ParaNet BBS/fireball
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ParaNet BBS/fireball
| File Name: | fireball.txt |
|---|---|
| Author: | Unknown |
| Date: | Unknown |
| Posting BBS: | Unknown |
| BBS Main Page: | ParaNet Main Page |
| Key Words: | ParaNet, UFO, Ufology |
Date: 20 Aug 92 20:04:24 GMT
From: LJ10717@LMSC5.IS.LMSC.LOCKHEED.COM
Subject: Meteorite/Fireball object spotted?
Newsgroups: sci.space
Hello,
I just recently heard over NPR (National Public Radio) that a possible
"meteorite" was spotted over Europe somewhere. I missed the information on
exactly where it was spotted. However, the object was accompanied by large
tremors covering a 12 mile stretch and a flood of calls to authorities who
have already confirmed that the "fireball" object was NOT
military test aircraft, abnormal weather patterns, an earthquake OR
anything else identifiable, at this point.
If anyone has specifics to this event please post or email. Thank you.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Diamond - lj10717@lmsc5.is.lmsc.lockheed.com
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 21 Aug 1992 07:08:32 GMT
From: Harm Munk <munk@prl.philips.nl>
Subject: Meteorite/Fireball object spotted?
Newsgroups: sci.space
LJ10717@LMSC5.IS.LMSC.LOCKHEED.COM writes:
>Hello,
>I just recently heard over NPR (National Public Radio) that a possible
>"meteorite" was spotted over Europe somewhere. I missed the information on
>exactly where it was spotted. However, the object was accompanied by large
>tremors covering a 12 mile stretch and a flood of calls to authorities who
>have already confirmed that the "fireball" object was NOT
>military test aircraft, abnormal weather patterns, an earthquake OR
>anything else identifiable, at this point.
>If anyone has specifics to this event please post or email. Thank you.
>-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
>Diamond - lj10717@lmsc5.is.lmsc.lockheed.com
>-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
On Wednesday evening, at around 22:30 local time (20:30 UT) in the northern
part of the Netherlands, a loud, explosion-like noise was heard. At the time,
the air space over this area was closed (it is controlled by a military air
base), and no other military or civilian air activity was going on. Also, no
reports of accidents were reported. The European Space Organisation reported
no space junk entering the atmosphere at that time in that area.
The Royal Dutch Meteorological Institute has six
seismic measuring stations in and near that part of Holland to measure seismic
activity in the gas fields in the northern parts of Holland. All six stations
registered the explosion, and the seismograms indicate that it was a sound
wave and not a seismic wave. From the order of reception of the sound waves
it was concluded that something caused a shock wave above or near the town
Joure in Friesland (a province in the Netherlands). Eye witnesses said that
they saw a 'pillar of fire in the sky'. Alas, at the time that part of the
Netherlands was heavily overcast, so whatever these people saw was filtered
by the clouds.
At this moment, the best guess is that a meteorite of approximately 30 cm
diameter entered the atmosphere and exploded at a height of 10 kilometers
above the town of Joure. Up to this moment, no fragments have been found.
+----------------------------------------+------------------------------------+
| Harm Munk | Building WAY 11 |
| Philips Research Laboratories | P.O. Box 80 000 |
| Knowledge Based Systems | 5600 JA Eindhoven |
| | The Netherlands |
| #include <standard.disclaimer> | tel. +31 40 74 46 59 |
| | email: munk@prl.philips.nl |
+----------------------------------------+------------------------------------+
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 31 Aug 1992 07:42:08 GMT
From: Harm Munk <munk@prl.philips.nl>
Subject: Fireball over The Netherlands Wasn't
Newsgroups: sci.space,sci.astro
On wednesday, August 19, seismic stations located in the northwestern part
of the Netherlands registered an atmospheric shock wave, which, apparantly,
was not related to any seismic activity. In the following days, the Royal
Dutch Meteorological Institute (KNMI) in the Netherlands investigated the
matter and came to the conclusion that it had probably been a meteor with a
cross section of 30 cm which had exploded over the town of Joure in Friesland
(a Dutch province).
