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
Subject: Cape Canaveral ReportOver 50 people from across Florida gathered at the front gate of CapeCanaveral Air Force Station on June 12 to protest the Cassini fly-by and the growing effort to nuclearize and weaponize space by NASA and the Air Force.
The day's events began at 11am with an educational meeting that was originally scheduled to be held at the Florida Solar Energy Center in near-by Cocoa. On June 11 we were informed that the Solar Energy Center Deputy Director had decided that we could not use their meeting space, because of the controversial nature of our meeting. Even though the Solar Energy Center is publicly funded and their meeting facilities are open to non-profit groups regularly for meetings, the decision was made to kick us out. Fortunately we were able to secure a meeting room at the Brevard Community College next door.
Our meeting began with a report on recent organizing efforts of the Global Network (GN) and detailed the recent international appearances made by GN leaders at important conferences in Germany, Geneva and the Hague.
Discussion also centered on the need to expand organizing on the space issue in Florida and a decision was made to create a joint "Space Working Group" between the GN and the Florida Coalition for Peace & Justice. One of the first things that the working group will do is to take a tour of the Kennedy Space Center tourist facility that now brainwashes 3 million visitors each year with NASA propaganda aimed at increasing political support for increased funding for the aerospace industry. By taking this "tour" it is our hope to be have a better sense of where NASA is leading the public.
A powerful video from England introducing the campaign against the Menwith Hill U.S. spy base in Yorkshire was much appreciated as it dramatically illustrated just how the U.S. "space control" tentacles were touching the entire globe and how the organizing to expose these plans has become equally determined.
Following the meeting we went to Cape Canaveral where we held signs and banners alongside the entrance to the base before our program began. Local President Maria Telesca Whipple welcomed people by reminding them how much it meant to her to have people from all over the state support local residents who feared that sooner or later an accident would happen as NASA now plans for at least eight more plutonium missions in coming years. To illustrate this point Maria read a detailed list of six recent launch failures at the Cape, wasting more than $3.5 billion.
John Stewart (St Pete) next read the list of other actions being held worldwide and Mary Beth Sullivan (Gainesville) spoke about current developments in the effort to put weapons in space by the Air Force. Carmelo Ruiz and Victor Rodriguez from Puerto Rico told the story of resistance on their island against NASA missile testing and pledged their on-going commitment to be part of the growing international movement.
The rally ended with nine people speaking from their hearts about each one of the GN's list of "Objectives & Demands" which were featured on a big poster. The nine people then took that poster, and another large poster listing the recent six rocket launch failures, to the front gate and tried to deliver them to Gen. Roy Bridges (Director of the space center). Guards scurried away from the group not wanting to take the posters. The group then began speaking to the guards, through a megaphone, who had huddled at a nearby building. Carol Mosely (Gainesville) who had earlier spoken in the rally about how the corporate controlled media is ignoring the space nuclearization and weaponization issue, read each one of the demands to the guards over the sound system. The group then tied the two large posters to the front gate reminding one of Martin Luther nailing his list of demands on the church door.
The event was covered by all three local TV networks, something they had not done in a very long time. The local spacecoast newspaper also sent a reporter and photographer.
Bruce K. Gagnon globenet@afn.org
Coordinator Global Network
PO Box 90083, Gainesville, Fl 32607
http://www.globenet.free-online.co.uk/
FLORIDA TODAY Space Online News Story
June 13, 1999
Group holds another protest against Saturn-bound Cassini probe
Posted at: http://www.flatoday.com/space/explore/stories/1999b/061399d.htm
By Wayne T. Price and Robyn SurianoFrom: "Max Obuszewski"
Subject: Demonstration Against Cassini at NASA HEADQUARTERS
Date: Fri, 11 Jun 1999 15:46:29 -0400Hiroshima-Nagasaki Commemoration Committee,
4806 York Road, Baltimore, MD 21212
Ph: 410-323-7200 or 410-377-7987 Fax: 410-323-7292
Email: mobuszewski@afsc.orgJune 11, 1999
ACTIVISTS DELIVER CANCEL CASSINI FLYBY LETTER TO NASA HEADQUARTERS
Baltimore's Hiroshima-Nagasaki Commemoration Committee organized a demonstration outside NASA headquarters in Washington, D.C. on Friday, June 11, 1999 from 12 noon to 1 PM. Eight anti-plutonium demonstrators marched with signs among the lunchtime crowd. The signs said, "Cassini Spells Disaster," "No Nukes in Space," "Stop Cassini Flyby," "No Weapons in Space" and "Maryland Safe Energy Coalition." Photographs of the demonstration were taken and are to be made available to the Global Network Against Weapons and Nuclear Power in Space.
