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Space


March 1999 Space News

  • Missile defense system test fails sixth direct-hit attempt in a rowMiami Herald 30 March 1999-- A weapon designed to knock enemy missiles out of the sky failed its sixth direct-hit attempt Monday. ``The fact is, even the smallest malfunction means you missed the target. It says something about how difficult this is to do. Everything has to work exactly right, or it doesn't work at all''said John Pike of the Federation of American Scientists.
  • System Built to Ward Off Missile Attack Fails a Test New York Times On Line 30 March 1999--An experimental missile defense system failed its most basic test Monday for the sixth time, failing to hit a missile launched at a New Mexico test site. "I think they'll eventually hit something," said John Pike, a defense analyst at the Federation of American Scientists, "but the odds are pretty slim that they are going to be able to consistently and reliably hit every missile and that's what is required when you're defending against a nuclear armed missile."
  • Surgeon general tells Congress anthrax vaccine will save lives by Master Sgt. Linda Brandon Air Force Print News 31 Mar 1999 -- A "life or death" message was delivered to Congress by the Air Force Surgeon General regarding recent controversy surrounding the Department of Defense's mandatory anthrax vaccine immunization program.
  • Commentary: Fear anthrax, not the vaccine by Lt. Gen. Charles H. Roadman II, Air Force Surgeon General AFPN) 31 Mar 1999-- When it comes to anthrax, there is one clear and simple truth: if you are not vaccinated and you inhale anthrax, you will almost certainly die. Period.
  • DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE MODIFIES ANTHRAX VACCINATION PROGRAM March 31, 1999 -- The Department of Defense announced today an extension of its anthrax vaccination program that extends the program to include personnel serving on temporary duty in high threat areas in Southwest Asia and the Korean peninsula.
  • DoD Modifies Program for Anthrax Shots By Jim Garamone American Forces Press Service 31 March 1999 -- Service members, DoD emergency essential civilian employees and contractors must now receive anthrax vaccinations if they'll spend any time in one of 10 high-threat areas, the Pentagon announced March 31. Previously, only DoD personnel who were deploying for more than 30 days to a high-threat area had to start the six-shot vaccine series.
  • Boeing Delta III Launch to Carry Orion 3 Satellite Boeing 30 Mar 1999 -- The newest addition to the Boeing Delta rocket family will lift off here in less than a week, carrying the Hughes-built Orion 3 satellite for Loral Space & Communications.
  • Narrow Miss for THAAD By Douglas J. Gillert American Forces Press Service 30 March 1999 -- This time the interceptor came close -- possibly within 30 meters of its target Hera missile. But for the sixth time, the THAAD failed to hit its target.
  • THAAD comes close to intercept by Sgt. 1st Class Connie E. Dickey (Army News Service, March 30, 1999) -- The Theater High Altitude Area Defense system came close to a "hit-to-kill" intercept in its latest test March 29, according to senior Pentagon officials. The THAAD, however, broke apart about 10 to 30 meters from its target during the system's 5 a.m. test at White Sands Missile Range, N.M.
  • THAAD TEST FLIGHT DOES NOT ACHIEVE INTERCEPT TARGET March 29, 1999 -- The Ballistic Missile Defense Organization (BMDO) and the U.S. Army announced today that a Theater High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) interceptor did not achieve intercept of a Hera missile target in a flight test at the White Sands Missile Range, N.M. The flight did, however, provide additional data that will be usable in future development of theater missile defense systems.
  • Lockheed Martin Astronautics to Cut Costs, Reduce Work Force Lockheed Martin 29 Mar 1999 -- Lockheed Martin Astronautics announced plans to reduce its work force while pursuing a number of initiatives to become more cost competitive. Overall employment will be reduced by 1,200, or about 10 percent of the total work force.
  • Seeking a silver bullet BY JOSEPH L. GALLOWAY U.S. News 3/29/99 -- John Pike of the Federation of American Scientists, a leading missile-defense expert and critic, said, "They haven't been able to get these things to work. One big problem they face is that the critical technology-using heat-seeking sensors to intercept missiles-has a terrible track record. There have been 15 hit-to-kill tests since the 1980s. In only two did the test interceptors hit something."
