Prologue
Annex 87 to the document "On investigation of the disaster that occurred on September 13, 2000"prepared by Special Committee of the United States Congress.
Excerpts from the negotiations between the crew members of STS-106 mission of "Atlantis" Space Shuttle, recorded on September 13, 2000, at the time of anomaly observation.
The first goal of the flight was to deliver cargoes, equipment, and communication systems to the International Space Station that was in process of construction. The other goal was to prepare the station to the crew arrival that should have occurred in November of that year.
Among the STS-106 mission crew were:
— Commander Terrence W. Wilcutt [ ];
— Pilot Scott D. Altman [ ];
— Mission Specialist Edward T. Lu [ ];
— Mission Specialist Boris Morukov [ ];
— Mission Specialist Richard A. Mastracchio [ ];
— Mission Specialist Daniel C. Burbank [ ];
— Mission Specialist Yuri Malenchenko [ ].
The STS-106 crew exchanged the radio traffic with the following facilities on Earth:
— NASA's Mission Control Center [MCC];
— North American Aerospace Defense Command [NRD].
MCC: "Atlantis", the National Weather Service would like to ask you for a favor. Got a minute? Do you copy?
T. WILCUTT: "Houston", copy that. What do they want?
MCC: They ask you to see about the climatic changes over Antarctica and, if it's possible to take some photos of it.
T. WILCUTT: Affirmed, consider it done. Altman, stop sitting around doing nothing. Take some photos.
S. ALTMAN: Wilco, Cap.
T. WILCUTT: Lu, what's with the schedule?
E. LU: We have 12 minutes or so to install the communications system. Then, Boris and I will be connecting the cable between "Zarya" and "Zvezda".
T. WILCUTT: You have 15 minutes. Everything should be perfect. We don't want our guys to be disconnected from Earth in November.
E. LU: Consider it done, Cap!
S. ALTMAN: What it's like to be in outer space?
E. LU: It's unforgettable!
R. MASTRACCHIO: Cap, Yuri and I have got a little problem with the spacehab. We need 40 more minutes.
T. WILCUTT: What kind of problem, Rich?
Y. MALENCHENKO: Nothing major, Commander. During transportation, the RL-100 got a little bit bent, and "Unity" can be left without detachable equipment now.
T. WILCUTT: Got it. Lu, when you're free, go help Rich and Yuri.
E. LU: Wilco, Cap. You owe me a beer!
T. WILCUTT: Don't kid yourself.
MCC: "Atlantis", what the weather's like out there?
S. ALTMAN: The mercury is falling. A cyclone is forming. Anything else?
MCC: Any anomalies?
S. ALTMAN: "Houston", read back.
MCC: Is there any weather anomalies over Antarctica?
S. ALTMAN: I'm no expert, but the cyclone is forming too fast. I'm serious. It's right before my eyes. How copy?
MCC: Copy that. "Atlantis", continue to monitor the situation.
T. WILCUTT: Altman, you're our new weatherman.
S. ALTMAN: Thank, Cap. You should pay me for overtime.
Y. MALENCHENKO: Commander, I may not be an expert either, but there seems to be an anomaly over Antarctica.
T. WILCUTT: Explain, Yuri.
Y. MALENCHENKO: Well, is it turning clockwise?
S. ALTMAN: No, sir.
Y. MALENCHENKO: You mean you can see it moving?
S. ALTMAN: Affirm. And now I'm taking pictures for those pointy-heads from Earth.
Y. MALENCHENKO: Well, here it is. Cyclones in the southern hemisphere are moving clockwise. And extra-tropical cyclones are so large and are forming so slowly that it's kind of hard to determine their direction.
S. ALTMAN: Let aside the direction. I can see it growing.
T. WILCUTT: "Houston", we affirm the presence of the anomaly. How copy?
MCC: Copy that, "Atlantis". Keep me posted.
T. WILCUTT: Altman, report to me everything you see.
S. ALTMAN: Wilco, Cap. Well, the cyclone was a couple of hundred miles in diameter. Now, it's three hundred, no less. I can see it moving with unaided eye. The eye is very narrow. Anything else?
MCC: How narrow is it?