At 1:15 PM, four of the activists entered the building to deliver a letter addressed to NASA director Dan Goldin. A security representative informed the delegation that Mr.. Goldin was in Paris, but that the letter would be delivered. A copy of the letter appears below.
Hiroshima-Nagasaki Commemoration Committee,
4806 York Road,
Baltimore, MD
21212 Ph: 410-323-7200 Fax: 410-323-7292
Email: mobuszewski@afsc.orgJune 11, 1999
We are here today to urge you to cancel the flyby of the Cassini space probe, carrying 72 pounds of plutonium, as the dangers of radioactive contamination outweigh the benefits. In fact, you should abandon the use of radioactive material, ban all space-based weaponry and cut all ties with the military.
Of course, you know accidents do happen in the space program. Most recently, rockets failed to lift into proper orbits a "missile-warning" satellite in April and an $800 million satellite in May. Last August, a similar rocket carrying a spy satellite blew up shortly after liftoff. These three failures cost taxpayers $3 billion. Adding plutonium to the potential accident mix is terrifying.
Failure to cancel the flyby means Cassini is scheduled to threaten Earth on Aug. 17, 1999. In the event of a miscalculation, electrical failure, an impact from space debris or a solar storm, NASA could lose control of the probe so that it may collide with Earth's atmosphere. The probe could burn up like a meteorite and release a breathable form of plutonium dioxide.
NASA has scheduled a series of space missions carrying plutonium-powered generators in the coming years. The Air Force is promoting nuclear power because it needs massive power projection capabilities for space-based lasers and anti-satellite weapons. NASA's future plutonium missions, as well as the U.S. military's aim to "control space" and the Earth below with space-based nuclear-powered weaponry, needs to be confronted.
This military agenda is particularly troublesome, as it is a potential violation of the 1967 Outer Space Treaty against weapons in space. Most peace and environmental activists support a multi-national exploration of space for the purpose of gathering and sharing scientific knowledge. The 1967 Treaty declares that all interplanetary bodies belong to the common good. So there should be no more plans to circumvent international space law in order to "exploit" space for a corporate elite. Following our suggestions would enhance the prestige of the agency and eliminate the perception that NASA is a pawn of the US Space Command.
Your assistance in alleviating our concerns with the Cassini flyby and the future of the space program would be graciously appreciated. We would welcome a continued dialogue.
In peace,
Max Obuszewski, on behalf of the Hiroshima-Nagasaki Commemoration Committee
From: Satomi Oba
Organization: PLUTONIUM ACTION HIROSHIMA
Subject: Re: June 12 Cassini Actions in Hiroshima
To: Global Network Against Weapons and Nuclear Power in Space
Dear friends,It was not a big action but we did it anyway.
Today, we, five women and a man of Plutonium Action Hiroshima, delivered flyers warning the danger of Cassini's flyby in coming August and space project by the US government, to the passers-by at the A-dome, from 14:00 to 15:00.
Many people took our flyer with interest or kind attention, few refusing to accept it. We could deliver about 400 flyers for an hour. There was only one journalist from the Asahi newspaper came for coverage, though I had informed all the media here of the information on Friday. I saw that most of the journalists could not understand the problem enough when I told them what I had found. ( I understand it, because it is too crazy, and too incredible for ordinary people.) The Japanese media, as well as those in other countries, take more interest in the US president's love affair, than in the conspiracy for domination of space in the near future.
