Subj: STS103 and Atlas delay
Date: 12/16/99 5:23:04 PM Pacific Standard Time


Dear Kent; Thought it was interesting that the Space Shuttle STS103 and the Atlas EOS (IIAS) missions were both delayed simultaneously. I searched the NASA pages to see if there was any connection with both missions, and there seems to be no mission stats concerning the two together.Yet, when the Atlas rocket was scheduled for liftoff this morning, it was stopped at T-40 seconds, due to a "red line monitor on the orbiter". Then they just had a news conference(watched on the NASA channel on satellite TV) and they hemmed and hawed about the reason for the delay.The HBSIC (head bull s----r in charge) kept saying it had something to do with analysis of x-rays of welds and they had to go over paper work and get with the vender of the parts. Every question by the media was explained with a smoke and mirror type answer.And they kept saying that the weather window was a 30% no go for tomorrow. More questions were asked including who was the vendor, with the reply being they did not want to disclose that information to prevent embarressment of that vendor.When asked if you suspect a problem with welds shouldn't you physically go in and look at them, they came back with a curious line of explanation that analysis of paperwork and procedure can satisfy their concerns. Then as they came to a shakey close of the conference some dude stepped in and blatantly announced" The latest wheather predictions for tomorrow give a 60% chance of no go...that concludes our conference."It really makes you wonder what lurks in the shadows.
Also a curious obversation. Last night (Dec. 15th, 6:50PM CST) I happened to look up at the moon and saw 3 bright sparkles in sequence just below the the moon (approximately 2 inches below the southern horn, from my perspective). I kept looking thinking it might continue, being possibly a high altitude aircraft's strobe light, but it did not. Of course it could also have been that satellite that reflects sunlight and is sighted on occassion.