S. ALTMAN: It's thirty miles, more or less. To be more accurate, I need a lens. One more thing, "Houston". I can see faint flashes that look like lightnings.
MCC: "Atlantis", say again the last sentence.
S. ALTMAN: Lightnings, "Houston". I see lightnings. How copy?
MCC: …
S. ALTMAN: "Houston"?
MCC: Copy that. Do you see a thunder head?
S. ALTMAN: No, sir. Just flashes around the eye. It's weird that they strike right to the center.
Y. MALENCHENKO: It's not good.
E. LU: I can see your anomaly too!
T. WILCUTT: No distractions, Lu. Boris, kick him.
B. MORUKOV: It will be done, Commander.
S. ALTMAN: "Houston", your cyclone is over five hundred miles in diameter now. Grows like a mushroom. Maybe those pointy heads can say what it is? Now I'm interested.
MCC: The only thing our pointy heads can do now is to play smart.
T. WILCUTT: So they don't have an answer. Copy that, "Houston". Yuri, do you have any suggestions? You're our expert on cyclones.
S. ALTMAN: Hey, cap! I'm a weatherman, remember?
Y. MALENCHENKO: No, sir. This does not occur in nature.
D. BURBANK: Is it man-made?
Y. MALENCHENKO: No way. A man couldn't do that, and certainly not over Antarctica.
E. LU: Mark my words, aliens want to capture our planet!
T. WILCUTT: Lu!
E. LU: I'm working, Cap.
R. MASTRACCHIO: I can bet my life that it's not as bad as it seems.
S. ALTMAN: Whoa! Did you see that? "Houston", I see a massive flash right in the eye. The flash is so strong that it could be seen from the orbit.
B. MORUKOV: Affirm.
E. LU: Affirm it too!
MCC: "Atlantis", are you sure?
S. ALTMAN: Right you are, "Houston". I watched with the naked eye. Here's another one, even stronger than the first one!
MCC: Copy that, keep watching it. "Atlantis", run a preventive check of all systems of the Shuttle.
T. WILCUTT: Copy that, "Houston'. Altman, check the communication and navigation systems.
S. ALTMAN: Wilco, Cap.
T. WILCUTT: Rich, Daniel, you go check the computer and all the electronics.
R. MASTRACCHIO: Aye, sir!
T. WILCUTT: Yuri, let aside the RL-100 and check the life support systems.
Y. MALENCHENKO: I'm on it!
T. WILCUTT: Lu and Boris, is everything okay out there? Any problems?
B. MORUKOV: We don't see any, Captain. We're back on schedule.
R. MASTRACCHIO: There are no problems with the on-Board computer. Everything works like a charm.
Y. MALENCHENKO: No problems with life support systems have been identified. It works.
T. WILCUTT: Confirmed. Altman?
S. ALTMAN: One second, Cap ... The navigation's fine. I'm seeing low-frequency interference, but nothing serious. At least for the moment. But it's no good.
T. WILCUTT: Roger. "Houston", any instructions?
MCC: Keep working on schedule and monitor the situation. We deal with the interference. There is an additional gain on N-63, channel four.
T. WILCUTT: Copy, "Houston". Everybody get to work. Hey weatherman, what's the weather?
S. ALTMAN: It seems to me, it's degrading. It is a thousand miles in diameter, no less. It spins like a top. I see multiple flashes that happen once every four to five seconds. The small ones happen more frequently.
Y. MALENCHENKO: Looks like a megalomanic tornado!
S. ALTMAN: Yeah, got a bit of a ring to it. But... It's not Florida, and we're not sitting in the Cadillac.
E. LU: Oh, crap! What the hell was that?!
B. MORUKOV: Affirm: it was a big one!
T. WILCUTT: Lu, Boris, are you all right?
E. LU: Yeah, kinda. But it was unpleasant. Holy shit, it's happening again!
S. ALTMAN: I don't know what the hell it is, Cap! Here's... the polar glow!
T. WILCUTT: So what?
S. ALTMAN: It looks like it's getting out of the eye of the cyclone!
Y. MALENCHENKO: It's impossible! It can't be happening!
T. WILCUTT: "Houston", we've got some hell going on. Two my astronauts are in the outer space, so I need information.
E. LU: We're all right, Cap. Draw it mild!
S. ALTMAN: I agree with Cap. Another anomaly emerged over the eye. It has the form of the disc and is ten or twelve miles in diameter.
