frame two. Looks absolutely awful, doesn't it? Can you imagine catching, with your casual eye, a small moving light buried in this bluck?

Please note that the camera was panned downward between frames one and two. The lone star in view remains almost the same distance from the limb of Earth, proving that there are mere seconds between frames in real time.

It's a beautifully crystal clear view from space at night in frame one, eh? If you watch space flight as much as I do, you just KNOW it can't last. Somebody forgot the "snow", and SOMEBODY will notice, very soon!

Aww, shucks! In frame two, they just had to spoil it! This is just one of the methods used to cover up what's really going on up there in orbit. There IS something they don't want us to see. Well it won't work! We'll be ever more vigilant, and watch very closely. In SPITE of the mask they TRY to pull over our eyes. we WILL see.

Appearances can be deceiving. But deception only works when the deceptee is not aware of it.

Now that you have been awakened, perhaps YOU too can begin to see through the tricks "they" use to deceive YOU.

***

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-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