Shortly after the launch of STS-122, the Atlantis Space Shuttle was scrubbed on December 9, 2007 a frantic and unprecedented launch of an Atlas V was carried out in record time.
What made the launch unprecedented was that the Eastern Range of the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station had to be reconfigured and an Atlas V readied from 'booster on stand' to launch capability in just a few days. Already in progress, the booster was finalized for launch in a time period shorter by 7 days than the Astra mission in April of 2006.
Obviously someone or something had to go up into space who or which had been scheduled on Atlantis. We can safely assume that this was not just another camera or sensor which is the usual cover story for National Reconnaissance Office launches.
Atlas V's are considered so reliable that they have been used to secretly launch astronauts along with their small space planes over the past few years.
Once in orbit the outer shell of the Atlas V separates and a small spaceplane with 2 or 3 astronauts undocks.
This highly classified spaceplane is used to transport personnel and cargo between the many space platforms in orbit around earth including the ISS.
The spaceplane can de-orbit and land at any one of several secret landing facilities located in the U.S., Pacific Ocean, Australia and other parts of the world.
Another unusual aspect of the Atlas V launch following the scrubbed Atlantis mission was the story and photo attributed to Ken Warren of the 45th Space Wing Public Affairs but only released 3 days after the frantic launch.
The first paragraph was this: Shortly after the Atlas V rumbled off the pad late Monday afternoon, Maj. Dewitt Morgan "high-fived" Rick day in the Morrell Operation Center's mission control room and said "Great launch! Way to turn the range."
The story goes on to say that the 2 members of the 1st Range Operation Squadron were celebrating having reconfigured the Eastern Range in less than 36 hours for the launch.
Now, take a look at the photo which is captioned: (l to r) 1st Lt. Georgene Hilb, Maj. Eric Amissah, Capt. Davina Fallow, Capt. Bai Zhu and Stephen Anstey work on console at the Technical Support Facility during Atlas V prelaunch operations Dec. 10.(Courtesy photo).
This is a console at the Technical Support Facility for the 1st Range operations Squadron at the 45th Space Wing at Patrick Air Force Base (Cape Canaveral Air Force Station)?
To me it looks like the conference room at the Holiday Inn and everybody has got their laptops set up on borrowed housekeeping linen carts.
So what we have here is an attempted misdirection of public attention (like there was any public attention in the first place?) from a highly secret, difficult and complex launch in the wake of the Atlantis fiasco to a "high five" between Dewitt and Rick.