[See previous postings on Fireball over NW Europe]
Later investigations by the KNMI and a group of astronomers showed that the
only possible explanation left is not a meteorite or space junk, but some kind
of supersonic, military airplane breaking the sound barrier some ten miles west
of the island of Texel. According to the KNMI, this is the only explanation left
allthough it is an unsatisfactory one.
Because it supposedly was a military airplane, the KNMI contacted the military
airbase Aurora in Scotland, but the spokesperson at Aurora did not know
of any observation of a supersonic, military aircraft that evening.
So, what was it? Rumours in the newspapers suggested that it was that highly
secretive airplane that Lockeed is developing for the DoD: the two stage get
to orbit plane (like DynaSoar and Saenger ?). Now, this plane has been sighted
in the US a few times.
The supposed sighting in the Netherlands was accompanied not only by sonic
booms (energetic enough to crack the front of a house somewhere in the province of
Friesland) but some people reported seeing a flash of light as well. Was this
also the case with the sightings in the US?
And why would the DoD start testing a secret plane outside US territory?
And why was someone from Lockeed Space and Missiles Systems asking questions
on the net about this event (;-)?
+----------------------------------------+------------------------------------+
| Harm Munk | Building WAY 11 |
| Philips Research Laboratories | P.O. Box 80 000 |
| Knowledge Based Systems | 5600 JA Eindhoven |
| | The Netherlands |
| #include <standard.disclaimer> | tel. +31 40 74 46 59 |
| | email: munk@prl.philips.nl |
+----------------------------------------+------------------------------------+
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 31 Aug 1992 13:36:51 GMT
From: Gerald Cecil <cecil@physics.unc.edu>
Subject: Fireball over The Netherlands Wasn't
Newsgroups: sci.space,sci.astro
In article 715246928@prles6b, munk@prl.philips.nl (Harm Munk) writes:
>On wednesday, August 19, seismic stations located in the northwestern part
>of the Netherlands registered an atmospheric shock wave, which, apparantly,
>was not related to any seismic activity .. but some kind
>of supersonic, military airplane breaking the sound barrier some ten miles west
>of the island of Texel. According to the KNMI, this is the only explanation left
>allthough it is an unsatisfactory one. ...
>The supposed sighting in the Netherlands was accompanied not only by sonic
>booms (energetic enough to crack the front of a house somewhere in the province of
>Friesland) but some people reported seeing a flash of light as well. Was this
>also the case with the sightings in the US?
They probably saw a low-flying military aircraft with its afterburners on. Maybe
it punched through a low-lying cloud deck on its way out.
>Rumours in the newspapers suggested that it was that highly
>secretive airplane that Lockeed is developing for the DoD: the two stage get
>to orbit plane (like DynaSoar and Saenger ?). Now, this plane has been sighted
>in the US a few times. ...
According to Aviation Week & Space Technology (aka AvLeak) in issues prior to
Aug. 24, this aircraft is an
SR 71 replacement developed by Lockheed Skunkworks. Speeds estimated at 3500+ mph.
*Not* a 2 stage to orbit plane. It has only been seen near the ground
dimly at night, and was described as `bat-like'' similar to the B2 airfoil. People
report a low frequency, growling noise of tremendous power at takeoff. Daytime
photos of peculiar corkscrew contrails that have been attributed to this aircraft
suggest an ``explosive'' or pulsed propulsion system, but the observers did not have
binoculars to see the plane itself (flying at high altitudes). AvLeak reports an
increasing number of daytime sightings like this, suggesting that the program is
emerging from the so-called Black (i.e. non-itemized) DoD budget into full
Congressional scrutiny, presumably because the DoD has now sunk so much money into
it and distributed its contractors into so many Congressional districts that the
program is unkillable. Yet another multi-billion dollar aerospace program to
protect US airspace from the Bosnian airforce.
>And why was someone from Lockeed Space and Missiles Systems asking questions
>on the net about this event (;-)?
S/he was probably searching for a new job.
