The Action Site to Stop Cassini Earth Flyby
http://www.nonviolence.org/noflyby
P.O. Box 1999, Wendell Depot, MA 01380
E-mail: info@flybynews.com

NoFlyby Newsletter No. 16

June 10, 1999

This newsletter is posted at: http://www.nonviolence.org/noflyby/alerts/16n.htm

In just a couple days a few noble people of Earth will hold public actions to bring greater awareness of the high risk Cassini Earth flyby maneuver.

From the Global Network Against Weapons and Nuclear Power in Space:

June 12 International Protest Actions to Cancel Cassini Fly-by

Protest Sites include:


JAPAN: Hiroshima
ENGLAND: London, Leicester, Oxford, Leeds
GERMANY: Darmstadt
HOLLAND: The Hague (US Embassy)
BANGLADESH: Dhaka
PUERTO RICO
USA: Northampton, MA, Sunderland, MA, Los Angeles, CA, Flagstaff, AZ, Stoneybrook, NY, Cape Canaveral, FL (Cape Kennedy), Portland, ME, Wilmington, DE, United Nations, NY, Albuquerque, NM (June 11 at Kirtland AFB), NASA HQ in Washington DC (June 11) (Max Obuszewski <mobuszewski@afsc.org>)

Yet the black-out continues on any rationality or care of the human species by the ones controlling the mass media organizations. Karl Grossman was recently published in "Extra Magazine" for his story called, "The Phantom Menace: Space Weapons Aren't on Media Radar."

Posted at: http://www.fair.org/extra/9905/phantom-menace.html

Then we discover the following story that totally relates to a Cassini risk:

Sun Explodes With Coronal Mass Ejection, Public Not Told...06/09/99 Until One Week Later

Devastating Explosion Occurred On The Sun, Last Tuesday (June 1st) By BBC News Online Science Editor Dr David Whitehouse

A tremendous explosion took place on the surface of the Sun last Tuesday (June 1st) and for a few very nervous hours astronomers did not know whether it was heading for Earth.

The blast threw a jet of superheated plasma carrying magnetic energy into space at speeds of 1,000 kilometres per second (600 miles per second). However, using the speed of the Internet, astronomers around the world rapidly compared images and decided that a worldwide alert was unnecessary.

"Planet-buster"

The Solar and Heliospheric Observer (SOHO) satellite observed the solar explosion, which astronomers call a coronal mass ejection (CME).

The explosive event was "a real planet-buster", according to Dr Richard Fisher of Nasa's Goddard Space Flight Centre. If the magnetic energy within the cloud of super hot gas had interacted with the Earth's magnetic field it would have sparked spectacular aurora at polar latitudes.

But more worryingly it could also induce power blackouts, block radio communications and trigger phantom commands capable of sending satellites spinning out of their proper orbits. Cellular phones, global positioning signals and space-walking astronauts were all at risk.

(end of article)

On June 24, 1999, in less than fourteen days, NASA plans to perform the Venus Swingby and catapult the Cassini space probe with 72.3 lbs (32,8 kg) of deadly plutonium on board and is expected to approach Earth at record speeds in excess of 42,000 mph (64,000 km). This is during the high point of an intense solar flare cycle.

The U.S. Safety Evalutation Report suggested there could be as many of tens of thousands of deaths in the event of the Cassini Earth flyby accident. However, it could be much worse. It takes only one decaying radioactive atom to produce permanent mutation in a cell's genetic molecules. This was shown by the work of Dr. John Gofman in 1990 for xrays, gamma rays, and beta particles (Gofman 1990: Radiation-Induced Cancer from Low-Dose Exposure). For alpha particles, the logic of no safe dose was confirmed experimentally in 1997 by Tom K. Hei and co-workers at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (USA) Vol.94, pp.3765-3770, April 1997, "Mutagenic Effects of a Single and an Exact Number of Alpha Particles in Mammalian Cells").

To support any policy that threatens plutonium radiation exposure in the air we breathe is insane. It seems from our correspondence with F.R. Sarker that Bangladesh is more aware. Please help anyway you can to awaken ourselves and Country to defend our right to keep plutonium radiation out of the air we share for generations.

