Officials Worried Shuttle Could Be Target

WABC Radio | 5/14/02 | ABC News

[freeperfromnj]

May 14 — There is no specific threat, but U.S. intelligence sources tell ABCNEWS that NASA officials are increasingly worried that the July 19 launch of the Space Shuttle, which will be carrying an Israeli astronaut for the first time, could be a prime target for terrorists.

The fear is that the launch could be vulnerable to a suicide attack by a small, low-flying plane, the sources said.

Giving weight to the concern is the fact that suspicious activity has been observed around the launch complex that could have been surveillance, the sources said.

NASA officials are requesting additional security, though military sources say it is hard to imagine having more security in the area.

Previous launches of the shuttle have been protected by a warship off the coast and an AWACS early warning plane overhead, along with fighter jets patrolling the airspace around the launch site.

But having an Israeli astronaut on an American rocket could make the launch a target too attractive for some desperate terrorist groups to resist, the intelligence sources said.

Concerns about the space shuttle launch come amid new unspecified and unsubstantiated threats against American nuclear plants on or around July 4 and heightened fears about the possibility of weapons of mass destruction being smuggled into the United States on cargo ships.

The Coast Guard now insists that vessels give notice 96 hours in advance of when they plan to reach a U.S. port. A Sea Marshal goes out to meet every ship before it gets to port.

[freeperfromnj]

Just another non-specific threat to worry (or not worry) about.

[RightWhale]

It's a heavily-populated area. Clearing out small fishing boats at the time of a launch is difficult since many of the locals just don't care.

[TADSLOS]

It would be fun to watch a suicide bomber run up to the shuttle right at ignition launch sequence. Be sort of like a roach getting hit with a blowtorch.

[gridlock]

Hint to the Air Force: If the Shuttle is in the air, do NOT rely on heat seeking missiles!

[Semper Paratus]

What is the range of hand held AA or Stinger?
You could also have planned to release decoys that envelope the shuttle during the vulnerable time of ascent.

[RightWhale]

Nothing but a momentary characteristic spectrum of incandescent carbon, probably not visible tothe unaided eye.

[japaneseghost]

I don't think so. There's at least a 5 mile radius is protected around the launch site.
Lots of federal protection, no civvies admitted.

The reason: in case of accident, and very toxic stuff falls down in the water.

[Hodar]

Given that during a shuttle launch, people are restricted to a minimum of 2 miles away; I doubt a small aircraft could 'catch' the shuttle. If the fighters were unable to take the aircraft out, chances are that the shuttle would be long gone by the time the plane got there. The shuttle accellerates at 1.75G - 2G's during takeoff. The only 'real' threat that I am aware of would be a missle threat.

[Defend the Second]

I worked at Kennedy Space Center as a college student till 1982 - the beginning of the Shuttle Program. In those days it was routine to see a Russian fishing trawler (no nets, lots of antennas and telephoto lenses) exactly at the edge of international waters. You could easily see the bad guys from the beach.

On launch day if you wanted to have a good view of the launch from the ocean, you just took your boat out and found the Russians. It was funny to see all the American pleasure boats partying in a circle around the dour Russians. It was also quite something to see the Shuttle lift off and appear to come AT you as it arced out over the ocean.

I expect they've tightened up on downrange viewing after Challenger and September 11.

[Straight Vermonter]

I was just at the Kennedy Space Center a week ago and it occurred to me that it would be simle to infiltrate the area with a rifle and penetrate boosters. One of the guides joked that the gators were part of the security system. I hope they have something more going on than that.

[Rev DMV]

A group of friends used to sneak out on the dry lake bed at Edwards to watch the shuttle landings. I went with them on one occasion. We were wandering around in the middle of the night and walked into a an unlit camp. we though we were busted but nobody was awake and we skited by.

Had a great view of the landing and the shuttle flying over, about a couple of hundred feet above my head.

[Fabozz]

"Officials Worried Shuttle Could Be Target"

"However, Transportation Secretary Normal Mineta assured the public that all the shuttle astronauts would be carefully searched for fingernail clippers, knitting needles and Medals of Honor before the launch."

[freeperfromnj]

suspicious activity has been observed around the launch complex that could have been surveillance

One of the reports on the nuke plant threats that I read yesterday also reported unusual surveillance activity near some plants in the northeast. I know there is a poster here who has a regular thread and keeps track of unusual picture taking and surveillance. Did a search but couldn't find it.

[mhking]

[Jennifer in Florida]

It was also quite something to see the Shuttle lift off and appear to come AT you as it arced out over the ocean.

Wow, that sounds awesome. I can see the shuttle take off from my house (I'm in Naples, FL) but I've never seen it any closer than this. From here it's an amazing site, I'd love to see it closer.

[Constitution Day]

Just another non-specific threat to worry (or not worry) about.

Okay, I'll bite:

What's the Terror Alert System's color for "non-specific"?

Khaki? Ecru?

[freeperfromnj]

Hopefully when the next attack does come, you'll be in the shower in a different part of the country.

[Young Werther]

You forgot the astronaut's boot laces!

[Digger]

--------ARE THE BOARDERS CLOSED---------- Then there's no threat, end of story. "Provide for the common defense". What a bunch of crapola.

[Defend the Second]

You may remember that back at the beginning of the shuttle program the Orbiter engines had a nasty habit of blowing up - five times in the test stands prior to the first flight in April 1981. I was standing off to one side as CBS News was interviewing John Young, commander of the first shuttle flight. For those of you who don't remember John, he was a Navy fighter pilot and six-time astronaut. Flew to the Moon twice, and walked on it once. A right-stuff kind of guy with brass ten-pounders.

Anyway, Morton Dean is interviewing John and shows him several clips of the Orbiter mains blowing up, then asks if John is scared to be the first to fly the shuttle. John smiles and says "Well, I been doin' this a long time. I always figured if you weren't a little bit scared, then you didn't understand what was goin' on."