---
Gerald Cecil cecil@wrath.physics.unc.edu 919-962-7169
Physics & Astronomy, U of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3255 USA
------------------------------
Date: 31 Aug 92 15:59:44 +0100
From: Alan Greig <ccdarg@dct.ac.uk>
Subject: Fireball over The Netherlands Wasn't
Newsgroups: sci.space,sci.astro
In article <munk.715246928@prles6b>, munk@prl.philips.nl (Harm Munk) writes:
>
> Because it supposedly was a military airplane, the KNMI contacted the military
> airbase Aurora in Scotland, but the spokesperson at Aurora did not know
> of any observation of a supersonic, military aircraft that evening.
Can't say I've ever heard of a military airbase called Aurora in Scotland.
Sounds a very unlikely name for an RAF base in any case.
--
Alan Greig Janet: Alan@UK.AC.DUNDEE-TECH
Dundee Institute of Technology Tel: (0382) 308810
Scotland, UK
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 31 Aug 1992 18:10:33 GMT
From: dearnsha@wizard.worldbank.org
Subject: Fireball over The Netherlands Wasn't
Newsgroups: sci.space
In article <1992Aug31.155944.272@dct.ac.uk> ccdarg@dct.ac.uk (Alan Greig)
writes:
>In article <munk.715246928@prles6b>, munk@prl.philips.nl (Harm Munk) writes:
>>
>> Because it supposedly was a military airplane, the KNMI contacted the
military
>> airbase Aurora in Scotland, but the spokesperson at Aurora did not know
>> of any observation of a supersonic, military aircraft that evening.
>
>Can't say I've ever heard of a military airbase called Aurora in Scotland.
>Sounds a very unlikely name for an RAF base in any case.
>--
>
>Alan Greig Janet: Alan@UK.AC.DUNDEE-TECH
>Dundee Institute of Technology Tel: (0382) 308810
>Scotland, UK
>
Aurora isn't an RAF base, it's the code name for a SR71 replacement.
It would appear (according to sc.military) that the new plane operates
out of a test facility out west (a'la U2/SR71), and uses Machrihanish
base in the U.K. as it's European base. More information on this can
be found on the sc.military newsgroup - although the information is
(understandbly) sparse and subject to interperatation.
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 01 Sep 92 14:39:21 EST
From: PHARABOD@FRCPN11.IN2P3.FR
Subject: Fireball over The Netherlands Wasn't
Regarding the August 19, 1992, event over The Netherlands, Harm Munk
writes (Mon, 31 Aug 1992 07:42:08 GMT):
>So, what was it? Rumours in the newspapers suggested that it was that
>highly secretive airplane that Lockeed is developing for the DoD: the
>two stage get to orbit plane (like DynaSoar and Saenger ?). Now,
>this plane has been sighted in the US a few times.
Here is an article from Aviation Week & Space Technology, August 24, 1992,
about this "highly secretive airplane":
RECENT SIGHTINGS OF XB-70-LIKE AIRCRAFT REINFORCE 1990 REPORTS FROM
EDWARDS AREA
William B. Scott/Lancaster,Calif.
A large aircraft having a planform reminiscent of the Air Force/North
American XB-70 supersonic bomber of the 1960s has been seen flying on
the U.S. East and West coasts over the last two years.
Two recent detailed reports of large, light-colored, XB-70 like
aircraft - one in Georgia and the other in California's Mojave desert -
provided new data that reinforce past sightings near Edwards AFB, Calif.
Since September, 1990, residents of Mojave, Calif., and workers at
Edwards AFB have seen a large, delta-shaped, light-colored aircraft
flying in the area. A total of five separate sightings of this vehicle
has been reported to AVIATION WEEK & SPACE TECHNOLOGY.
Observers said they first saw a large, primarily delta-shaped aircraft
at night during the summer of 1990. On Sept. 13, 1990, and Oct. 3, 1990,
the same type of aircraft was seen flying near Mojave, Calif., in the
late evening. Mojave is about 16 naut. mi. northwest of Edwards AFB.
The dusk sightings yielded descriptions and sketches of the aircraft
planform, nose and main landing gear door locations, leading edge
tile-like patterns, and lightings layout. Observers consistently
reported a red light beneath the nose, amber lights near the delta's
wingtips, and a white light between the main gear doors.
