European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - April 20, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Saturday april 20. 1991 the stars and stripes / a Page 5 rocket carrying satellite destroyed shortly after liftoff it a a % in a \ xxx a x Max a. Quot v x v s m. \ n it a \ x it x x a i x a x Fpx i xxx tax Ita a xxx a a a a is a i in a it x x a s x Cape canaveral Fia. A a rocket carrying a japanese broadcasting satellite was destroyed by Remote control alter apparent engine trouble sent the $100 million mass of Metal tumbling toward Earth. A a the air Force sent self destruct commands six minutes after liftoff thursday. The two engine Centaur guidance system a with the satellite still attached a was detonated Over the Atlantic Ocean about 240 Miles from the launch site. Rocket builder general dynamics corp. Called the incident a a great  citing the fierce Competition in the commercial launch business company officials refused to break Down the costs of thursdays launch but said the entire Price exceeded $100 million. The explosion was too far away to be seen from Shore. It was a devastating blow to general dynamics which endured heavy financial losses in its rocket program last year. It also was bitter news for be Astro space division which built the satellite for the Japan broadcasting corp. The Atlas Centaur flight began smoothly enough. The 14-Story rocket blasted into an overcast sky from Cape canaveral air Force station at 7 30 . After High winds delayed the launch for 16 minutes. Allen Lovelace chairman of general dynamics commercial launch services said the problem occurred just after the 30-foot Centaur upper stage separated from the Atlas Booster five minutes into the flight As planned. Early evidence indicates one of the centaurs two liquid Hydrogen and oxygen engines ignited causing the Centaur to lose Speed and veer out of control he said. Japan a National Nhok television network ordered the satellite to replace one that was destroyed in the explosion of an european Arian rocket in february 1990. A a the satellite lost thursday like the one demolished last year was insured. A it certainly was a service Nhok was counting on a said Lawrence Greenwood an official for be Astro. A we share in their disappointment because we very much wanted to have that in operation in the next 30  Japan broadcasting serves its 4 million customers with a satellite that was placed in orbit last year. The satellite destroyed thursday was to have been placed near it in a stationary orbit 22,300 Miles Over  was to have broadcast three television channels directly to japanese Homes. A panel will investigate the Accident said Lovelace he did not expect the problem to delay upcoming Atlas Centaur launches since the next one is not until August. It was the second commercial launch for general dynamics. The first commercial Atlas Centaur safely carried a Nasa scientific satellite into orbit last july. The rocket launched thursday was virtually identical to the one that flew last summer Lovelace said. General dynamics has been launching unmanned Atlas rockets since 1962. Thursdays Accident was the 11th failure in 70 Atlas Centaur launches. The last time an Atlas Centaur failed was in 1987, when lightning struck the rocket shortly after liftoff. It was a perfect launch for the Atlas Centaur flight in Florida thursday evening. But six minutes after liftoff the two engine Centaur guidance system a with the satellite still attached was detonated about 240 Miles from the launch site. Ski director cautions Congress that More cuts threaten program in the stars and stripes Washington it a the director of the strategic defense initiative says further cuts in the anti missile program will prevent the United states from developing and deploying the system by the year 2000. A if Congress does no to rectify the Impact of last years budget cuts by meeting the presidents fiscal 1992 request deployment of effective defences for the american people will Likely slip into the next Century a Henry Cooper told the House armed services research and development subcommittee thursday. In his budget proposal for fiscal 1992, which starts oct. 1, president Bush is seeking $4.6 billion for ski known popularly As Star wars. If approved that would amount to $1.7 billion More than Congress authorized last year. Cooper said the cuts in the program imposed by Congress last year a and accepted by Bush a a severely wounded the ski  seeking to bolster diminishing support for the ski program Cooper also said concerns of soviet officials Over regional turmoil and the possibility of an accidental missile launch heightens the need for the $46 billion program. A if defending against accidental and unauthorized launches was a valid concern in 1988 when senator Sam Nunn argued that should be the focus of ski it is a greater concern today a Cooper said. Nunn d-ga., is chairman of the Senate armed services committee the House panels chairman rep. Nunn Bennett Ron Dellums d-calif., questioned the need to spend $46 billion on a system for an accidental launch when it would be cheaper to negotiate with the soviets to install a self destruct mechanism on ballistic missiles. Cooper encountered opposition from some democrats As he told the subcommittee that the ski program will require $6 billion annually in the mid-1990s. Athe director also said spending on some items within the next iwo or three. Years would require changes in Law regarding the 1972  treaty ban Ning further development of anti ballistic missiles. Cooper reiterated the need to negotiate a change in the treaty to continue with the ski program. Quot a a in a hot opposed to ski. In a. Opposed to drenching it with Money a said rep. Charles Bennett d-fla., who cited several former  officials who have said $3 billion per year is sufficient for the ski program. Bennett argued that other branches of the defense department have had to make budget cuts in the  tanks ships and infantry. He wondered Why ski remains a Pristine a Cooper said the difference Between spending $6 billion on the program and $3 billion is the difference a Between a viable program and one struggling to exist at  a under the revised ski system $25 billion would be spent on a ground based defensive system $11 billion on the space based system of interceptors known As Brilliant pebbles and $1 1 billion for improving theater missile defense capability. Cooper said. 10years ago april 20, 1981 a the Reagan administration began fashioning a Mill tary strategy involving the possibility of a prolonged conventional War with the soviet Union rather than embracing the theory that such a War would be of Short duration. 20years ago april 20, 1971a judge in California sentenced Charles Manson and three woman Rodefer vants to die in the Gas chamber. The four were convicted of the Tate Labianca murders. 30years ago april 20, 1961 a a University of Michigan research group reported that president Kennedy s catholicism Cost him an estimated net loss of 1.5 million popular votes in the presidential election. 40years ago april 20, 1951 a a Leader in Republican party policy making and Champion of International cooperation for world peace sen. Arthur h. Vandenberg r-mich., died in his sleep at the age of 67