Wright Stuff for RocketCam

An imaging system that gives viewers a rocket's-eye look at blasting off Earth is set for a century's worth of time travel.

Ecliptic Enterprises Corporation's RocketCam(TM) -- used lately on a NASA shuttle Atlantis liftoff, as well as on the maiden flights of Atlas 5 and Delta 4 rockets -- will provide onboard video of the commemorative flight of a full-scale replica of the historic Wright brother's Wright Flyer.

Orville and Wilbur Wright made the first controlled, powered flight nearly a 100 years ago, in December 1903.

A century later, teams at Utah State University in Logan will begin initial test flights of their Wright Flyer lookalike. A demonstration flight in July is slated at the Centennial of Flight premiere event in the Wright brothers' hometown of Dayton, Ohio.

Initially, RocketCam video of the plane's operation from the pilot's point of view will be recorded onboard for later playback and analysis. As experience with the craft builds, more RocketCams may be added to provide alternative onboard views and live video-transmissions.

"The famous takoff photo of the Wright Flyer still captivates the imagination. Next year, using modern technology, we'll be able to capture that excitement from onboard the vehicle -- as vicarious co-pilots," said Rex Ridenoure, Ecliptic's chief executive officer in Pasadena, California. "With launch vehicles at one end and the Wright Flyer at the other, RocketCam will be getting the picture in aerospace from Mach 25 to 25 miles per hour," he told SPACE.com.

 -- Leonard David

Long Arm of Law: Moon, Mars Rock Thieves Plead Guilty

On December 17, Tiffany B. Fowler and Shae L. Saur appeared before a United States Magistrate Judge, Middle District of Florida, and pled guilty to charges of conspiracy to commit theft and interstate transportation of stolen property. The following day, Thad R. Roberts pled guilty to the same charges.

Fowler, Saur and Roberts, students working at NASA's Johnson Space Center, conspired to steal a 600-pound safe that contained priceless lunar samples and Martian meteorites. A fourth individual, Gordon S. McWhorter, was also charged with conspiracy to commit theft and interstate transportation of stolen property. McWhorter is scheduled to go to trial in January 2003.

The investigation was conducted by Special Agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Tampa Division, and the NASA Office of Inspector General. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Rachelle DesVaux Bedke, Middle District of Florida, Tampa, Florida. 

-- Leonard David

Next year's salute to the 100^th anniversary of the Wright Brothers' first flight soars even higher thanks to the soulful singing of Patti LaBelle. She has recorded Way Up There - a tribute to the inspirational power of flight. The song was commissioned by Centennial of Flight Celebration organization. It also serves as a NASA theme song.

Way Up There , being commercially released on the Hip-O Records label, is a spiritual number written by LaBelle's longtime collaborator Tena Clark, CEO of Disc Marketing. Clark is the official music director for the Centennial of Flight Celebration and was asked by NASA to compose and produce the theme song for the Wright Brothers' festivities.

-- Leonard David