Engine noise associated with the aircraft seen on Sept. 19 was
described as a low-pitched rumble. However, noise from two chase
aircraft - one was an F-16, the other was not identified - may have
combined with that of the large aircraft, distorting the latter's
sound. Afterburner flames from twin exhaust ports located under the
wing trailing edge and immediately outboard of the aircraft centerline
during the Oct. 3 sighting.
CLUES ABOUT POSSIBLE MISSION
A similar aircraft was seen in April, 1991, at about 11 a.m., flying
north of Edwards AFB at an estimated altitude of 5,000-10,000 ft. An
observer said it was large - dwarfing an F-16 chasing it - and was
light colored, possibly white.
Independent sightings this year produced detailed sketches that
correlate well with earlier ones and provide additional clues about
the aircraft's possible mission. The first sighting this year was
near Atlanta, Ga., on May 10. Glenn Emery, now a writer associated
with Cable News Network, said a large, unidentified aircraft was
flying eastbound at about 5 p.m. Because its size was unknown, its
altitude was difficult to judge, but was estimated to be 10,000-
15,000 ft. The vehicle was clearly higher and faster than the airline
traffic descending for landing at Hartsfield Atlanta International
Airport. It was not leaving a contrail.
He described the aircraft's planform as large, somewhat like an
XB-70, but with a large forward wing or canard. Its dual engines were
"extremely noisy", producing a deep-pitched, perioding beating sound,
he said. Suggestions that he had seen the British Aerospace Concord
or a Beech Starship were discounted by Emery, who said the shape,
size and sound were inconsistent with either of those aircraft.
Another sighting, on July 12 at 11:45 p.m., occurred near a
Lockheed-operated radar cross section (RCS) test range in the Mojave
desert. Described as an "XB-70-like" shape, the aircraft tuned its
landing lights on while at fairly high altitude, then descended
quickly, following an S-pattern flight track. It made a final turn
at about 200 ft. above a road, crossing less than a mile in front of
a motorist who had watched its descend. Ambient noise masked any
sounds from the aircraft.
Bright moonlight illuminated the aircraft's upper surfaces, giving
the observer a good look at the planform during the turn. The aircraft
rolled out, presenting a side view as it descended and landed at a
private Helendale airport adjacent to the Lockheed RCS test facility.
Located about 15 naut. mi. southwest of Barstow, Calif., Helendale
Airfield's three runways are close to civil pilots on current aero-
nautical charts. However, Lockheed aircraft still land there when
shuttling personel between its Burbank site and the RCS facility.
Although weather was clear and calm at the Helendale field that
night, several thunderstorms were reported in the Las Vegas area and
through the highly classified range complexes in central Nevada.
Based on observer reports, this unidentified aircraft's features
include:
# Large size, estimated to be close to 200 ft. in length. Observers
near Edwards AFB said the vehicle "dwarfed" F-16 chase aircraft.
# A large aft section with a clipped-delta platform. A narrower,
blended fuselage extends from the delta's vertex forward to a clear-
canopied cockpit and sharp nose. The main delta section has a
prominent, raised spine along the top centerline. Upward-canted
vertical fins rise at each outboard tip of the delta planform.
# A prominent dark line extending longitudinally along part of the
aft raised section. At the aft end of the line, just ahead of the
trailing edge and between the engine nozzles, a broken visual
pattern was seen, but observers could not describe it.
# A forward wing or canard of fairly long spane. The canard, possibly
used only for takeoff, landing and slow-speed regimes, may pivot or
sweep aft for internal stowage during high-speed flight (Some
observers reported a dominant canard, while others did not recall,
suggesting it can be stowed).
# Dual rectangular engine exhaust nozzles at the aircraft's trailing
edge.
# Light-colored top and bottom surfaces, with dark leading and
trailing edges.
Although the propulsion system is unknown, observers have reported
a "very loud, low-pitched roar" with a rhytmic beat to it. They did
not hear a series of detonations, which have been associated with
high-speed "pulser" vehicles that create "donuts-on-a-rope" contrails
(AW&ST May 11, p. 62)
(end of article)
With this article, there is an "artist's composite" of the craft. It
is said in the caption that "The aircraft configuration suggests a
variety of mission roles, including carriage and high-speed launch of
an unmanned vehicle into orbit". At least this last point should
interest sci.space subscribers !