T. WILCUTT: What?
MCC: "Atlantis", tell us about the second anomaly again.
S. ALTMAN: In short, there is an anomaly in the form of a disk. It's colorful. I can see red and black colors. They're changing. It's growing. It's forty miles now, no less.
R. MASTRACCHIO: What the hell is going on there?!
E. LU: Son of a bitch, there's another flash! My eyes go funny...
B. MORUKOV: I confirm it. This time it's much stronger. It keeps me from my work.
R. MASTRACCHIO: Maybe someone's blowing the thermonuclear warheads up?
T. WILCUTT: Well, sure, if it can lead to such anomalies.
S. ALTMAN: You guys need to see this. There's, uh ... I can't describe it.
B. MORUKOV: God!
T. WILCUTT: What's happening?
E. LU: Cap, take a look for yourself. That isn't possible.
T. WILCUTT: Holy Shit! "Houston", we have a problem.
MCC: Go ahead.
T. WILCUTT: So... Altman, can you describe it?
S. ALTMAN: "Houston", you won't believe it! But there are two oblong anomalies coming from the eye. They're two hundred miles long, no less.
B. MORUKOV: Look like wings.
S. ALTMAN: Yeah, right.
MCC: "Atlantis", read back. Are you kidding us?
T. WILCUTT: Negative, "Houston'. Affirm. Two anomalies emerged, which are...
S. ALTMAN: THE FLASH!
E. LU: Oh... shit!
B. MORUKOV: Hold on!
T. WILCUTT: "Houston", we have a very big problem here!
S. ALTMAN: They are growing. They're like wings. Like wings! There are hundreds of lightnings continuously shining. And this disc... I don't know what it is, but it looks like a portal. Like in a goddamn movie!
T. WILCUTT: Okay, Altman, in alert! I need a pilot now, not a weatherman. Rich, Yuri, stop messing with the spacehab and go to the cockpit. Daniel, do not hesitate and watch the on-board computer. Yuri, replace Altman when you get there. I need operational data.
S. ALTMAN: Yuri, watch the disc!
Y. MALENCHENKO: I am! It is already one hundred and twenty kilometers in diameter. It seems like it sucks everything in.
T. WILCUTT: Say again?
Y. MALENCHENKO: Disc sucks in everything from the surface: snow, ice, earth. I can't describe it more precisely. Altman's right. It looks like a one-way portal. And the flashes are bigger and more frequent.
E. LU: Affirm, Cap. And these wings... It looks like they're made of plasma.
R. MASTRACCHIO: The readings aren't stable. The level of background radiation has increased. It's still within normal limits, but that's fantastic. There's no danger to life of the crew of "Atlantis". But I can't say the same about Lu and Boris.
S. ALTMAN: We're losing the touch, Cap.
T. WILCUTT: "Houston", any instructions? There is an emergency. I've got two men in outer space!
MCC: STS-106, cancel the operation. I repeat: waveoff! Return the astronauts. Change to a standby mode.
T. WILCUTT: Roger. Did you guys hear it? Get the hell out of there.
B. MORUKOV: With great pleasure.
Y. MALENCHENKO: Captain, there's something wrong with this anomaly. It's losing... stability or something.
T. WILCUTT: What do you mean?
Y. MALENCHENKO: Well... it feels like it's about to explode...
E. LU: Holy shit!
Y. MALENCHENKO: That's very, very bad!
MCC: "Atlantis", tell... ab... the s...
