European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - September 26, 1989, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 6 the stars and stripes tuesday september 26,1989 Era ends with Nasa launch of unmanned space rocket Cape canaveral Fla. A after More than 400 liftoff the National aeronautics and space administration launched its last unmanned space rocket from this spaceport monday propelling a $ 125 million Navy communications satellite into orbit. A 31-year Era ended when an Atlas Centaur rocket Hla cd away from the pad at 4 56 . And hoisted a 5.100-Pound payload intended to link land sea and air forces around the Globe with the joint chiefs of staff the National command authority and the president s military command network. We have had a successful Mission today the satellite is now being tracked by spacecraft controllers after a flawless ride aboard its Atlas Centaur rocket said launch commentator Lisa Malone 30 minutes after the fiery liftoff. The satellite was thrust into a preliminary orbit ranging from about 104 to 22.300 Miles High. Late tuesday a radio signal from the ground will fire an inboard motor to place the Craft in stationary orbit 12.300 Miles above the Atlantic. Lightning in the area held up liftoff for 44 minutes and the Atlas Centaur lifted off with just one minute remaining in a favourable 45-Minulc launch period. The satellite called Fltsatcom-8, for Fleet communications satellite is the last of a series of eight an will Complete a Constellation of six orbiting switch boards that provide military command teams instant communications with far Flung units. Two of the ear Lier launches failed. Monday s launch was delayed More than two year because of a 1987 launch pad Accident that severely damaged the rocket s Centaur stage. With the launch Nasa s Only remaining launch vehicle Here is the manned space shuttle. When the Agency has a need for an unmanned rocket it will have to buy launch services from private companies. The unmanned launch monday was the 448th for Nasa dating from a Thor Able trial lifted off oct. 11. 1958. Hoisting the Pioneer i probe toward a flyby of the Moon. It failed As did several other Early  the Good shots came and the Agency s Overall Suc Cess rate is better than 90 percent. Nasa stopped buying Atlas Centaur Delia and other space boosters Early in the 1980s, opling Insl cad to launch All its payloads from the shuttle. Officials admitted that was a mistake after the shuttle challenger exploded in 1986. Following thai Acci Dent. Then president Reagan directed Nasa to get out of the business of launching commercial payloads and encouraged the Federal government to support private rocket companies in a new launch services Industry the space Agency has one unmanned rocket left a Delta that is to loft a scientific satellite from Vandyn Berg fab Calif., in november. But monday s flight is the last from Cape canaveral where Nasa got its Start and where it has launched nearly All its  s a certain Clement of sadness hut the things we have done have been  said Joseph Mahon. The Agency s assistant administrator for space  the unmanned rocket  the Mariner Viking. Pioneer and voyager missions to the planets 42 weather satellites the Ranger Surveyor and lunar or Bilcer probes that scouted inc Moonin Advance of american astronauts landings there 94 communications satellites scores of scientific pay loads dozens of unmanned lest launches for the Mer Cury. Gemini and Apollo Man in space projects. Stateside new paper in St. Louis trying to beat the Odds St. Louis a the St. Louis Sun trying to Start from scratch and Buck the trend of newspaper mergers and shutdowns hit the streets Early monday. The Sun is trying to become the first major newspaper to begin from the ground up and make a profit since new Day appeared successfully on Long Island nearly 50 year s ago said Ralph Ingersoll ii chairman and chief executive officer of new Jersey based Inger Soll publications co., which owns the Sun. Ingersoll will be editor in , the Sun has attracted 55.000 subscribers nearly twice the level company officials had been  ing for after a month of publication. Advertising space in the inaugural edition was sold  i Day old Sun will be competing with the St. Louis Post dispatch which will be 111 years old in december. Space shuttle Columbia receives Surprise Bath Cape canaveral Fla. A the space shuttle Columbia was sprayed with an undetermined amount of water when a fire extinguishing system unexpectedly came on for several minutes sunday