CENAP Infoline - no 014

Magazine Overview

Title: cenap-infoline
Issue: nr. 14
Date: 14. Februar 1995
Publisher: Not specified
Country: Germany
Language: German

This issue of cenap-infoline addresses a postal issue with the previous delivery, discusses a NASA rocket launch, reports on mysterious stratospheric lights, and includes various articles on astronomy, aviation, and media.

Postal Issues and Editorial Notes

The issue begins with an editorial note titled "In Eigener Sache...in eigener Sache...in eigener sach" (In Our Own Matter...in Our Own Matter...in Our Own Matter) detailing problems with the delivery of the previous issue (nr. 13) and the accompanying "CR" (likely a publication). The mail was returned with a "insufficient postage" notice, as the "cenap-infoline" was considered a cover letter. After protests, the postage was corrected, but the delay meant the "cenap-infoline" missed its timely appearance. The note is signed "hkc".

An advertisement invites readers interested in the "Sirius-Rätsel" (Sirius Mystery) to order the "Regiomontanusbote 1/95" for DM 5,-- from the Nürnberger Astronomische Arbeitsgemeinschaft, addressed to Dr. P. Friedrich in Tübingen.

A "Video-Tip" recommends the "UFO-Science-Fiction" video "Space Invaders" produced by CIC, which reportedly mixes "visits to one's own future" with "MJ-12 documents" and "peaceful cooperation."

Höhenforschungsrakete löst GUS-Alarm aus (High-Altitude Research Rocket Triggers GUS Alarm)

This article reports on a sounding rocket launch from the civilian test site in Andoya, Norway, on January 25, 1995, at 7:25 AM MEZ. The 19-meter, four-stage Black Brant/Nike combination rocket, carrying a 113 kg payload, was launched for a 23-minute flight and reached 110 km altitude into the aurora. It worked in conjunction with the WIND satellite, which monitors the solar wind between the sun and Earth. The launch, though announced to Russia in December 1994, caused significant confusion, reportedly leading President Yeltsin to use his "black briefcase" for direct contact with generals. Russian diplomats initially dismissed it as a misunderstanding, with the Interfax news agency falsely claiming the rocket was aimed at Russia and shot down. The incident reportedly caused concern and led to Yeltsin's boast about his military's capabilities and suspicion that the launch was a test of Russian airspace surveillance. The article notes that the "incident" also affected stock markets, with the dollar rising against the DM, quoting a British expert saying, "Worries of an apocalypse are always good for the dollar." Sources cited include Skyweek, Sky News, Deutschlandfunk (Forschung Aktuell), and the International Herald Tribune.

Geister in der Stratosphäre (Ghosts in the Stratosphere)

This section discusses mysterious luminous phenomena observed high above thunderstorms. Pilots have reported seeing strange colored lights for decades, leading to speculation about UFOs or ball lightning. However, reliable data and usable images were lacking. In the past summer, Davis Sentman and Eugene Wescott from the Geophysical Institute of the University of Alaska in Fairbanks conducted a study. Over twelve nights, they and their colleagues used two NASA research aircraft equipped with highly sensitive video cameras, radio detectors, and satellite navigation systems. They launched from Oklahoma City and flew towards the strongest thunderstorms in the American Midwest. They registered mysterious lights in the stratosphere, above the anvil-shaped cloud tops at an altitude of 20 kilometers. These lights accompanied only about one in a hundred cloud-to-ground lightning strikes, requiring patience to observe. The scientists described the lights as "red ghosts, with vertical hair and purple-blue tentacles on the fuselage, reaching downwards." Independently, blue beams shot upwards towards the ionosphere at 100 kilometers per second. The aircraft, flying several kilometers apart, enabled precise measurements of these colored phenomena, with an estimated power output of one megawatt for a few thousandths of a second, illuminating a volume of over a thousand cubic kilometers. The exact physical processes are still being debated, including whether they are electrical discharges like normal lightning. A key question is whether these "red ghosts" or "blue beams" pose a danger to future jets flying at high altitudes over the Atlantic. The phenomena do not appear to be thunder, as the recorded radio waves, when converted to acoustic signals, produce only soft "pops." The report is based on an article from GEO Nr. 2/95, which included a color photo of a "red ghost" that could not be reproduced by photocopy.

Blick in die Presse (Glimpse into the Press)

This section presents brief summaries of articles from other publications:

• Weltraumteleskop Hubble fotografierte Sternengeburt (Hubble Space Telescope Photographed Star Birth): The Hubble Space Telescope observed and photographed the collision of two galaxies in the constellation Capricornus, 500 million light-years away. The image shows a ring of new stars around the impact site, large enough to contain the entire Milky Way. Scientists believe several million new stars were formed.
• Im TV lügt sich's am besten (Lying is Best on TV): An English study found that lies spread best on television. TV viewers are less able to judge the truthfulness of information compared to radio listeners and newspaper readers, being more easily influenced by visual stimuli.
• 5500 ERDKREISUNGEN BREM-SAT vor dem Absturz (5500 Earth Orbits BREM-SAT Before Crash): The Mini-Satellite BREM-SAT, launched from the US Space Shuttle, was expected to burn up in the atmosphere in mid-February. Built by the Bremen-based company OHB-System GmbH, the 63 kg satellite conducted six experiments on Earth, its atmosphere, and magnetosphere. (Source: FLUG REVUE FEBRUARY 1995)

CENAP-ARCHIV (CENAP Archive)

This section features profiles of aircraft designers:

• Böhm: Manfred Böhm is described as a persistent designer who has developed about 40 small models, advised by Reimar Horten. The first "Schmankerl" was built in Australia, and the second was constructed in Germany by Dieter Alin and Thomas Amberger. The wing's leading edge and ribs are a composite sandwich, and the keel tube is T-shaped and made of carbon/Kevlar. Production models are intended to have movable ribs for short packing. Control is via ailerons, similar to the Swift, with movable surfaces at the wingtips for roll and pitch control. Pilots report excellent flight characteristics and high homogeneity in turns. Böhm has invested heavily and founded a club to raise funds for series production.
• Markmann Mark 10: Rolf Markmann initially worked on a project with Manfred Böhm and was involved with Moyes. Upon returning to Germany, he began his own construction, a Horten-Nurflügel, designed according to the inventor's advice. The aircraft was recently tested on a test rig at the Technical University of Bingen, with theoretical calculations confirmed by Prof. Schoenherr. The aircraft has not yet been flown or foot-launched. The designer acknowledges the missing link between a hang glider and a glider, promising interesting performance. The series model is designed to be disassembled into three parts for transport.

Streitobjekt A-12: Hersteller fordern 1,6 Mrd. Dollar Schadenersatz (Disputed Object A-12: Manufacturers Demand 1.6 Billion Dollars in Damages)

This article reports that the US Court of Federal Claims ruled in January 1991 that the A-12 was not cancelled due to manufacturer cost overruns. This decision allows McDonnell Douglas and General Dynamics to sue the US Navy for damages. Meanwhile, a mock-up of the Stealth fighter-bomber is being prepared for a museum in Fort Worth. (Source: FLUG REVUE FEBRUARY 1995)

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The magazine consistently covers topics related to unexplained aerial phenomena (UFOs/UAPs), advanced aerospace technology, and scientific investigations into unusual atmospheric events. There is a clear interest in reporting on both historical and contemporary cases, as well as technological developments in aviation and space. The editorial stance appears to be one of open inquiry into these subjects, presenting information from various sources and encouraging reader engagement, as evidenced by the "In Eigener Sache" section and the invitation to order related publications.