Xref: utzoo rec.aviation:12818 sci.space.shuttle:2512
Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!iconsys!mcd
From: mcd@iconsys.UUCP (Mark Dakins)
Newsgroups: rec.aviation,sci.space.shuttle
Subject: Re: SR71 to be retired October 1st.
Message-ID: <345@iconsys.UUCP>
Date: 9 Mar 89 20:39:47 GMT
References: <524@gonzo.UUCP> <3247@pixar.UUCP>
Reply-To: mcd@iconsys.UUCP (Mark Dakins)
Organization: ICON International, Inc., Orem, UT
Lines: 47

In article <3247@pixar.UUCP> good@pixar.uucp writes:
>In article <524@gonzo.UUCP> daveb@gonzo.UUCP (Dave Brower) writes:
|
|[quote from poorly-written "Chronicle" item about retirement of the
|SR-71 deleted.  They even still believe that 85,000 foot stuff.]
|
|:So, the announcement leads me to suspect any combination of the
|:following:
|:
|:	* The SR-71 replacement is ready to go, but so black no one
|:	  is supposed to know.  Conspiracy theorists take note.
|
|This one gets my vote.  In fact, I think it really could be "Aurora",
|already reported as operational in -- get this -- "Popular Mechanics".
|The article was pretty plausible.  It's supposed to be a Mach 5+ plane
|which is launched and retrieved from flying C-5's.  I know.  I thought
|about it and I convinced myself it could be done, and cleverly, too.
|
|Random points:

 (Arguments the Aurura may exist and be operational deleted)

Well, I won't disagree with Craig's point but, with respect to
the SR-71 having been retired; the following is a quote from
AW&ST March 6, 1989 in the "Industry Observer" feature
on page 13 under the headline "High Flyers".

"Air Force Lockheed SR-71 reconnaissance aircraft are making
high-altitude, high-speed, intelligence gathering flights over
the Barents Sea near the Soviet Union's Kola Peninsula. The Soviets
conduct extensive naval activity in the area. The SR-71s have
been overflying Spitsbergen Island, Norway, at altitudes above
70,000 ft."

Of course, the fact that this item was published doesn't
mean that the flights are occuring or that if they are that
the aircraft is the SR-71. You will note that the item is
unattributed. May be true or may not be. May be a leak
or an "leak" (intentionally accidental) or a release
(although I have never heard of this kind of info being
offically released.)

The wizard war is a strange game.

-- 
UUCP:	 uunet!iconsys!mcd		Mark Dakins, Icon International
ARPANET: iconsys!mcd@uunet.uu.net	774 South 400 East, Orem, UT.