Secret Astronauts and NOVA

Nice, Z!

Its important to keep in mind that the DoD doesn't miss a single, possible angle.

It is also important to keep in mind that they also cannot do a single thing without a paper trail.

it is there, and we will eventually find it (or, enough of it to put the whole story together).

I am wondering if the "Darkstar" info from above might shed light on the research into the Aquila?

Originally posted by bigfatfurrytexan
I am wondering if the "Darkstar" info from above might shed light on the research into the Aquila?

Don't know... yet But I do know of at least one "One stage to orbit airplane drop craft" I am tracking that one down... I was told that someone posted a picture of it here at ATS but didn't point me to it yet

This should be very interesting... to bad John isn't here to see it

Zorgon, what do you mean he isn't here? is he ok?

Originally posted by Nohup

Originally posted by jfj123
From what I understand, the Airforce ran or is running the program and it's operational name is Darkstar which includes some type of multi stage, airplane launched space vehicle.

I guess the question that always comes to my mind about this stuff is "where is all of this happening?" We've all seen the kind of support it takes to send something like the shuttle up. Not just the machinery itself, but everything necessary to support the large number of people needed to make it go. Houses, food service, telephones, roads, all that stuff.

And you look at someplace like Vandenberg AFB, which launches stuff regularly. It takes up a huge amount of land and is its own pretty good-sized town. Even so, every time they launch something, the folks in Lompoc know about it. There's no way I know of to keep those a complete secret.

I once read an article in popular mechanics in 1997 in which it was discussed how some of Area51's activities were to be moved to other facilities. But the article also stated that activity at area51 was almost non-existent. We know for a fact that never happened. (disinformation?). The article included a section on a small land-launched space vehicle which could ferry small payloads into orbit at a fraction of the cost it was at that time. It was stated in the article that these activites were also going to be moved somewhere nearby (likely Edwards AFB in California).

This was the cover of that same magazine:

The following is an interesting excerpt I discovered on the popular science website ..
link here: www.popsci.com...

But for aerospace sleuths, there´s been little activity recently in the form of declassified vehicles that might hint at current efforts. (Classified programs can be unveiled to aid in broad combat deployment or when the technology appears in other programs.) The F-117 came out of the black world during the first Iraq war 15 years ago, and only three aircraft have been introduced since. One was Polecat. Another was Northrop Grumman´s ungainly reconnaissance aircraft Tacit Blue, nicknamed â€the Whale.†The third was Boeing´s Bird of Prey, which tested visual stealth strategies, including shaping that minimizes shadows and contrast and, rumor has it, body illumination that allows it to blend into its background.

This dearth of unveiled prototypes does not mean, however, that the black-aircraft community is dormant. In fact, all signs point to steadily increasing activity. Google Earth reveals a newly constructed additional runway and multiple new hangars and buildings at the base. The usual vague, untraceable allocations in congressional budgets that often signal classified programs are on the rise, and modern technological innovations are now enabling aircraft designs that might have floundered in the black world for years. Further, there are significant gaps in the military´s known aviation arsenal-gaps that the Pentagon can reasonably be assumed to be actively, if quietly, trying to fill.

The need for such secrecy is simple: It is essential to preserving technological surprise. The Pentagon wishes to prevent enemies from developing strategies to counter the technology. The challenge is to figure out what precisely is happening-without betraying national security-because the bigger the black world gets, the better it conceals its activities.

-ChriS

[edit on 11-2-2008 by BlasteR]

Originally posted by SpectTater

This should be very interesting... to bad John isn't here to see it

Zorgon, what do you mean he isn't here? is he ok?

Here as in at ATS to discuss it...

Not as in 'left this world"

Originally posted by BlasteR...the bigger the black world gets, the better it conceals its activities.

Now thats what ah'm talkin' about...

Z, is this one at least PRC membership status?

Guys,

The topic of this thread is Secret Astronauts and NOVA and not "where did John Lear go".

For information on John Lear leaving ATS, visit here Why is Lear no longer a consp. Master?

Now, back to the regularly scheduled programming....

reply to post by zorgon


thats great news, il definitely be watching this one,

thanks for the info!

pre D

Sweet. I hope our current "secret astronauts" can pick up the slack during the suspension of manned missions from NASA. 2010-2015 or longer

Just finished watching the show. Very interesting. Seems like the "shadow "program" had more advanced tech than the Apollo program. Russians also had some pretty impressive tech of their own. Question is, why choose to discuss this now?

I agree! It was quite fascinating! I informed a friend of mine who now lives on the East Coast about the show and he texts me about 30 min before it shows out on the West Coast saying "I think I've had a heart attack! My dad worked with several of these people on the show at Skunk Works!"

I think to answer the question about why now show this, you might want to read this article by the NY Times.In Death of Spy Satellite Program, Lofty Plans and Unrealistic Bids

For anyone who missed this, it can be watched online here...

www.pbs.org...

I'll be watching it as soon as I get home from work.

Hello UK. You mentioned you can help with US space questions. I see that the NASA MOL program had a few Navy officers selected, but this was an Air Force program right? Any idea of the NASA or (branch of service) astro selection requirements for the MOL program and why did they choose Navy officers too? Do you know why only 4 people USAF were selected in 1967 when 8 people were selected in 1965, 5 people in 1966, (vs. 4 in 1967), as the program did not end in 1967.

Thanks for any help. AJ