WE HAVE TWO REPORTS TONIGHT ON THE LAUNCH AND THE SATELLITE, FIRST, ROBERT BAZELL, THEN FRED FRANCIS.

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90-00965R000100310032-5
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: January 6, 2012
• Sequence Number: 32
• Publication Date: January 24, 1985
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/01/06: CIA-RDP90-00965R000100310032-5 ILLEGIB
Z_
NBC NIGHTLY NEWS
24 January 1985
We have two reports tonight on the
launch and the satellite, first, Robert Bazell, then Fred
Francis.
BAZELL: For hours today as Discovery was on the pad ready
to go, the countdown clock showed nothing, and there was
little commentary. Then suddenly: VOICE OF LAUNCH
CONTROL: T-minus 9 minutes and counting. The launch
events are now being controlled by the ground launch
sequencer.
BAZELL: For nine minutes, there was the usual commentary
from Launch Control, but the communications of the
astronauts and ground controllers were not broadcast as
they have been on all previous manned spaceflights. VOICE
OF LAUNCH CONTROL: Nine, eight, seven, we have main
engines start. Four, three, two, one, ignition and
liftoff, liftoff of Discovery, the first flight totally
dedicated to (sic) Department of Defense mission.
BAZELL: The Discovery appeared to head east, but its
course on takeoff and the orbit it will follow are secret.
VOICE OF MISSION CONTROL: The vehicle now turning around
to the...
BAZELL: The voice for Mission Control in Houston
described the usual post-launch maneuvers which put the
shuttle into orbit. VOICE OF MISSION CONTROL: ...Main
engines are all running in normal pressures.
BAZELL: And then there was silence, as there will be for
the rest of this mission, no sound and no pictures.
Tomorrow, the astronauts will release a satellite from
Discovery's cargo bay. According to several reports, the
satellite will monitor radio transmissions, telephone
calls and other electronic signals in the Soviet Union and
other countries. The Air Force has said that the purpose
of the secrecy is to prevent the Soviets from tracking the
satellite. Many intelligence experts outside the
government say the Soviets will have no problems, despite
the precautions, but the military has sent a message with
this shuttle mission. It wants its operations in space
kept secret front now on. Even the length of the mission
is secret. The landing time will be announced only 16
hours in advance. Robert Bazell, NBC News, Cape
Canaveral.
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/01/06: CIA-RDP90-00965R000100310032-5
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/01/06: CIA-RDP90-00965R000100310032-5
oz.,
sees in the field and
spying on the Soviets has been that good for years. With
today's launch, it will get better-. The new satellite is
reportedly called *Aquacade. It will Join four or, five
other signal-intelligence satellites called *Sigents,
already up there. But Aquacade is special. It has the
capacity to scoop up the entire radio-frequency spectrum,
microwave traffic and other communications. It can take
selected signals and transmit them in short burst to a
listening post in Pine Gap, Australia, which in turn
relays the Soviet signals to the National Security Agency
at Fort Mead, Md., f'or, interpretation. National security
specialist James *Banf'ord says all those signals can be in
American hands almost instantaneously. JAMES BAWORD:
It'l
NP02>SPACE SHUTTLE 2>FRANCIS: What this Soviet of'f'icer
then reports by radio can be intercepted, decoded and
translated by American intelligence. The science of'
larger antennas, and it will probably have a better
ability to relay that information in real time too, to the
Earth.
l be able to pick up weaker signals because it'll have
FRANCIS: The new satellite is also special because it's
reported by space experts that it can be maneuvered while
in orbit, making it very dif'f'icult for the Soviets to
locate. Those commands come from this satellite-control
facility at Sunnyvale, Calif'. It is from Sunnyvale that
we oversee the growing f'ieet of' spy platforms, not only to
hear but also to watch and feel what the Soviets are up
to. Today's mission is the first of' 16 military shuttle
flights in the next five years, launching more advanced
technology into space to build America's intelligence
network. Fred Francis, NBC News, the Pentagon.
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/01/06: CIA-RDP90-00965R000100310032-5