From NoFlyby Feedback correspondence:

Subject: NoFlyby Feedback Re: Anti-Cassini Demonstrations

Dear Mr. Jonathan ,

We are now busy for preparation of June 12 Anti-Cassini Demostrations programme.. The Press people are showing keen interests to it and they want to make introductory reports for publication in news papers on June 12. They are asking me lots of questions about Anti- Cassini movement, among others, what are the remarkable successes so far you have achieved in your movement agaisnt NASA ? I have told them one point of your success. That is, NASA finally have agreed to increase the distance of Cassini's trajectory from 350 miles to 700miles above the surface of Earth. What are the other remarkable achievements you have made, please let me know . Besr regards.

F.R.Sarker

Dear F.R.,

In response to your letter, I wish I had more to report on remarkable successes on our campaign to expose and stop the Cassini Earth flyby. Please inform the Bengali media and authorities that if we can't stop Cassini, we hope to at least raise awareness about the dangers of the nuclear space program. This is the purpose of the NoFlyby website. Our greatest obstacle is by the censorship on this issue by the mainstream media in most of the world. Karl Grossman, who has been cited numerous times for his articles that are significant of which the public should be aware, but are not, was published on this subject by his article entitled, "The Phantom Menace: Space Weapons Aren't on Media Radar," in the May/June 1999 issue of "Extra!" Magazine.

At this point it appears that the momentum for the Cassini flyby and the development of nuclear-powered space-based weapons are advancing without much reservation. Unless a Country, like Bangladesh resists such unopposed threats to life and stands up in the General Assembly of the UN and demands that NASA has no right to threaten the health of five billion people in our world, we might only learn by the experiences of pain and suffering by horrible mistakes or by our inability to awaken ourselves and leaders in time to the horrible consequences of developing weapons and technologies capable of mass destruction.

We see Cassini as heralding our future. It can create an awareness or be the signpost for inevitable catastrophes, should we continue in such directions.

It seems like Bangladesh is one of the few Countries publically debating this issue. We hope you will use our proposal for an emergency resolution to be brought forth to the U.N. This resolution is posted at http://www.nonviolence.org/noflyby/alerts/reso1999.htm

This could help awaken the press and the public in many other Countries to the threat of Cassini and the direction of the development of space-based weapons.

Thank you F.R.Sarker for all the good work you are doing on this issue.

Jonathan Mark
NoFlyby
http://www.nonviolence.org/noflyby



>

Dear Jonathan,

Thank you for your e-mail. The greatest achievemnt you have brought through your colossal struggle against NASA and other Space Agencies is the " Awareness against the Nuclear Power in Space". Now NASA is afraid of the resistance coming from the people against their use of radioactive materials in space missions. I have read a few artcles of Prof.Karl Grossman against NASA's dangerous activities which are really excellent. It is really very sad to hear that USA has put censorship on the Press Report about Anti-Cassini movement. But things is reverse in Bangladesh. Here Newspapers have been witing articles against Cassini Mission severely criticising NASA and ESA but our Government do not put any embargo on it. Last month, BSS ,the government News Agency in Bangladesh had made an exhaustive report about Cassini Earth Flyby on the basis of the Newletters and other informations you had supplied to me. This morning, one senior Correspondent of BSS has requested to me for latest informations about your Anti-Cassini Demonstration to be observed on June 12 so that he can make a report and transmit it to different Newspapers on June 11 for publication on June 12. Last month, the News Editor of Bangladesh Television ,the government run Television channel in Bangladesh told me to meet her with video cassette of Prof.Grossman, she would make a News on Cassini Earth Flyby Catastrophe. It was my fault that due to my long absence from Bangladesh,I could not go to Bangladesh Television. I hope to go there after my programme on June 12. I have made a big File with printouts of your Newsletters. I show it to the Reporters who come to me for making Report on Anti-Cassini movement.They become convinced with the notion that the Cassini Earth Flyby is really a very very risk job NASA has undertaken to play. Whether any accident happens or not on August 18, as citizen of this planet Earth, it is a moral obligation of every human being to voice against this type of risky activity that might affect our existence. I will keep you informed all about our activities duly. Best regards.

F.R.Sarker

Take Action to Stop and/or Expose the Cassini Earth Flyby Now
Before NASA Sends Cassini Toward Earth on June 24, 1999

For ideas, links and addresses, visit the NoFlyby Action Page: http://www.nonviolence.org/noflyby/action/index.htm

Let us know of any media or government representatives interested in reviewing
"Nukes in Space 2: Unacceptable Risks"

http://www.nonviolence.org/noflyby/karl/nukesp2.htm

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Posted 6/11/99 5:26:11 PM