T. WILCUTT: "Houston"? "Houston", come in!
E. LU: Hey, Cap, we're in a deep shit!
T. WILCUTT: What is it, Lu?
E. LU: The shock wave, Cap! The shock wave! It can be seen from the orbit!
B. MORUKOV: Affirm. It's moving incredibly fast.
S. ALTMAN: Oh, my God! The speed is not less than thirty Mach.
E. LU: Cap, it's already reached South America!
T. WILCUTT: "Houston", check in! Now you're in big trouble!
E. LU: Cap, the lights go out. The lights in the cities... Nobody warned them!
T. WILCUTT: Connection, I need a connection!
R. MASTRACCHIO: We're working on it, Cap. But there's interference, we can't get through!
T. WILCUTT: Try to connect with "Korolev" and "Darmstadt"!
R. MASTRACCHIO: The signal does not get through.
S. ALTMAN: NORAD! We can try to reach them if we manage to relay the signal.
T. WILCUTT: Do whatever you want, but I need a connection!
R. MASTRACCHIO: No answer, Cap... no answer from Earth.
B. MORUKOV: Captain, we can try to connect the communications between "Zvezda" and "Atlantis" while Lu and I hang out in outer space. This will amplify the signal.
R. MASTRACCHIO: Boris, there's a high risk. You can be exposed!
B. MORUKOV: Maybe…
E. LU: There's always a risk. Right now our lives are not important.
T. WILCUTT: Get on with it!
E. LU: Aye, Cap!
T. WILCUTT: Daniel, get "Atlantis" ready to connect to "Zvezda".
D. BURBANK: Got it.
R. MASTRACCHIO: Altman, what about relaying through Milstar?
S. ALTMAN: I'm working on it already.
Y. MALENCHENKO: Transferred the data to "Gonets". You can try to use "US-KMO".
T. WILCUTT: How can it help us?
Y. MALENCHENKO: "US-KMO" is a series of satellites which are used to identify ballistic missile launches in the USA. In Russia, there are similar satellites. But we're in the Western hemisphere now. In theory, these satellites are secure and have the best connection.
T. WILCUTT: Rich, go for it.
B. MORUKOV: "Zvezda" is online.
D. BURBANK: Affirm: "Zvezda" is online.
T. WILCUTT: Copy that, Boris. Now get out of there!
MCC: I... w... s... on... or...
T. WILCUTT: "Houston", do you read me? Come in!
E. LU: Faster, please faster... The shock wave has already engulfed the southern part of Argentina!
S. ALTMAN: We managed to connect with "Gonets". There's also a connection with "Korolev"!
T. WILCUTT: The RKA Mission Control Center, this is Shuttle "Atlantis", mission STS-106. We see an anomaly over Antarctica and a shock wave emanating from it at a speed of thirty Mach. How copy?
T. WILCUTT: Altman, is there a connection?
S. ALTMAN: It was a second ago, Cap.
T. WILCUTT: Oh, crap!
S. ALTMAN: We've connected to Milstar. There's a connection with NORAD!
NRD: Th...s is the N...rth Amer...an Ae...space De...nse Command, tell...
T. WILCUTT: This is Terrence Wilcutt, a United States Marine Corps officer and the Commander of Shuttle "Atlantis", mission STS-106. How copy, NORAD?
NRD: Comm... ...opy that.
T. WILCUTT: Shock wave with an estimated speed of about thirty Mach got out of the anomaly. It has already struck Argentina. It will reach the United States in twenty minutes. How copy, NORAD?
NRD: Cop... ...hat. "At...is, use...requency ...76..3..54…
S. ALTMAN: I did not understand anything.
T. WILCUTT: NORAD, read back. We don't understand what you say, I repeat: do not copy! Strong interference.
NRD: A... y... t...?
E. LU: Buenos Aires is gone…
T. WILCUTT: NORAD? NORAD, come in!
T. WILCUTT: Anyone from Earth, come in! This is Shuttle "Atlantis", STS-106 mission. We are witnessing a global cataclysm!
B. MORUKOV: It doesn't even slow down.
D. BURBANK: Oh, my God!
T. WILCUTT: Earth, come in! This is Shuttle "Atlantis", mission STS-106! Earth!
S. ALTMAN: Cap, Earth is silent. Everybody's silent!
R. MASTRACCHIO: God, help us all...
E. LU: So that's what the end of the world is like...
According to the official line, on September 21 of the same year, the Shuttle "Atlantis" burned in the atmosphere when trying to land in Kennedy space center. The members of STS-106 crew were dead.
The information was provided on March 23, 2017, by NASA and National Security Agency