THE WRIGHT STUFF

Vol XVI w No 1 The Official Newsletter of the U.S.S. Kitty Hawk w NCC-1659 Jan / Feb 2005 C O N T E N T S

A VIEW FROM THE CATBIRD SEAT ...... 3 J.R. Fisher ORIGINAL CAPTION RELEASED WITH IMAGE ON FRONT COVER .....3 NASA / JPL / Space Science Institute MEDICAL REPORT ...... 4 Amy DeJongh SCIENCE REPORT ...... 4 Elaine Pischke

Volume 16 - Number 1 SECURITY REPORT ...... 5 Spring Brooks is a publication of the U.S.S. Kitty Hawk, the COMPUTER OPERATIONS REPORT ...... 6 Raleigh, N.C., chapter of STARFLEET, an John Troan international STAR TREK fan organization. This publication is provided free of charge to BOOKS-A-MILLION OPENING ...... 6 all chapter members in good standing. ORIGINAL CAPTION RELEASED WITH SATURN IMAGE ...... 6 Subscriptions for non-members are $12.00 per year (six issues). Please address all corres- NASA / JPL / Space Science Institute pondence to CATBIRD Publications, 5017 SATURN IMAGE ...... 7 Glen Forest Dr., Raleigh, N.C. 27612. This NASA / JPL / Space Science Institute publication is a non-profit enterprise and is not meant to infringe upon any copyright or UPCOMING EVENTS ...... 8 trademark held by Paramount Pictures, Gulf & Western, or any other holder of STAR TREK copyrights or trademarks. Unless otherwise noted, ENTIRE CONTENTS ARE COPYRIGHT Ó 2005 CATBIRD Publications, THE WRIGHT STUFF. Nothing in whole or in part may be used without the written permission of the publisher. THE WRIGHT STUFF assumes all material submitted for publication is gratis. The publisher and editors reserve the right to edit all submissions.

Publisher ...... J.R. Fisher Editors ...... Jane Fisher John Troan

TOOL BOX: Pentium IV-3.0GHz; HP LaserJet 1200 & DeskJet 722C; Lotus WordPro; Adobe Acrobat. IMAGES - Title Banner Wright Flyer from NASA/Ames PAO photo archive; U.S.S. Kitty Hawk (USN CV-63) from navicp.navy.mil; Constitution class cruiser from gwu.edu/~rljones/khawk. IMAGE - Featured Front Page False-color image of Saturn, taken by Cassini; from jpl.nasa.gov. (See page 3 for details.) A View From the Catbird Seat By J.R. Fisher

Here it is the end of The nineteenth is our second night this can get together to do some of these February; the year is year so we will be sharing that night with before the weather gets hot. one-sixth gone. March the Moose. Please don't laugh or make fun Don't forget that we are planning a will be a busy month for of them in their funny costumes if they massive yard sale for late spring at the us as the meeting day, should happen to be wearing them. As far State Fairgrounds with the proceeds going the 12th, is also the first as our own dress is concerned, you may to the Raleigh Battered Women's Center. of our two Saturday wear a uniform to either night if you choose Save up all those things you are cleaning nights at the PBS to; if you have a Kitty Hawk shirt, it would out of your closets and cabinets and telethon at UNC-TV at 6:30 p.m. be nice to wear, but if you don't, please garages and let's have a great weekend. You will be interested to know that they wear a solid color top. The food will be Also, an effort is being made to have a have all new equipment for us now. More good as always. Please call me and let me blood drive for the crew. If you can give comfortable chairs, new modern know by March 10th if you will or will not be blood, let's plan a day when we can all go telephones with headsets and caller ID, and coming to these two events. and make a donation together. for the computer inclined, screens and Check your e-mail for a list of things to The April meeting will return to the first keyboards to expedite the information! do this spring, put together by Spring. Saturday. Bring your calendar and let's see when we Esse Quam Videri Original Caption Released with Front Cover Image

