Apr 2 2003
From The Space Library
The Russian military successfully launched from Plesetsk Cosmodrome a military communications satellite aboard a Molniya-M booster. The purpose of the satellite Molniya 1-92 was to orbit above the far northern regions of Russia relaying commands and communications among military forces. At the lower end of its orbit, the craft would sweep quickly over the Southern Hemisphere, returning to orbit above northern Russia. From this position, the craft would serve users who were out of range of most communications satellites, which, traditionally, orbit at geostationary positions above the equator. (Spacewarn Bulletin, no. 594, 1 May 2003, http://nssdc.GSFC.nasa.gov/spacewarn/spx594.html (accessed 14 October 2008); Stephen Clark, “Military Spacecraft Launched by Russian Forces,” Spaceflight Now, 2 April 2003.
Alex Roland, a history professor at Duke University and former NASA historian, and Brian E. Chase, Executive Director of the National Space Society and a former congressional aide, testified before the U.S. Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Science, Technology, and Space concerning problems in NASA's Space Shuttle Program. Roland stated that the Shuttle was not sustainable as a safe, reliable, and economical launch vehicle and recommended its phaseout. Roland faulted NASA for ignoring the findings of the Presidential Commission on the Space Shuttle Challenger Accident (Rogers Commission), which had paved the way for the Shuttle to return to flight after the Challenger disaster in 1986. The Rogers Commission had recommended that NASA begin developing a next-generation launch vehicle immediately. However, 16 years later, NASA continued to rely on the Space Shuttle and had no replacement in sight. Chase recommended the short-term maintenance of the remaining Shuttles and endorsed the George W. Bush administration's plan to develop an Orbital Space Plane (OSP) ready to transport crews to the ISS by 2010. He also recommended that NASA use commercial heavy-lift launch vehicles for hauling cargo to the space station. (Jefferson Morris, “Former NASA Historian Urges Phaseout of Shuttle,” Aerospace Daily, 4 April 2003; Larry Wheeler, “Experts Disagree on Future of Shuttle,” Florida Today (Brevard, FL), 3 April 2003.
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