Nasa reported. Space Agency spokesman Dick Young said technicians were examining the ship to Sec if any damage was done. An investigation was under Way to determine what triggered the water system he  mishap occurred while Columbia was in a building being readied for a december flight. Young said it was Loo Early to determine whether that sched ule would be  said Columbia s Power was off and its two 60-foot-Long cargo Bay doors were closed at the time of the incident. Damage if any would be confined to Thermal tiles that protect the outside of the vehicle from heat during re entry into Earth s atmosphere. For High rollers there s a lot of tall Limber Here for roller flags Cher Texas near Dallas. The $5 coaster buffs who like High adventure. The 14-Story-tall Structure billed As the world s loftiest wooden roller coaster i being topped off by a supt Cnute at six million colossus contains enough lumber to build 30 three bad room Homes. The first drop will be 137 fret and speeds will Topi Mph. Former Kab Cia aides storting anti terror talks by the los Angeles Timus Santa Monica Calif. Two for Mer ranking Kab officials arrived Here sunday for talks designed to Channel inc growing superpower dialogue Inlo specific areas of Coop ration on International terrorism. American and soviet specialists on terrorism were beginning we Klong unofficial talks at the Rand corp. Here monday focusing primarily on intelligence sharing narcotics terrorism and hostage seizures this is the first Lime that former officials of the Kab and Cia have met in a Public policy forum said Igor vclayc/., Leader of the 10-Man soviet delegation. This is a real Opportunity for an Exchange of views and the development of a new approach to International terror  there arc already indications of a tentative opening on terrorism Between the superpowers. . Intelligence officials have confirmed that the Soviel Union was helpful after the murder of it. Col. William r. Higgins in Lebanon two months ago and the Threal by islamic jihad to kill other american hostages. The soviet Union intervened on two fronts according to Arab sources la warned Iran which is widely believed Loback the lebanese Cal remiss groups holding 14 Wes Lorn hostages that fur Thor hostage deaths might Lead to . Military action in the Middle Easl. It also made Clear thai the Soviel Union shares . Opposition to hostage Laking and that it would appreciate Iran s intervention in Lebanon. Soviet iranian relations have warmed consider ably after soviet foreign minister Edu Ard a. Shevardnadze s visit to Iran and new iranian president Hashemi Rassan Jani s visited in Moscow this year. Soviet diplomats in Syria and Lebanon also pressured Damascus and moslem militias in Lebanon to use their influence on the shiite fanatics to prevent anti her hos tags death the Arab official said. The decision to allow two former ranking soviet intelligence officials Valentin ave Zeenkov the Kab s coun Ler terrorism chief for eight years and former Deputy Kab director Fyodor Sherbak to join the soviet delegation is seen As further evidence of soviet in Terest in superpower cooperation and co ordination. The Way things arc developing now the terrorism mafia is pooling its re sources la is time that world forces Finda common language and a common Way to prevent terrorism and protect All human beings Sherbak told the los an Geles times. The Kab and Cia each has its own specific responsibilities but As far As prevention of terrorism in arc is no ques lion that Active cooperation could begin in the near  concern Aboul disc aral groups coordinating resources such As inc widely believed Coop ration Between palestini an radicals and iranian factions in inc bombing of a pan american airways flight Over Scotland in december has also been growing within . Intelli gence circles. The american delegation includes for Mer Cia director William e. Colby and former Cia Deputy director Ray s. Cline. The we Klong talks at the Rand corp. Arc a follow up to sessions in Moscow i january thai were credited with opening inc Way for the first official discussions of International terrorism at behind the scenes talks in Moscow in june. This time however both sides have added former intelligence officials.  sharing is considered the most san Siplive area of potential new co operation in warning of impending attack in follow up investigations or in pooling data to prevent incidents. Ranking Cia officials arc known to be wary of sharing intelligence for fear of endangering or exposing sources and informants