A large, bright and complex convective storm and the radio bursts are related. Two of these subsequently merged with storm that appeared in Saturn's southern Scientists have concluded that the Dragon each other; the current to the north carried hemisphere in mid-September 2004 was Storm is a giant thunderstorm whose the third one off to the west, and Cassini the key in solving a long-standing mystery precipitation generates electricity as it does lost track of it. Small dark storms like these about the ringed planet. on Earth. The storm may be deriving its generally get stretched out until they merge Saturn's atmosphere and its rings are energy from Saturn's deep atmosphere. with the opposing currents to the north and shown here in a false color composite One mystery is why the radio bursts south. made from Cassini images taken in near start while the Dragon Storm is below the These little storms are the food that infrared light through filters that sense horizon on the night side and end when the sustains the larger atmospheric features, different amounts of methane gas. Portions storm is on the day side, still in full view of including the larger ovals and the eastward of the atmosphere with a large abundance the Cassini spacecraft. A possible and westward currents. If the little storms of methane above the clouds are red, explanation is that the lightning source lies come from the giant thunderstorms, then indicating clouds that are deep in the to the east of the visible cloud, perhaps together they form a food chain that atmosphere. Grey indicates high clouds, because it is deeper where the currents are harvests the energy of the deep and brown indicates clouds at intermediate eastward relative to those at cloud top atmosphere and helps maintain the altitudes. The rings are bright blue because levels. If this were the case, the lightning powerful currents. there is no methane gas between the ring source would come up over the night side Cassini has many more chances to particles and the camera. horizon and would sink down below the observe future flare-ups of the Dragon The complex feature with arms and day side horizon before the visible cloud. Storm, and others like it over the course of secondary extensions just above and to the This would explain the timing of the visible the mission. It is likely that scientists will right of center is called the Dragon Storm. It storm relative to the radio bursts. come to solve the mystery of the radio lies in a region of the southern hemisphere The Dragon Storm is of great interest bursts and observe storm creation and referred to as "storm alley" by imaging for another reason. In examining images merging in the next 2 or 3 years. scientists because of the high level of storm taken of Saturn's atmosphere over many The Cassini-Huygens mission is a activity observed there by Cassini in the last months, imaging scientists found that the cooperative project of NASA, the European year. Dragon Storm arose in the same part of Space Agency and the Italian Space The Dragon Storm was a powerful Saturn's atmosphere that had earlier Agency. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a source of radio emissions during July and produced large bright convective storms. In division of the California Institute of September of 2004. The radio waves from other words, the Dragon Storm appears to Technology in Pasadena, manages the the storm resemble the short bursts of be a long-lived storm deep in the mission for NASA's Science Mission static generated by lightning on Earth. atmosphere that periodically flares up to Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Cassini Cassini detected the bursts only when the produce dramatic bright white plumes orbiter and its two onboard cameras were storm was rising over the horizon on the which subside over time. One earlier designed, developed and assembled at night side of the planet as seen from the sighting, in July 2004, was also associated JPL. The imaging team is based at the spacecraft; the bursts stopped when the with strong radio bursts. And another, Space Science Institute, Boulder, Colo. storm moved into sunlight. This on/off observed in March 2004 and captured in a For more information about the pattern repeated for many Saturn rotations movie created from images of the Cassini-Huygens mission, visit over a period of several weeks, and it was atmosphere (PIA06082 and PIA06083) http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov and the Cassini the clock-like repeatability that indicated the spawned three little dark oval storms that imaging team home page, broke off from the arms of the main storm. http://ciclops.org.

THE WRIGHT STUFF PAGE 3 JAN / FEB 2005 Medical Report Science Report By Amy DeJongh By Elaine Pischke

