NASA Memories CLICK ON IMAGE TO LAUNCH VIDEO - note* Video will open in a new window December 2, 2005 Veteran launch telemetry commentator Skip Mackey announces news that the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory spacecraft has successfully deployed from the Atlas rocket's Centaur upper stage to complete the launch. Arthur J. " Skp" Mackey was in the  ROTC and went to Dartmouth on a scholarship.  He wanted to be a Forest Ranger, but Dartmouth didn't have a Forestry program so he opted for engineering.  After graduating, he moved to Cocoa Beach for the job at NASA and was there for the duration. During the 60's or 70's,  he became the "Voice of NASA."  NASA started doing broadcasted countdowns for the public for the first time, and Skip was "the voice"  that was piped out to the masses. He was involved with all the unmanned vehicle programs like the Delta program, which was the last program he worked on. His  specialty was  telemetry (n. The science and technology of automatic measurement and transmission of data by wire, radio, or other means from remote sources, as from space vehicles, to receiving stations for recording and analysis). He worked on the top-secret military program in the 80's which allows us to intercept nuclear missles. His daughter, Paige, remembers that her dad became  famous for always wearing one red sock for every launch and that he had a plastic pterodactyl hanging over his desk at work. Present during the Kennedy administration, when Space was considered the final frontier, Skip was prviledged to be a part of a rich history. Here are just a few of the stories from that era. Nasa http://www.nasa.gov/

 YOU NEVER KNOW... by Arthur J. "Skip" Mackey

To understand this story, there are a few things you really need to know.  Some rocket launches, particularly the interplanetary ones, have what is called a launch window.  What this means is that, in order for the spacecraft to reach the designated target, the liftoff must occur at an exact time, with little allowable variation.  It is much like trying to throw a rock at a moving car.  You have to let it go at exactly the right time, or you will surely miss.  For many launches, this window is of the order of 15 minutes, occasionally much less. The shortest I remember was 1 second!  Since the actual launch is often the culmination of years of preparation, it is important that everything go right the first time. What most people do not realize is the size of the support operations surrounding the actual launch. 

Aside from the many personnel involved in the actual launch preparations, there are routinely several manned tracking stations scattered all over the world that must be ready, including airborne aircraft, and occasionally ships and tracking satellites.  All of these sites must also be interconnected by elaborate communications systems.  The actual number of highly trained technical personnel involved in this support is always in the hundreds, often over a thousand.  Since the countdowns last for well over the normal eight hour day, most of these people are getting at least some overtime!  Also, it seems that the planetary alignment usually occurs on either Thanksgiving or Christmas, which may mean double or triple time!

Now, everyone knows that these rockets are not toys, and occasionally go awry, often with spectacular displays of pyrotechnics.  Because of this, the USAF insists that the sea areas under the flight path be clear of all shipping, right down to small outboard fishermen. If the safety people could see a kayak on the radars, the kayak would no doubt also have to get out. To assist in this effort, they have several Coast Guard boats and USAF helicopters crisscrossing the area to check on any radar echos, and, if necessary, to escort the vessels out of the area,I am not sure what this support actually costs, but figures between $500,000 and $1,000,000 per launch attempt have been bandied about.  Remember, this support includes that required for the launch vehicle, as well as range safety and the spacecraft.  What I am driving at is that a launch slip can possible add $1,000,000 to the cost of the mission.  Needless to say, there is a concerted effort not to have a slip.

On one particular launch, exactly which one has disappeared from my memory with age, the countdown was approaching the last few minutes, and the range safety officer let everyone know that the range was not clear for launch.  It seemed that a shrimp boat was in the danger area, and at its present rate of speed and direction, it would be in the danger area at the launch time.  To make matters more interesting, this boat had another shrimp boat in tow, limiting its speed, and there was a rain storm right over these two boats.  The noise level, with the big diesel and the rain, was such that neither captain apparently could hear or see the helicopter hovering right over the boats, attempting to get their attention.  All attempts to contact these vessels over the usual ship to shore communications channels, and bull horns, were in vain.  For some reason, it appeared that they were not listening to their radios.

The range safety office finally announced all this over the operational communications net, for all to hear, with his assessment that the boats would not be clear of the area in time.  He also noted that if the boat doing the towing would merely make a sharp turn to the left, he could clear the area in time, but there was no was to tell him that.

At that point it dawned on me that these shrimpers were probably talking on their CB radios, rather than the “official” VHF marine radios.  The “official” communicators had no way of knowing this, or of contacting the boats if they did know.  At the time, I was manager of a NASA telemetry facility, but I was also a part time commercial King Mackerel fisherman, and we all used CB radios rather than the VHF marine radios for several reasons.  Because of this, I knew that the shrimp fleet used CB channel 13 (out of a possible 40). One of my co-workers had a CB radio shop, and had a CB radio in his car.  This some time before we all had them in our cars.  I asked if I could use his radio, and we went to his car.  Sure enough, there were two shrimpers gabbing on channel 13.  When one of them said he had to go below and check the bilge pumps, I knew I had the right guys, and I broke in.  I explained our problem, and the towing captain said he had no problem, and would turn left at once.

I ran inside and called the test conductor on a secondary communications channel, and told him I had talked to the boat, he was going to move, and not to scrub the launch.  As I was explaining to him how I had done that, the range safety officer called on the main channel, and said that, for some reason, the boat was turning in the correct direction, and would be out of the danger area on time.  The launch eventually went on time, and the multi-multi million dollar mission was a success.

You never know what knowledge outside of your general area of expertise will come in handy.
Keep Learning! (see press coverage below)

Little CB Radio Saves Day For NASA Launch by Dick Baumbach BREVARD TODAY Saturday, August 13, 1977 The voice of Nasa - Skip Mackey soothes the ears of many as unmanned rockets blast out of eyeview.. By Todd Halvorson FLORIDA TODAY Remembering Our Heritage by Anita Barrett - from the SPACEPORT NEWS - A history including photos from Vanguard 1 AROUND THE NATION; Satellite Out of Control After Florida Launch AP  Published: June 10, 1984 New York Times Six Receive NASA Exceptional Service Medals - SPACEPORT NEWS - May 16, 1988 With Or Without Socks, Mackey Commentary "Tops"  - SPACEPORT NEWS - November 11, 1983 Off to Mars (once more)! by Mark K. Sellards  COUNTDOWN , November, 1992 ON  THE SHOULDERS OF GIANTS On August 31, 2004 Lockheed Martin launched the last of Atlas IIAS rockets on a classified mission for the National Reconnaissance Office. This launch marked the final flight of the stage-and-a-half Atlas booster and the end of one of the longest chapters in the history of American aviation. In the 47 years since its first launch, Atlas became a workhorse and an American icon as it achieved a string of historic firsts. This DVD is dedicated to four generations of men and women who worked to build the legacy of Atlas... a legacy that will live on as Atlas V carries the dream into the future Available at Amazon.com View Clip: Interviews - Cold War and Space Race featuring Skip Mackey: (AVI FORMAT)