Pentagon launches Spy Satellite tonight

national | miscellaneous | news report Sunday March 09, 2003 13:22 by James McKenna

23.43hrs to 01.01hrs GMT

A Delta 4 EELV is to be launched from complex 37 Cape Canaveral, Florida to carry a pentagon spy satellite system .

This is the first launch by Boeing/Lockheed Martin since their shuttle Colombia crashed due unknown conditions. Rumours of tiles having been knocked off by foam insulation have been replaced by rumours of Chinese software hackers laying an internet worm in the telemetry systems at Houston.

The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday that the Air Force plans to give a combined $538 million to Boeing and Lockheed Martin over the next several years to support their Delta 4 and Atlas 5 vehicles. That funding includes $164 million in the 2004 budget proposal, $140 million of which would be used to pay for facilities and personnel. Late last year a Defense Department official suggested that up to $1 billion would be available over the next five years to support both companies . One way of concealing the true cost of the weapons these companies make for the Government.

So while "Brave, Brave" astronauts skimp on air and water and wonder every minute of the day if they will ever get down from the Intetrnational Space Station, the Pentagon and US Government expend time and money on more spy satellites?

Perhaps we could all send our best wishes to the Pentagonal Beasts offspring tonight between 11.45PM AND 1AM to send it safely on its way........to hell!