  • SUBJECT: THAAD TEST FLIGHT DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE PRESS BRIEFING MONDAY, MARCH 29, 1999 -- We did not achieve our primary objective of having a body-to-body intercept of the THAAD interceptor with the specific HERA target. The booster and kill vehicle had a nominal separation. We got nominal separation of the shroud around the kill vehicle. We had good command data of the in-flight target updates from the radar Battle Management Command and Control to the missile. They were providing target information and target map information to the missile. Unfortunately, about one minute into flight, we lost the telemetry and because of loss of that telemetry, we are not able, to date, at this particular moment, to characterize and specifically determine the cause of why we managed to miss the particular intercept. However, from the radar data and from airborne sensors which are on-scene at White Sands Missile Range, we think we came between 10 and 30 meters from having an actual intercept.
  • Sea Launch Rocket Paints a Picture of Success During Inaugural Flight Boeing 27 Mar 1999 -- The Sea Launch rocket successfully completed its maiden flight, company officials announced. The event, which placed a demonstration payload into geostationary transfer orbit, marked the first commercial launch from a floating platform at sea.
  • BMD Update 26 March 1999 -- Article Citations From Published Journals And Newsletters
  • THE MOVE TOWARD MISSILE DEFENSE Voice of America 26 March 1999 -- THIS MONTH, THE U.S. CONGRESS VOTED TO DEPLOY A MISSILE DEFENSE SYSTEM AS SOON AS IT IS TECHNOLOGICALLY FEASIBLE TO DO SO. THE VOTE CAME SIXTEEN YEARS AFTER PRESIDENT RONALD REAGAN FIRST ANNOUNCED THE STRATEGIC DEFENSE INITIATIVE, OR S-D-I.
  • Army Patriot Crews Protect Gulf By Linda D. Kozaryn American Forces Press Service 25 March 1999 - U.S. Army Patriot missile crews protect U.S. and coalition air bases and facilities in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and other sites in the Persian Gulf. Often within 100 miles of Iraq, they scan the skies watching for possible Scud missiles and other forms of air attack.
  • THAAD'S NINTH FLIGHT TEST MEMORANDUM FOR CORRESPONDENTS 25 March 25 1999 -- The Ballistic Missile Defense Organization (BMDO) and the U.S. Army plan to intercept a target ballistic missile in a flight test scheduled for March 29, 1999, at White Sands Missile Range (WSMR), N.M. This will be the ninth test in a series of 13 flight tests currently planned in the Program Definition and Risk Reduction phase of the Theater High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system.
  • Lockheed Martin Team to Support Hubble Space Telescope Servicing Mission Lockheed Martin 23 Mar 1999 -- A team led by Lockheed Martin Missiles & Space will provide support to the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in the planning, training and implementation of SM-3A, a servicing mission to the Hubble Space Telescope (HST), scheduled for launch in October 1999.
  • Tests of new Patriot missile successful by Sgt. David E. Gillespie (Army News Service, March 22, 1999) -- The militarys newest Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) missile successfully intercepted and destroyed an incoming tactical ballistic missile in a test high over New Mexico March 15.
  • Tests of new Patriot missile successful Army News Service 22 March 1999 -- The militarys newest Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) missile successfully intercepted and destroyed an incoming tactical ballistic missile in a test high over New Mexico March 15.
  • Deployment of U.S. Missile Shield Looks Ever Likelier By PAUL RICHTER Los Angeles Times 21 March 1999 -- "They can't get it to work, but the political momentum is probably irresistible," said John Pike, a space specialist with the Federation of American Scientists and a longtime critic of the program.
  • Team convenes to review anthrax program AFPN 19 March 1999 -- Trying to balance force protection with concerns from some people about the safety of vaccinations, the Air Force is forming a team to look at all aspects of its anthrax program.
  • BMD Update 19 March 1999 -- Article Citations From Published Journals And Newsletters
  • House Passes Missile-Defense Bill Boston Globe Online 19 March 1999 -- But it could be anywhere from three to 10 years before a complete umbrella shield is in place over all 50 states, according to defense analyst John Pike, who said the New Mexico test was an unremarkable development, considering the vast amounts of technology the Army still lacks.
  • Inaugural Launch Of Sea Launch Moved Back One Day Boeing 19 Mar 1999 -- Sea Launch officials have moved the first launch of the Sea Launch system back one day. Because this is the inaugural transit to the launch site for both the Sea Launch Commander and Odyssey launch platform, Sea Launch management is proceeding in a methodical and cautious manner.
