posted on Sep, 3 2009 @ 06:10 PM
Let's take a look at all the evidence, pro and con... (this will be updated as new information necessitates)
PRO
-- An audio recording where someone says they are watching an alien craft. As per the initial testimony of Donald Ratsch, who brought a recording of
this to the public's attention, this may be part of a conversation between Discovery and Houston on STS-29 in 1989.
CON
-- There is no other evidence other than Donald Ratsch's initial testimony to support this as a genuine conversation.
-- Donald Ratsch later recanted his claim this originated with NASA, saying he believed it to be a ham radio operator perpetrating a hoax after here
the same "astronaut" on a later mission.
-- This recording was not made from NASA's air-to-ground frequency. The recording comes from a retransmission over the frequency used by the Goddard
Amateur Radio Club in Greenbelt, MD. This frequency was open and used by multiple parties.
-- As per the testimony of the Goddard Amateur Radio Club, other ham operators can and do interfere with these retransmissions.
-- As per the testimony of member Ratcals, who listened to a recording of the actual transmission (not a retransmission), there was no mention of
aliens or aliens spacecraft at the time this supposed conversation took place.
Addendum:
One member has attempted to explain away the counter-evidence and lack of supporting evidence in terms such as "someone got to the astronaut" and
"NASA is untrustworthy". This is known as special pleading, a fallacious argument in which someone defends a claim by introducing special
exceptions or reasons to explain contradicting evidence or lack of supporting evidence. New things are added or created as needed to support the
claimant's case. Often these special exceptions or reasons are speculation for which the person making them has no evidence for either.
[edit on 3-9-2009 by DoomsdayRex]