Insomnia is rarely diagnosed as a w Lying in bed awake and trying harder The most tantalizing of space disorder in its own right, so it's impact on and harder to go to sleep only related ideas – the possibility of our society is not fully noticed. Insomnia increases anxiety and frustration that life on other planets – is again the is generally seen as part of some other makes the sleeping problem worse. disorder. Chronic insomnia can decrease topic of discussion, this time within w Oversleeping in the morning hours on productivity at work, impair concentration weekdays or weekends may not be a the European Space Agency. and attention, and may cause accidents problem for others but it has a harmful Scientists there say the evidence while driving or operating machinery. effect on a person with insomnia. Insomnia affects twenty to forty percent for life on Mars is getting stronger. adults. Women and elderly are more w Reading a book or watching TV in bed A large ice sea near the equator, likely to be the victims of insomnia. induces sleep in some people, but if the presence of methane and you do not fall asleep in 30 minutes, it formaldehyde all point to the There are three types of insomnia: can make your sleep problem worse. possibility of some form of life w "Initial" insomnia - after turning out the w If you fall asleep in places, other than lights, it takes longer than 30 minutes bed, you get out of the habit of existing on Mars in the past, and before one can fall asleep. sleeping in bed. possibly even bacterial life still w "Middle" insomnia - after going to Good sleeping habits induce sleep: there today. The Europeans sleep, one has difficulty in maintaining would like to launch another sleep and remains awake for more w Avoid caffeine and alcohol in any form, than 30 minutes before the morning four to six hours before bedtime. mission to Mars to explore these waking time. w Avoid nicotine near bedtime and upon possibilities. At NASA’s Johnson w "Late" or "terminal" insomnia - awaking during night. Space Center, a poll of 250 premature awakening in the morning w Avoid a heavy meal in the evening. On scientists at a conference with less than 6.5 hour of sleep. the other hand, a light snack before revealed that 75% believe there A minimum of 6.5 hours of sleep is bedtime may be sleep-inducing. has been life on Mars, and 25% considered standard requirement because w Avoid vigorous exercise within 3-4 believe there is still life to be two thirds of adults report between 7 to hours of bed time. On the other hand, found there. 8.5 hours of sleep per night. However, regular exercise in the late afternoon some people may need more or fewer may deepen sleep. Meanwhile, back here on hours of sleep. One third of adults are w Minimize noise, light, excessive Earth, in an effort to keep either "short sleepers," needing 4 to 5 temperature during sleep by using ear greenhouse gases from turning hours of sleep or "long sleepers" needing plugs, window blinds, electrical our planet into another Mars, the 9 to 10 hours of sleep. blanket/ air conditioner, etc. British are spearheading an effort Insomnia is treated inadequately and w If you must take a daytime nap, keep it to tackle the global climate generally limited to a prescription of less than an hour and complete it sleeping pills. before 3 p.m. change crisis by enlisting 100 Sleeping pills work for a short time as w Go to bed only when sleepy. cities in 60 countries, including the the patient develops a tolerance for the United States, to focus on pills and requires more and more w Get out of bed when unable to fall medication. Other factors, such as, a asleep for more than 30 minutes and practical measures for reducing physical or a mental disorder; family, return to sleep within 30 minutes. pollution. The project is called health, and work-related stress; divorce; During this time, do only a manual ZeroCarbonCity. Since cities are separation; and grief, may cause activity or count your breaths while often areas of concentrated breathing abdominally. insomnia, and need to be dealt with first. pollution, reducing carbon If you are suffering from insomnia w Repeat this procedure as often as (short-term or long-term), the best place necessary. emissions on the city level should to start is with giving up faulty sleeping w Arise at the same time every morning. make a significant difference. habits and developing good sleeping Cassini continues to make w Practice relaxation techniques. habits. discoveries on it’s journey around w Do not use your bed and the bedroom Faulty habits that contribute to insomnia: for non-sleeping activities, such as Saturn and it’s moons. The w Going to bed when you are wide-awake eating, paying bills, talking on phone, Spitzer Space Telescope is taking and your body and mind do not want to etc. Bed/bedroom should be used for pictures of whole galaxies do anything with sleeping. sleeping purposes only. previously hidden by large clouds w Staying in bed awake too long, even Making small changes such as these though you can't fall sleep. Occupying of dust. There’s lots of stuff going now may improve your health in the long the mind with problem solving, on in the space around us. For run. thinking, worrying, etc. , makes the more info, check out mind more awake. Be safe, be happy, be healthy! www.nasa.gov.