In the same issue of AW&ST, there are two other related articles:
UNITED 747 CREW REPORTS NEAR-COLLISION WITH MYSTERIOUS SUPERSONIC
AIRCRAFT, by Michael A. Dornheim/Los Angeles.
SECRET AIRCRAFT ENCOMPASSES QUALITIES OF HIGH-SPEED LAUNCHER FOR
SPACECRAFT, by William B. Scott/Lancaster, Calif. (sci.space
subscribers should be interested in this one !)
._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._.
Now a few comments.
1) It is not the first time that "large, primarily delta-shaped
aircrafts" are reported near Edwards AFB. Since the end of 1989,
a "big wing" has been seen several times over Antelope Valley.
See AMERICA'S NEW SECRET AIRCRAFT, Popular Mechanics, December
1991 (I posted this article twice on sci.space, but it seems
that practically nobody was interested). However, this "big
wing" was said to be silent, and could hover in any position
(hence the airship hypothesis). It seems that the XB-70-like
object goes fast, and is generally noisy.
2) A contributor to the "Skeptical Inquirer" assured me that
all secret aircraft tests are over the deserts of California
and Nevada. What was this aircraft doing over Atlanta, Georgia,
on May 10, (1992 ?).
3) "Large, primarily delta shaped aircrafts" appeared over Belgium
in November 1989, and have been seen thousands times during about
two years. Though U.S. citizens are highly civilized (?), I am not
sure that five U.S. witnesses = some ten thousands Belgian
witnesses.
4) Though most of time only delta shapes have been seen in Belgium,
there were a number of reports of "narrower fuselage" and/or "forward
wing", especially in year 1991. A drawing made by a witness looks like
the AW&ST "artist's composite". Some Belgian inquirers suggest
the possibility of composite structures (Lego type).
5) "Large size, estimated to be close to 200 ft. in length." This fits
well the size of the Belgian object: a triangulation made from one
of its hovering stations gave: isocele triangle, 50 meters basis,
55 meters height.
6) Though the Belgian object was generally silent, in some occasions
very loud roars were reported.
7) It seems that F-16s like very much chasing these objects. In Belgium
there has been an unsuccessful chase during the night March 30-31,
1990 (see the Belgian Air Force report I posted on sci.space on
February 28, 1992). By the way, the Belgian Center of Electronic
Warfare is still studying the video record of the interception. I
know a bit more about that, but since my info comes from private
mails, and since nobody on sci.space seems interested in that, I
will keep it for myself.
8) As said Harm Munk in his posting,
>And why would the DoD start testing a secret plane outside US territory?
J. Pharabod
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 1 Sep 92 13:40:56 GMT
From: Dean Adams <dnadams@nyx.cs.du.edu>
Subject: Fireball over The Netherlands Wasn't
Newsgroups: sci.space,sci.astro
cecil@physics.unc.edu (Gerald Cecil) writes:
>According to Aviation Week & Space Technology (aka AvLeak) in
>issues prior to Aug. 24,
Uh, there was a considerable amount of NEW information in the August 24th
issue. WHY would you want to limit your reply only to the old info?
>this aircraft is an SR 71 replacement developed by Lockheed Skunkworks.
>Speeds estimated at 3500+ mph. *Not* a 2 stage to orbit plane.
NO. The 8/24 AW&ST *specifically* talked about a vehicle which
potentialy DOES have a 2-stage to orbit mission capability.
> described as `bat-like'' similar to the B2 airfoil.
Now it sounds like you are talking about the *subsonic* TR-3A,
which is something totally different from the Aurora(s).
>Daytime photos of peculiar corkscrew contrails that have been attributed
Now you're back to the older Aurora/pulser concept. I tend to think this
is a *different* (and smaller) vehicle from the large "Concorde-like"
aircraft reported in Europe, and also described in the recent AW&ST.