  • CONGRESS-MISSILE DEFENSE Voice of America 18 March 1999 -- THE U-S HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES HAS JOINED THE SENATE IN ENDORSING DEPLOYMENT OF A MISSILE DEFENSE SYSTEM (BY A VOTE OF 317 TO 105). MANY DEMOCRATS STOOD WITH REPUBLICANS IN A SHOW OF SUPPORT FOR THE LEGISLATION.
  • SENATE-MISSILE DEFENSE Voice of America 17 March 1999 -- A CALL FOR A NATIONAL MISSILE-DEFENSE SYSTEM HAS EASILY CLEARED THE U-S SENATE (BY A VOTE OF 97-TO-THREE), WITH SUPPORTERS SAYING THE PLAN SHOULD NOT HURT RELATIONS WITH RUSSIA.
  • TOWARD A MISSILE DEFENSE Voice of America 17 March 1999 -- PRESIDENT CLINTON AND THE U-S CONGRESS HAVE AGREED ON LEGISLATION TO ESTABLISH A DEFENSE AGAINST BALLISTIC MISSILES AS SOON AS TECHNOLOGICALLY POSSIBLE.
  • PRESS BRIEFING BY DEPUTY NATIONAL SECRETARY ADVISOR JIM STEINBERG 17 March 1999 -- We did not drop our objections to a missile defense plan. We're very pleased that the Senate adopted an approach which is fully consistent with the approach that we have advocated. We've always said that we're prepared to support missile defense if it dealt with four particular areas of -- or criteria -- the threat, the feasibility, the cost, and arms control considerations.
  • TEXT: CLINTON STATEMENT ON SENATE MISSILE DEFENSE BILL USIA 17 March 1999 -- President Clinton, in a statement late March 17, said he was pleased that "the Senate, on a bipartisan basis, included in its national missile defense (NMD) legislation two amendments that significantly change the original bill, which I strongly opposed.
  • FAS: PAC-3 Test Says Nothing About National Missile Defense U.S. Newswire 16 March 1999 -- Monday's successful intercept of a target by the short-range Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) interceptor says nothing about the technical feasibility of the National Missile Defense (NMD) program, since the two programs use entirely different technologies, according to Federation of American Scientists' Director of Space Policy Project John Pike.
  • SMALLPOX VIRUS Voice of America 16 March 1999 -- LIVE VIRUS IS ESSENTIAL AS A BASIS FOR DEVELOPING DRUGS TO COMBAT A FUTURE OUTBREAK, WHICH COULD OCCUR, FOR EXAMPLE, IN AN ATTACK BY TERRORISTS CONDUCTING BIOLOGICAL WARFARE.
  • SENATE-MISSILE DEFENSE Voice of America 15 March 1999 -- THE U-S SENATE HAS TAKEN UP A LONG-RUNNING CONTROVERSY OVER MISSILE DEFENSE - THIS TIME WITH THE ARGUMENTS FUELED BY CHINA'S ALLEGED THEFT OF NUCLEAR BOMB SECRETS.
  • Cohen Offers to Share Intel with Gulf Leaders American Forces Press Service 15 March 1999 -- Defense Secretary William S. Cohen met with senior leaders in six Gulf states in early March and offered to share early warning information about missile launches in Iran or Iraq.
  • PAC-3 Missile Test Flight Successful Lockheed Martin 15 Mar 1999 -- Lockheed Martin Vought Systems, the Ballistic Missile Defense Organization and the U.S. Army conducted a successful seeker characterization flight of a Patriot Advanced Capability (PAC-3) Missile at White Sands Missile Range, N.M.,. Although it was not a primary objective of the test, the PAC-3 Missile intercepted and destroyed the incoming target tactical ballistic missile. Preliminary test data indicate all other test objectives were successfully achieved.
  • GOP to push Clinton for missile defense San Jose Mercury News 14 March 1999 -- ``About the only thing we've been able to demonstrate over the last 15 years is that this program has an absolutely unique capacity for burning up large amounts of money, without anything ever coming out the other end,'' said John Pike of the Federation of American Scientists.
  • 25 Years of Anthrax Shots: First-hand Accounts of Vaccine Safety American Forces Press Service 12 March 1999 -- After being infected, they become increasingly lethargic. Their eyes get runny. It's difficult to [draw blood from them] because they get very dehydrated. And then, in about seven days, it's almost like a rabid effect. They convulse, and then that's it. They're gone really quick. It's nasty.