THE WRIGHT STUFF PAGE 4 JAN / FEB 2005 Security Report By Spring Brooks

Star Trek campaign 'raises $3m' Star Trek fans in Israel protest in Washington, D.C., the offices of the BBC and Channel 4 in London and at Tel Aviv Star Trek: Enterprise Star Trek: Enterprise University in Israel. Fans want to raise enough money to Star Trek: Enterprise is due to end in Tim Brazeal, a systems administrator fund a fifth series of Enterprise the US in May after four series from Knoxville, Tennessee, who is A campaign to save Star Trek spin-off Star Trek fans are holding a rally in spearheading the project, said that three show Enterprise says it has received a $3m Israel in a bid to save US television series people have pledged $3 million toward (£1.6m) donation from anonymous figures in Star Trek: Enterprise. salvaging the show, while fan site the space flight industry. The Tel Aviv University event is the first TrekUnited.com had raised $49,410 by TrekUnited, which is trying to raise rally in a campaign to persuade TV Friday afternoon. money to make another series of Enterprise, executives not to scrap the show, due to end According to chatter in fan forums such says it has a "legally binding pledge" from in May after four series. as TrekUnited.com and three donors. Thursday's Save Enterprise event will SaveEnterprise.com, the L.A. rally drew the TrekUnited said the donors were "some feature screenings of episodes, with further most participants, with an estimated 200 to of the main entrepreneurs in the commercial rallies planned in the US on Friday and in 400 Trek enthusiasts voicing their support for space flight industry". London on Saturday. the show. They did not want to be named but said Earlier this month fans put a protest Rather than channeling their inner Mr. they had been inspired by Star Trek. advert in the Los Angeles Times. Spock, participants were urged to come In a statement on the campaign's web 'Cultural icon' dressed in normal attire, as a statement on site, the three donors said Star Trek had Fans around the world paid for the SaveEnterprise.com advised, "Although we inspired at least half of their colleagues to advert, which had the headline "Save Star think that coming in dress would be great, we work in the space industry. Trek" and described the Star Trek franchise also think this would stereotype us all as Enterprise needs to be renewed... for as a "cultural icon". 'Hardcore' Trekkers and would hurt more bringing imagination and hope for a better It asked the US Sci-Fi Channel to pick than help. Please wear your daily wear." future to our homes up the series from US creator UPN and Most of the rally attendees complied Anonymous donors urged fans to join protests outside with the dress code, though some could not A month ago, TV channel UPN Paramount studios in Los Angeles, and BBC resist donning Vulcan ears for the cause. announced that it was canceling the show and Channel 4 buildings in London. Enterprise, a prequel to the original after four series. Enterprise stars former Quantum Leap 1960s Star Trek series, currently draws Enterprise stars former Quantum Leap actor Scott Bakula as Captain Archer and is about 3 million viewers a week, about half actor Scott Bakula as Captain Archer and is set before the original 1960s Star Trek the number who watched its first season, set before the original 1960s Star Trek series. and way down from the 12.5 million who series. The fourth series averaged 2.9 million tuned in for its 2001 premiere. The donors said: "Enterprise needs to viewers per episode - half the audience it As of now, its final episode is slated to be renewed for the sake of fan loyalty, for drew in its first series. air on May 13. being quality TV, for bringing imagination and Star Trek: Enterprise began in 2001 Efforts to save shows headed for hope for a better future to our homes. following other Star Trek spin-off series The cancellation typically fail, though dedicated "But over all that for inspiring us so Next Generation, Deep Space Nine and fans managed to breathe life into past strongly that we have fought all our adult Voyager. struggling shows such as the WB's Felicity lives to bring that future closer to our children and Roswell and ABC's Once and Again and to us." Trekkies Unite to Save Enterprise through Internet campaigns. If the Trekkers fail in their mission to Global rallies Loyal Trekkies -- er, make that keep Enterprise on the airwaves, money will A TrekUnited spokesperson said they Trekkers -- beamed across the globe Friday either be refunded to donors or donated to knew the identities of the benefactors and to express their discontent over UPN's tsunami relief, Brazeal said. they were satisfied they were genuine. decision to ax Star Trek: Enterprise. However, even if Enterprise bites the The spokesperson said it would take Earlier this month, the network dust, there's still a bright spot on the horizon just under $30m (£15.7m) to pay for a new announced the show's impending demise at for Star Trek fans. series and they were trying to raise as much the end of its fourth season, leaving Earlier this week, Variety reported that as it took to allow a broadcaster to keep the Enterprise devotees facing the prospect of scribe Erik Jendresen (Band of Brothers) series alive. network television devoid of a Star Trek has been hired to pen the script for Star Trek Campaign supporters have already series for the first time in almost 20 years. XI, the latest installment in the long-running staged rallies around the world in an attempt Aghast at the realization that the show sci-fi franchise. to convince UPN's parent company had reached its final frontier, viewers The project was reportedly shelved in Paramount to reconsider its decision or galvanized a plan to keep Enterprise alive by January, but production is apparently back in persuade another media company to take attempting to raise $32 million dollars to fund motion, though Paramount has not yet set a over the show. the cost of a fifth season and alerting the release date for the film, which is rumored to The campaign's fighting fund stood at powers that be to the show's committed fan focus on the Romulan War, which took place $3,072,685 (£1,606,845) at 1700 GMT on base. before the original series. Wednesday. On Friday, Trekkies held "Save Enterprise" rallies at the Paramount lot in Los Angeles, the offices of CBS and the Sci-Fi channel in New York, the Fox affiliate