The Asahi is one of the most popular newspaper here, so I hope that I can find some article in it tomorrow morning. If there is one, I will send you, if you like, a copy of it together with photos of our demonstration today.
I have already translated Karl Grossman's reports for HAP, as well as some of other materials. Today I also met one of the casters of NHK, the half governmental broad casting cooperation, and talked on this issue to him. He also was really surprised to hear it. I showed him ( and to other journalists) "Space Calender" which I drew out from NASA's home pages, for they always want to get governments' official document. He seemed to be interested it. But as you have already known, media control here is strong and strict here. I am not quite sure if they will take it more serious than Mr. Clinton's scandal.
I remember seeing the same manner among journalists when I first made press release on the plutonium shipment by Akatsukimaru in 1991. Some of them even didn't know what is PLUTONIUM, in Hiroshima. I am still looking for a journal which will carry my translation or my article about this issue in it.
Anyway, I believe that today's action must have been first publication about Cassini flyby and the space strategy of the US military.
Hope to hear about your action today, June 12.
Regards,
Satomi Oba
And last of these reports, but certainly not least, is the rising leading consciousness of Bangladesh. We hope this Country will stand up and present an emergency resolution to the U.N. to redirect Cassini before irreparable damage can happen on Earth this August.
Date: Sun, 13 Jun 1999 14:05:04 +0600
From: "F. R. Sarker" sarker@bdonline.com
Subject: Anti-Cassini Demonstrations in BangladeshYesterday, was the 12 June in Bangladesh and we had arranged a Meeting, Video Show and spectacular Demonstration in the streets of Dhaka against Cassini Earth Flyby. Our programme started around 9-30am and ended at 01 pm.
Hundreds of people enthusiastically participated in our Meeting and Street March.
I am enclosing herewith in Attached File, a news with photo about our Anti-Cassini Day programme published today in the "Bangladesh Observer," the oldest and leading English Daily in Bangladesh. Today, almost all the newspapers of Dhaka have published our news and we have been getting tremendous responses from the people in favour of our movement.
Today, I had talks with Mr. Ishaq Baroi, the Acting Editor of "Ahoraho," the largest circulated Science Weekly in Bangladesh. He told me that our informations about Cassini is creating panic in the minds of the people, we should not make such news that makes people panicky. I explained to him the reasons for our worries about Cassini and the irreperable devastation Cassini could create, if any accident happens during the time of its flyby with earth. Eventually, he was convinced and he talked to me for a long time, encouraging me to gear up Anti-Cassini movement and showed his keen intertest to participate in it. Mr. Baroi assured me to give a prominent coverage of our news in his Weekly. Ahoraho's reporter came to my office, I have handed over to him two photos and a writeup of our Anti-Cassini Demonstration programme, which we are expecting to get good coverage in the coming issue of "Ahoraho."
I am really feeling happy and excited for the responses of the press and people in favour of our Anti-Cassini Movement. I will keep you informed all the developments duly.
Best regards.
F. R. Sarker
On June 24, 1999, in less than EIGHT 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 toward 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 that can destroy Cassini's communications systems while the probe is speeding toward Earth at more than 10 miles per second for 55 days. For example, on June 1, 1999 a powerful corona mass ejection blasted from the sun in the direction away from the Earth. Isn't it obvious that such a mission is irresponsible? NASA is biased toward nuclear power development, but the evidence is easily found at the noflyby website and shows that there is no safe dose for radioactive plutonium when ingested or inhaled. With Cassini's Earth flyby, we are risking 400,000 curies of the stuff in a breathable form being released into OUR environment for generations!?!
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, NASA continues to claim that a flyby accident would be insignificant. Where are they coming from? What lies! What distortions!
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").
Take Action to Stop and/or Expose the Cassini Earth Flyby Now
The NoFlyby Petition is posted at http://www.nonviolence.org/noflyby/action/petition.htm and send them directly to the White House.