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Author
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Topic: UK Skynet military communication satellites
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Lunar Rover
Member Posts: 18
From: Kelsey, Ca., USA
Registered: Sep 2012
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posted 05-06-2021 08:06 PM
   
Many years ago I purchased large quantities of paperwork from the estates of various engineers, Grumman staffers, and other participants in the Mercury, Gemini and Apollo programs. I've been slowly sorting through these. An hour ago I came across a press release from Andromeda Space News. It is a single page, describing the launch of the Skynet II British military communications satellite on August 19, 1970. The press release goes on the describe failures in the Skynet system launches, details of the tracking network, etc. The text ends with: "However there is an unpleasant feeling among British industry that it might be cheaper if they were made in the United States, as are the existing ones, and if this is the case, it is feared the Government will undoubtedly go for the cheapest solution and once again British technology will not be given the chance it so badly needs." I wonder if Arnold should be advised? James Cameron? How about Sarah Conner? This press release is obviously at least a decade before before the Terminator movie series was on the drawing board. Did anyone else out there know that Skynet was real? What a GREAT artifact! Space related, movie related, and bitching about the government related, all in one page.  |
Jim Behling
Member Posts: 1629
From: Cape Canaveral, FL
Registered: Mar 2010
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posted 05-07-2021 08:19 AM
Well known within spaceflight circles. There have been 14 launches so far. Flew on Delta, Titan and Ariane. The first Skynet launched in 1969. The last one was in 2012 and the next one in 2025 or so. Skynet IV series was to fly on the shuttle (1986) until the Challenger Accident. |
Espace
New Member Posts: 7
From: Toulouse, France
Registered: Apr 2020
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posted 05-07-2021 02:06 PM
...and as an aside if a Skynet satellite had flown on STS-61-H in 1986 the UK's first space traveller would have been RAF Officer Nigel Wood. As it turned out the Challenger tragedy met that honour eventually fell to Helen Sharman, who flew on Soyuz TM-12 in 1991. |
Lunar Rover
Member Posts: 18
From: Kelsey, Ca., USA
Registered: Sep 2012
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posted 05-07-2021 10:29 PM
Thank you collectSPACE team for the information about the real SKYNET. Our moderator, Robert also filled me in on a number of details about the program.Seriously I had never even heard of it until I found the press release about the August 19, 1970 launch. Since science fiction and science seem somewhat aligned, let's hope there are no ALIEN moments in our future. And with the massive shift to privatization of spaceflight, I'll also cross my fingers we don't do ELYSIUM, only without the happy ending. SKYNET. This is a truly wonderful artifact for my somewhat off the wall collection. | |
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Ultimate Bulletin Board 5.47a
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