re: Bakersfield's *Stargazer* to launch TOMS on Pegasus XL June 29 (fwd)

Philip Chien (kc4yer@amsat.org)
Mon, 24 Jun 1996 14:03:35 -0400

>Date: Fri, 21 Jun 1996 02:47:00 -0400
>From:WSpaceport@aol.com
>To: Southern California Space List <so-cal-space@LunaCity.com>
>Subject: Bakersfield's *Stargazer* to launch TOMS on Pegasus XL June 29
>
>"*Stargazer* is a specially modified Lockheed Martin L-1011 TriStar jumbo jet
>that's based at Meadows Field in Bakersfield," stated Jim Spellman, executive
>director for the National Space Society's Western Spaceport Chapter in Kern,
>Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo county.
>
>"It was named by OSC team members in honor of the first 'starship' commanded
>by fictional character Captain Jean-Luc Picard from the *Star Trek: The Next
>Generation* television series," Spellman added.  The aircraft serves as the
>"first stage" by carrying the Pegasus XL rocket up to its 40,000 foot release
>point over the Pacific Ocean near Vandenberg AFB in Santa Barbara county.

Just a piece of Trek trivia to add - Riker (the first officer on the
series) first served on a starship named "Pegasus".  So Picard's first
starship "Stargazer" drops Riker's first ship "Pegasus".

Coincidence - nah!



Philip Chien, Earth News - space writer and consultant  PCHIEN@IDS.NET
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