>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 __ __^__ __________ | \ +---/ \---+ (========= |____\___________ +---\_____/---+ // >____)| | \__ \ \______//___ >/ |________| \ [ _____\ >|____________________\ \_______/ Roger, go at throttle up CHR$(32) the final frontier