  • SEA-BASED MISSILE DEFENSE Voice of America 11 March 1999 -- JOHN PIKE, A DEFENSE ANALYST AT THE FEDERATION OF AMERICAN SCIENTISTS, SAYS IT IS EXCEEDINGLY DIFFICULT TO HIT A BULLET WITH A BULLET AND HAS NOT REALLY BEEN DONE TO DATE.
  • Boeing Marks Tenth Anniversary of First Launch of Block II Global Positioning System Satellite Boeing 11 Mar 1999 -- Boeing and the Air Force have commemorated the tenth anniversary of the first launch of a Block II Global Positioning System (GPS) satellite, the Company said. GPS satellites provide precise navigational and timing data 24-hours a day for military and civilian users around the world.
  • Duty-Bound to Order Anthrax Shots, Cohen Says American Forces Press Service 10 March 1999 -- Defense Secretary William S. Cohen said he would be "derelict" in his duties if he failed to protect U.S. service members from anthrax and other biological weapons. Despite news accounts and the proliferation of Internet misinformation about the vaccine, about 180,000 people have been vaccinated uneventfully, Cohen said. "So far, roughly 80 people have refused to take the shots. That's a pretty good record," he said.
  • Defending Against Invisible Killers -- Biological Agents American Forces Press Service 10 March 1999 - The military has geared up defenses against these invisible killers since the threat of biological weapons became a reality during Operation Desert Storm. Since then, the military has fielded new protection equipment and detection systems, and more counter measures are in the works.
  • Sea Launch Vessels To Depart Long Beach; Inaugural Launch Scheduled For March 26 Boeing 10 Mar 1999 -- With final preparations now complete, the two Sea Launch operating vessels and their crews will soon depart the Home Port for equatorial waters in the Pacific to conduct the international joint venture's first launch.
  • Anthrax veteran says vaccine 'no big deal' AFPN 10 March 1999 -- When Staff Sgt. Mark A. Hughes, Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron-13's substance abuse counselor, told his mother recently that he was to get the anthrax vaccination, she reminded him that he had already received the shot as a boy. As far as Hughes is concerned, the reservations some service members have about the shot are unfounded.
  • COHEN / MIDEAST Voice of America 08 March 1999 -- THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT IS PREPARED TO SHARE ITS MONITORING OF IRAQI AND IRANIAN MISSILES TESTS WITH NATIONS IN THE GULF REGION.
  • ORBITAL'S PEGASUS ROCKET SUCCESSFULLY LAUNCHES ASTRONOMY SATELLITE FOR NASA Orbital Sciences Corp. 05 Mar 1999 -- Orbital Sciences Corporation announced that its Pegasus® rocket successfully launched the Wide-Field Infrared Explorer satellite (WIRE) for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in a mission that was carried out Thursday evening, March 4, from Vandenberg Air Force Base (VAFB), California.
  • Sea Launch Completes Final Integrated Tests; Latest Round of Testing Verifies Readiness for First Launch Boeing 04 Mar 1999 -- The most significant milestone to date for the Sea Launch program is now complete, the international joint venture said. The conclusion of a successful series of integrated tests off the California Coast verifies the readiness of both the marine and rocket segments for the company's inaugural launch later this month.
  • ORBITAL TO LAUNCH NASA ASTRONOMY SATELLITE ABOARD PEGASUS ROCKET Orbital Sciences Corp. 04 Mar 1999 -- Orbital Sciences Corporation announced that it will launch NASA’s Wide-Field Infrared Explorer (WIRE) satellite aboard the company’s Pegasus rocket this evening, March 4, at approximately 6:57 p.m. Pacific time (or 9:57 p.m. in the Eastern United States).
  • BMD Update 05 March 1999 -- Article Citations From Published Journals And Newsletters
  • ORBITAL’S PEGASUS LAUNCH OF NASA SATELLITE RESCHEDULED Orbital Sciences Corp. 02 Mar 1999 -- Orbital Sciences Corporation announced that the planned launch of its Pegasus® rocket carrying NASA’s Wide-Field Infrared Explorer satellite (WIRE) was called off Monday evening, March 1, at approximately 6:55 p.m. (PST) when the locking pin of the rocket’s rudder did not disengage as planned.



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