THE WRIGHT STUFF Vol XVIII w No 4 The Official Newsletter of the U.S.S. Kitty Hawk w NCC-1659 Jul / Aug 2007 C O N T E N T S A VIEW FROM THE CATBIRD SEAT ................................3 J.R. Fisher COMPUTER OPERATIONS REPORT .................................3 John Troan VOYAGER - LEGACY ..............................................4 Brad McDonald STS-118 LANDING PHOTO .........................................7 NASA.gov Volume 18 - Number 4 UPCOMING EVENTS ..............................................8 is a publication of the U.S.S. Kitty Hawk, the Raleigh, N.C., chapter of STARFLEET, an international STAR TREK fan organization. This publication is provided free of charge to all chapter members in good standing. Subscriptions for non-members are $12.00 per year (six issues). Please address all corres- pondence to CATBIRD Publications, 5017 Glen Forest Dr., Raleigh, N.C. 27612. This publication is a non-profit enterprise and is not meant to infringe upon any copyright or 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 2007 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 The external tank is being lowered into place during stacking operations for STS-120 in the VAB. Photo: nasa.gov (NASA/George Shelton). A View From the Catbird Seat By J.R. Fisher Forty-one years ago, I know that part of the problem is for, but please vote. You have until a TV show that without a series or movie to drive Nov. 15 to get your votes in. premiered on it, there is little in the way of incentive I hope everything will have settled September 8th. It to maintain interest. I hope we can down by the October meeting (on the was a science fiction change that by creating things many 7th) and everyone can come to the show about a crew of us would be interested in doing meeting. I would really like to have of Earth people, and together. If you have ideas or everyone present for some face to some aliens, exploring space and suggestions, please let me know and face discussions about what we want meeting new lifeforms and getting we will explore the possibilities. to do this year. October 7 -- a into all kinds of trouble in the process. The Red Cross blood donation Sunday -- is also the 17th anniversary The aliens were different than the people have contacted me about of the commissioning of the U.S.S. ones we were used to seeing because some sort of promotions for us while Kitty Hawk. By having our meeting they looked a lot like us and were not getting the membership to donate on a Sunday afternoon, maybe more threatening to take over our world. Or blood and urging others to do the of you will be inclined to attend and at least not all of them. The basic same. They have not elaborated on we can make this a real celebration. message was one of tolerance and this yet, but I would like to know how Of course, it is a party! We will compromise. It was the creation of many of you would be interested. cookout and hopefully everyone will Gene Roddenberry and it was called Also, we have a new contact who bring side dishes and have a great STAR TREK. could be interested in doing a small time. We will also review our glorious It has gone through many segment (video) or script about Star past! variations and has not always kept to Trek. He wants to know how many of We have done so much for our the original premise, that mankind us have Star Trek, Star Wars, community in the past and I hope that would get better and grow. Next year, Babylon 5, etc., costumes and an we will do even more in the future. we will see yet another interpretation interest in such a project. So, please Seventeen years is not a long time of Gene's dream. I hope it will get let me know what you have and if you and I hope we will still be doing good back to the basics. are interested. works seventeen years from now. But I would like to thank everyone For those of you in Starfleet, you that is really up to you and you alone. who has renewed their Starfleet should have gotten your ballots for Do you really have The Wright Stuff? memberships and hope that those of the election of Starfleet's commander See you on the seventh..... you who have not, will in the very (president) and the proposed Esse Quam Videri near future. The ship crew is now up amendments to the constitution and to nineteen members. by-laws. I will not tell you who to vote Computer Operations Report By John Troan Needless to say, this month's little "catching up" on the instruction On Mars, the rover Opportunity issue is more than a wee late. August time. We got the plane up to over has started its exploration of Victoria is always a busy month for me as my 7,000 feet, where the flying was Crater. The mission team has fantasy football league gets into full beautiful -- nice and smooth. I'm still decided that the science payoff is swing. I run the league, so I handle working on the landings, but so far worth the risk of potentially not getting all the functions -- including they've all been decent. (Granted, out of the crater. Spirit has climbed conducting the live (over-the-'net) the instructor has made sure I haven't onto Home Plate for extended drafts, which gets a full weekend erred too badly.) exploration. The plateau bears clues reserved on my calendar. Looking at the latest news from for an explosive mixture of lava and The next issue will bring things NASA, shuttle Discovery's rollover to water. back on schedule. Articles are due by the VAB has been delayed due to Both rovers have been operating Friday, Oct. 19, and I should have the some last-minute repair work. No since January 2004 -- well beyond the issue assembled that weekend. If you word yet on how it might impact the original three-month plans. They have something in physical form only, Oct 23 launch date. On a related were put into low-power usage in July bring it to the October meeting. note, I saw that Atlantis might not be as a global dust storm severaly cut On a personal note, the flying retired next year if it's needed to meet the sunlight levels, but both rovers lessons are coming along nicely. I the 2010 target for completing the came through in good shape and are took a week off from work and did a station construction. rolling across the Martian sands. THE WRIGHT STUFF PAGE 3 JUL / AUG 2007 VOYAGER - "Legacy" By Brad McDonald ACT THREE JANEWAY Janeway challenges her friend So, it's possible that these FADE IN: JANEWAY people could hold the secret Such as? EXT. SPACE - VOYAGER AND NEO to a quick way home. VULCAN WORLD (OPTICAL) Question is, what do we do ON TUVOK about it, if anything at all. Voyager is orbiting the Neo Vulcan Tuvok steeples his fingers and home world. The others look surprised at her becomes immersed in his comment. explanation. VOYAGER - MAIN BRIEFING ROOM KIM TUVOK Present are Janeway, Tuvok, Kim, You mean we might pass up Aside from the language, Chakotay, Paris and Seven, the the opportunity? there is an adherence to a meeting is in progress. JANEWAY strong Vulcan tradition of KIM We have a planet which may matriarchal hierarchy. Tapara The time portal she be on the verge of civil war, is their Leading Citizen, a described, could it be a or worse. Those are the female leader. The clothing of wormhole? words of their own leader. I the advisors and various would prefer that our attendants is very similar to PARIS presence does not provide those used by Vulcan Sounds consistent with her the spark to set it off. government officials. The description, even if it is technology of their ship is a second hand. PARIS direct progression of ancient What if we simply investigated the SEVEN Vulcan types. And, their possibility and had a look around? Could she being misleading mental powers have the KIM you intentionally in order to potential of equaling the A small party of five or six get what she wants? modern Vulcan. could attempt several JANEWAY avenues of -- Tuvok pauses, then looks directly at Possibly, but I don't believe Janeway Tuvok interrupts Kim without apology. she knew what it was she was TUVOK describing. TUVOK (continuing) I believe the best approach CHAKOTAY Captain, there is an even would involve a single visitor, I trust your instincts. Do you more important consideration myself. As the captain has believe she was telling the I wish to present. This 'lost pointed out, there is great truth? tribe' affords us a rare unrest.