THE WRIGHT STUFF PAGE 5 JAN / FEB 2005 Computer Operations Report By John Troan

As most everyone knows -- or should 4/29 In a Mirror, Darkly (Pt II) -- In the Insurrection special edition is scheduled know -- by now, this is Enterprise's last mirror universe, Archer commandeers the for a June 7 release. season. (See Spring's Security Report for 23rd-century Defiant from the Tholians In NASA news, shuttle Discovery is recent efforts to save the series and try to and uses it in a nefarious power grab. being prepared for a mid-May launch to at least get a fifth season produced and (Reading through the production report the space station with much-needed aired somewhere.) and the date given above, this Defiant is supplies that the Russian Progress Based on a little research in the Star probably the one from the original series' capsules couldn't carry. Also in the Trek Chronology (written by the Okudas), Tholian Web episode.) mission schedule are tests of shuttle the Earth-Romulan war would possibly 5/06 Demons -- A xenophobic faction inspection and repair techniques. have started in season six. There's also a of humanity threatens to undermine talks Elsewhere, Spirit & Opportunity are pretty good chance that events leading up to form a new coalition of planets. continuing their work on Mars and Cassini to the war would take place in parts of 5/13 Terra Prime -- A human is comparatively just getting started at season five. If only..... isolationist leader threatens to destroy Saturn, returning some beautiful images. According to StarTrek.com, there are Starfleet Command unless all aliens leave six episodes left, with back-to-back Earth immediately. Books-A-Million is opening a one-hour episodes scheduled to air on 5/13 (Series Finale) -- no information new store in Falls Village and May 13. Here's the list of remaining has been posted yet and I strongly has invited the Kitty Hawk to episodes and a few of my comments: suspect that very little will be released 4/15 Bound -- As a gift for negotiating until after the episode airs. (There is a attend their grand opening in with the Orion Syndicate, Captain Archer report in TV Guide that Riker and Troi costume. The grand opening is receives three Orion Slave Girls. (This might possibly be appearing in the finale.) March 11 - 13. They say they episode was originally scheduled to air About the only upside I see to the will provide a table for us. The March 15, but that was before the "short" run of Enterprise is that the series store is open on Friday and cancellation announcement.) DVDs will all be released this year. The Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 4/22 In a Mirror, Darkly -- In the Season 1 set is scheduled to be released p.m. and Sunday from 9:00 a.m. mirror universe, Commander Archer on May 3 and the Season 4 set is due out to 9:00 p.m. Is anyone mutinies against Captain Forrest in order in December. interested in participating? Let to capture a future Earth ship found in In other Trek DVD news, the First the Fishers know what you think. Tholian space. Contact special edition is out now and the Original Caption Released with Saturn Image

While cruising around Saturn in is 8,888 pixels across and 4,544 from Saturn and also into the early October 2004, Cassini captured pixels tall. direction of the Sun, Cassini will be a series of images that have been The smallest features seen here able to look back and view Saturn composed into the largest, most are 38 kilometers (24 miles) across. and its rings in a more detailed, global natural color view of Many of Saturn's splendid features fully-illuminated geometry. Saturn and its rings ever made. noted previously in single frames The Cassini-Huygens mission is a This grand mosaic consists of 126 taken by Cassini are visible in this cooperative project of NASA, the images acquired in a tile-like fashion, one detailed, all-encompassing view: European Space Agency and the covering one end of Saturn's rings to subtle color variations across the Italian Space Agency. The Jet the other and the entire planet in rings, the thread-like [sic] F ring, ring Propulsion Laboratory, a division of between. The images were taken shadows cast against the blue the California Institute of Technology over the course of two hours on Oct. northern hemisphere, the planet's in Pasadena, manages the mission 6, 2004, while Cassini was shadow making its way across the for NASA's Science Mission approximately 6.3 million kilometers rings to the left, and blue-grey storms Directorate, Washington, D.C. The (3.9 million miles) from Saturn. Since in Saturn's southern hemisphere to Cassini orbiter and its two onboard the view seen by Cassini during this the right. Tiny Mimas and even cameras were designed, developed time changed very little, no smaller Janus are both faintly visible and assembled at JPL. The imaging re-projection or alteration of any of at the lower left. team is based at the Space Science the images was necessary. The Sun-Saturn-Cassini, or Institute, Boulder, Colo. Three images (red, green and phase, angle at the time was 72 For more information about the blue) were taken of each of 42 degrees; hence, the partial Cassini-Huygens mission, visit locations, or "footprints," across the illumination of Saturn in this portrait. http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov and the planet. The full color footprints were Later in the mission, when the Cassini imaging team home page, put together to produce a mosaic that spacecraft's trajectory takes it far http://ciclops.org.

THE WRIGHT STUFF PAGE 6 JAN / FEB 2005 THE WRIGHT STUFF PAGE 7 JAN / FEB 2005 Upcoming Events

Mar. 12 4 p.m. Ship Meeting, Fisher Home Also scheduled for UNC-TV in the evening. 19 Scheduled for UNC-TV in the evening.

Apr. 2 4 p.m. Ship Meeting, Fisher Home

May 3 Enterprise Season 1 DVDs released 7 4 p.m. Ship Meeting, Fisher Home 13 Enterprise Series Finale

THE WRIGHT STUFF U.S.S. KITTY HAWK P.O. BOX 52112 RALEIGH NC 27612-2112

THE WRIGHT STUFF PAGE 8 JAN / FEB 2005