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[ The Video Agenda ]
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Space agency returns to glory
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by Mark J. Pescatore
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July was a rather momentous month for NASA. The big news, of course, is that it’s being sued by a Russian astrologer.
According to reports, Marina Bai wants $300 million for her moral sufferings because NASA’s Deep Impact comet probe smashed into a comet. According to the space agency, the planned collision provided scientists with data about comet composition, but for Bai, it was a cosmic case of bad vibrations and horoscopical horrors.
In other news, the mission in question, Deep Impact, was a scientific success. Oh yeah, and after more than two years, NASA returned to flight with the launch of space shuttle Discovery.
All kidding aside (although, I’m sorry to say, the lawsuit is quite real), we are talking back-to-back home runs for an agency that has received more than its fair share of criticism since the Columbia was lost in 2003.
In the early hours of July 4, Deep Impact hit its target. After a 172-day mission, the unmanned NASA spacecraft collided with the Tempel 1 comet (on purpose, of course) in an effort to study its composition. The data collected from the mission should provide scientists with new information about comets and, potentially, the formation of the solar system, as comets are considered frozen “time capsules” that formed billions of years ago.
Launched on Jan. 12, the probe was equipped with high-resolution and medium-resolution telescope/camera units (on the flyby and impactor spacecraft, respectively) but no video cameras. Similar to the Mars Rover from last year (see Government Video, March 2004), bandwidth limitations kept video technology out of the scientific payload. Still, NASA has produced a number of “movies” composed of still images, which are available for viewing at its Web site.
And then, on July 26, NASA brought out the real fireworks with the launching of the space shuttle for the first time since 2003. In all fairness, the failed attempt on July 13 as a result of a faulty fuel gauge didn’t generate the kind of headlines NASA wanted, and the technical difficulties following the successful launch almost two weeks later threatened to overpower the warm and fuzzy feelings of NASA fans. Still, Discovery’s ascent on that warm Tuesday morning was inspiring.
Video is an amazing tool that allows us to bear witness to the world around us from the comfort of our office or family room. But this is one time where video, high definition or not, can’t do justice to the real thing. From the shaking of the ground to the startling brightness of the rocket’s golden glare, it was truly something to experience, not just see on TV.
I was fortunate enough to be one of the media professionals on site at Florida’s Kennedy Space Center to cover the historic event on both days (though the media turnout for the actual launch on July 26 was much smaller). The first attempt was an afternoon launch, so it was a rather leisurely day at the office, similar to the hurry-up-and-wait of my production days. Unfortunately, it ended with the disappointment of a launch scrub and a long drive home.
On July 26, however, the 10:39 a.m. launch meant members of the press had to be on site several hours earlier. A 4 a.m. crew call — it had been a while. But the circles under my eyes were rewarded with a spectacular view of an awesome scientific achievement.
This launch in particular had plenty of video for engineers and the general public (see the story on page 38), and I was one of the few media guests to spend some time with the KSC-TV crew, who provided coverage of the day’s events for NASA-TV. The crew was stuck in a 15-hour production for the second time in two weeks. Coverage of pre-launch activities began at 11 p.m. the night before the launch, with continuing coverage long after the shuttle had reached orbit and I was on the road back to West Palm Beach.
“Stuck” is probably the wrong word to use. My compliments go out to this solid group of professionals. Most of them are seasoned NASA vets, but their enthusiasm for the space shuttle program is still very apparent — and that kind of positive team atmosphere is always nice to see.
For example, director Dimitri Gerondidakis moved his wife and four kids from NASA Headquarters in Washington, DC, for the opportunity to work at KSC. “You really get a feeling of being a part of something special,” he told me.
Congratulations to NASA on a very successful month. Maybe they share some of that good karma with that disgruntled Russian astrologer.
Mark J. Pescatore is the editor. Contact him at mpescatore@cmpinformation.com.
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