>presumably because the DoD has now sunk so much money in to it and
>distributed its contractors into so many Congressional districts
The Lockheed Burbank Skunk-Works is likely the main contractor.
With such an ultra-black project I doubt it was spread around that much.
>Yet another multi-billion dollar aerospace program to
>protect US airspace from the Bosnian airforce.
NO, it is to "protect" us from being ignorant about the world around us.
Intelligence gathering is something that will always have considerable
value, with or without any "evil empire" to be worried about.
-{ DA }-
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 04 Sep 92 14:16:04 EST
From: PHARABOD@FRCPN11.IN2P3.FR
Subject: Fireball over The Netherlands Wasn't
From "New Scientist", 29 August 1992:
METEORITE SHAKES DUTCH PROVINCE
Govert Schilling, Utrecht
Two-and-a-half years after a meteorite crashed through the roof of a
house near the Dutch town of Enschede, another much bigger meteorite
has exploded over the Netherlands. Last Wednesday evening, people in
the northern province of Friesland heard a loud bang and felt tremors,
which set doors and windows rattling.
With the recent earthquake in the southern part of the Netherlands
fresh in their minds, more than a hundred people called the police.
Others called the Dutch Air Force base in Leeuwarden, thinking its
planes might be taking part in some exercise.
According to Henk Haak, head of the seismological department of the
Royal Dutch Meteorological Institute in De Bilt, seismic stations near
the town of Assen, to the east of Friesland, registered the passing of
an acoustic shock wave, which ruled out an earthquake. And nor were
any jets flying at the time of the explosion.
Although the sky was almost entirely obscured by cloud, at least 10
people reported seeing a huge flash or fireball, strengthening the
case for a meteorite. Niek de Kort of the Dutch Meteorite Documentation
Center says the best explanation is the explosion of a large, rather
porous stony meteorite, measuring about a meter across, which exploded
at a height of about 10 kilometers, less than a second before it would
have hit the ground near the town of Joure.
"This was probably a scaled-down version of the large Tunguska
explosion in Siberia, back in 1908", says de Kort. Most astronomers
think that the Tunguska event was caused by the impact of a chunk of
cometary material. De Kort is pessimistic about retrieving any material
from the Dutch meteorite, which would probably have vaporised during
the explosion.
(end of article)
._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._.
According to Harm Munk (Mon, 31 Aug 1992 07:42:08 GMT), experts in
the Netherlands don't believe any longer in a meteorite, but think it
was a supersonic bang, though no known jet was in the area. This doesn't
explain the "huge flash or fireball". I suggest two other explanations:
1) Somebody (hoaxer or amateur scientist) launched a rather big home-made
rocket, which exploded at rather high altitude (over or inside the
clouds).
2) An air-air or air-ground missile escaped accidentally from a military
jet, and had to be destroyed on flight.
J. Pharabod
------------------------------
Date: 5 Sep 92 03:15:12 GMT
From: Gerry Santoro - CAC/PSU <GMS@psuvm.psu.edu>
Subject: Fireball over The Netherlands Wasn't
Newsgroups: sci.space,sci.astro
In article <1992Sep1.134056.25842@mnemosyne.cs.du.edu>, dnadams@nyx.cs.du.edu
(Dean Adams) says:
>
>NO, it is to "protect" us from being ignorant about the world around us.
>Intelligence gathering is something that will always have considerable
>value, with or without any "evil empire" to be worried about.
I realize this is not the place for political discussion -- so I'll make
my comment and then shut up.
Who is to protect us from the zealots who control the intelligence gathering
operations -- and who have shown themselves time and time again more than
willing to break our laws and violate our trust in pursuit of their
supposedly honorable values. Power corrupts, absolute power corrupts
absolutely, and secret power corrupts in secrecy.
Frankly, I'm just as afraid of our own military as I was of the 'evil
empire'.
gerry
ps - i'm proud to be American and I believe in the human rights of ALL
peoples -- everywhere! If you want to flame me, send me mail.
------------------------------
military as I was of the 'evil
empire'.
gerry
ps - i'm proud to be American and I believe in the human rights of ALL
peoples -- everywhere! If you want to flame me, send me mail.
