European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - February 27, 1986, Darmstadt, Hesse Page 4 the stars and stripes thursday february 27,1986 official did t detect opposition to launch Washington a a lop space Agency official said wednesday he would have recommended delaying the launch of the challenger if he had known that Industry engineers remained opposed after hours of debate Over their fears that cold weather could doom the spacecraft and Crew. I would not have accepted a letter granting launch approval from the manufacturer of the shuttle s Booster rockets said George Hardy a key official at the marshal space flight Center in Alabama. But Hardy told a presidential commission investigating the challenger disaster i did t select any dissent at the end of a night of Telephone discussions with official from Morton Thi Okol inc. Hardy testified earlier that he would not have ordered the launch to go ahead without approval from Morton Thi Okol the firm that manufactures the Booster rockets. His testimony came after another Nasa official said he would have raised questions if he had known of the continuing depth of the concern on the part of Morton Hioko engineers. Lawrence Mulloy who supervises Booster rockets Fornasa disputed that he pressured the engineers to drop the objections they did express to him or that he had reversed Nasa s Long emphasis on safety. In a morning of insistent questioning by the presidential commission investigating the Jan. 28 explosion he said there was no Clear evidence that freezing temperatures could cause critical seals in the shuttle s Booster rockets to fail and therefore he found the engineers objections illogical. Mulloy also said he never passed along word of the col weather debate to senior Nasa officials because it was resolved at a lower level. Mulloy specifically denied a suggestion by commissioner Joseph Sutler that he had put the Burden on the Back of Morton Thi Okol vice president Joe c. Kilminster to change the minds of the firm s engineers. The firm manufactures the Booster rockets that help propel the shuttle into orbit. After a meeting with other Thi Okol managers Kilminster ultimately signed a memo on the eve of the launch giving Thi Okol s approval even though most of its engineers remained opposed. The presidential commission resumed hearings after sources disclosed that its investigators have discovered that Rockwell space division the makers of the protested to the National aeronautics and. Space administration before last month s launch that ice might damage delicate protective tiles on the Craft during liftoff. Political payoff charges against Fiedler dropped los Angeles a a judge Dis missed the political payoff indictment of rep. Bobbi Fiedler r-calif., and her topside wednesday citing too Little evidence and the vagueness of the statute under which they had been charged. The Case could not be proven. It is in the interest of Justice that it be dismissed Supe rior court judge Robert t. Altman said i agreeing with prosecutors that the charges against Fiedler should be dismissed. In throwing out the charge against Paul Clarke i eur s Campaign manager and Fiance Altman said the 1893 elections code statute under which he had Bee charged was Overly vague. Prosecutors had said they had a Stron Case against Clarke. Brenda Marzucco a Fiedler aide i Washington said Fiedler wished to discuss the Case with her attorneys before making any comment. The county grand jury had indicted Fiedler 48, and Clarke 39, on a single count each of violating slate election Law by allegedly offering to pay off state sen. De Davis $100,000 Campaign debt if he would drop out of the Republican Senate primary. Davis 69, a former los Angeles police chief and Fiedler had been considered among the Early leaders in the race to Chal Lenge sen. Alan Cranston d-calif., who is seeking a fourth term in november. Fiedler and Clarke both pleaded innocent at their arraignment. Davis initiated the investigation by telling authorities Fiedler s camping had offered disorganization a payoff if he would drop out of the race. The prosecution s Case is based largely upon secret recordings of discussions Davis aide Martha Zilm had with Clarke Fiedler and her Campaign staff. Fiedler contends that any offer to Davis was made Only in the belief that he already intended to quit the race. Her attorney shave also argued that the District attorney s office was improperly interfering in the turn the Pentagon into a skating rink 9-year-old suggests Washington a it s not Clear yet How he will respond but defense Secretary Caspar w. Weinberger has been asked to consider turning the Pentagon into roller rink. Megan Weinstein a 9-year-old from Dumfries va.,offered the suggestion to Weinberger last month in a Type written letter. I was thinking that it would be a Good idea to turn the Pentagon into a roller skating rink because it is old round big and has lots of ramps the fourth grader wrote. Also its floors Are Good for Megan then disclosed an ulterior motive. If the Pentagon were turned into a roller rink then you could build a new Pentagon in Dumfries so my daddy would not have to drive so far to Megan closed by requesting an autographed picture from Weinberger signing off your Megan s father John m. Weinstein is a strategic nuclear forces analyst with the army. He said tuesday his daughter had visited the Pentagon and chose her subject for a current events class. I told her How i used to write to the president As a kid and ask for autographed pictures Weinstein said. Ena $3.5 million Sta ship i flies a photo Beech aircraft corps prototype of the new sur shop i an approximately 30-Mlnute flight. The $3.5 million takes off on its first Comroe Gorathe flight in w plane made its Maiden full est on fed i the. �.r.wr, i a Ito 0mcubl Degl Lituri a loci1 pm prop engine. Sprint see ?�bltalti011 port photographers through its nose and wingtip Saik it seats 3 to 10 watched As the new generation composite Craft made and can Fly at 400 Mph. 8 150th birthday won t be Banner year for Texas Austin Texas a texans celebrating the Lonestar state s 150th birthday this year will have to remember the Alamo without a sought after Flag believed to be the Only one flying Over the historic san Antonio Mission when it fell to the mexican army in 1836 will stay in Mexico this year according to an Oil Industry consultant who has been seeking the return of the Banner. Consultant Claude d Unger who describes himself Asan Amateur historian told the Austin american states Man that he has Learned from officials of a private East coast company negotiating with the mexican government that a decision has been made to keep the Flag in company which does work for the mexican govern ment was not named in the paper said a . Diplomat in Mexico City independently confirmed the mexican government had decide not to lend the Flag. Lee Johnson a spokesman at the . Embassy in mex Ico City said wednesday he knew of no change in the situation since . Ambassador John Gavin spoke about it at a feb. 6 news conference. I have written to president Miguel de la Madrid specifically asking him for the loan of the Battle Flag to Texas Gavin had said calling the loan the kind of Exchange that indicates Good relations Between the Flag originally Blue but now a faded Brown belongs to the mexican National museum of history in Mexico City where officials have said repeatedly that it was in going restoration and should not be loaned or photo graphed. The area that is now Texas was part of Mexico until a Independence movement spurred by settlers from the United states grew up in the 1820s and 1830s. The Warfor Independence broke out in 1835. Mexican troops took the Alamo after an 11-Day siege Nomarch 6, 1836. All of the approximately 180 defenders from 19 american states died including frontiersmen Davy Crockett and Jim Bowie. Days before the Alamo fell its commander William Travis bad written in an open letter to the people of Texas and All americans in the world that he had an swered a mexican demand for surrender with a Cannon shot and our Flag still Waves proudly from the new Orleans Grays Flag brought to the Alamo by a group of volunteers from Louisiana is thought by Man historians to have been the Only Flag flying Over the Alamo when it fell. The Flag was taken from its Mast by the mexican victors and taken to Mexico City. Though the Texas Independence fighters lost at the Alamo the cry remember the Alamo became a rally ing Point and the mexicans were Defeated six weeks was an Independent Republic from then until it be came a state in 1845. Mexican government officials connected with negotiations would not comment to the Austin paper about the Flag loan. D Unger prodded members of the Texas congressional delegation to ask Mexico to lend the Flag to Texas for the sesquicentennial Celebration. A letter signed by the Texa delegation asking for a loan of the Flag was sent to de la Madrid last april. A Flag to sen. Phil Gramm or House majority Leader Jim Wright both of Texas according to their offices. The Alamo is now a museum. I i
