"The Good Son" the Untold Story of Captain Ernest Weatherly

Wyatt Lenhart as the Young Captain Ernest Weatherly on the
Olive Moon of Panthea

"Commander, sensors just picked up two phasers blasts on the surface." Science Officer Burrow said looking away from his computer screen. Across the bridge of the USS Maxwell sat the ship's first office, Commander Barnes.

"Put me through to the Captain." Commander Barnes stood up and took two steps toward the ship's main viewer. Three seconds later the familiar beeping of an open line sounded. "Captain Weatherly, we picked up two phaser blasts. Is everything OK down there?"

There was a pause. "You know Barnes, they shouldn't have done that to me. I warned them. They didn't listen. What was I suppose to do?"

Commander Barnes looked into the face of his science officer. They both knew what the Captain was talking about. "Get the doctor up here right away," he ordered.

"Oh we are way beyond that Barnes." Captain Ernest Weatherly's voice was calm, almost melancholy.

"Captain, what did you do?" Barnes questioned.

"We've had an accident down here. I've got two dead security officers at my feet."

"Captain, WHAT DID YOU DO?" Barnes voice transitioned from measured to stern.

"Something I should have done years ago." There was a pause, then Weatherly continued. "Have Burrow check his sensors. Look just over the moon's horizon. See anything?"

Lt. Burrow glanced at his screen. He tapped and enlarged the image with his forefinger and thumb. Four pulsing lights appeared on the screen. Tactical identification information scrolled over and beneath each image. "Four Orion Pirate ships coming this way Sir," Burrow responded.

"Do you believe in God Barnes?" the Captain paused as if he wanted an answer but continued before one was given. "I do, but playing it right all the time is just too difficult. Playing with the Devil..... now that's a whole different ball game with mighty fine rewards."

"Battle Stations!" Commander Barnes pulled up a holographic tactical screen to coordinate the attack sequences. He heard the Captain laughing at his response to the incoming ships.

"You don't need to worry about the Orion ships Barnes. They're coming for me, not you." Weatherly tapped a code into his communicator before continuing. "There's something attached to the Magnetic Field Generator around the ship's anti matter. That's what you need to worry about."

"He's going to deactivate the magnetic field!" Burrow rushed into the turbolift for Main Engineering.

"Tick tock goes the clock," Weatherly mumbled as he held up his communicator and pushed 'transmit'. The sky over the Olive Moon of Panthea briefly lit with a second sun.

Weatherly's communicator beeped. "Mad Dog, all is according to schedule," a female voice spoke with a heavy Romulan accent.

"Beam me up," Mad Dog ordered.

Coming this summer from Eclipse Pictures.
"The Good Son"
The true untold story of Mad Dog, the Orion Pirates and the Olive Moon of Panthea.

50 Years Ago: MIDAS, Discoverer 33, and Polaris Testing

Agena stage being loaded onto an Atlas rocket.

Fifty Years ago the US Air Force was attempting to place satellites in orbit that could warn us if an enemy country launched ballistic missiles at the USA. Named MIDAS (MIssile Defense Alarm System) the project would eventually launch nine satellites between 1960 and 1966. The sensors were primitive compared to later versions and often failed to detect launches. But the mission launched October 21, 1961 was successful. An Atlas-Agena rocket placed the MIDAS 4 sub-satellites into a polar orbit from the Pacific Missile Range.

Thor-Agena on the pad at Vandenberg AF Base in California.

On October 23, the USAF launched another Discoverer mission. Discoverer 33 failed to achieve polar orbit. The rocket shut down too early in the flight, and the spy satellite failed to separate and was lost into the Pacific.

Titan 1a.

On October 24, while scientists tracked the movement of the MIDAS sub-satellites in orbit over Earth, the Air Force launched a Titan ICBM from Cape Canaveral AF station. The small test MIDAS satellites detected the launch and successfully sent signals to Earth. This development helped our scientists plan on creating better sensors for the MIDAS satellites.

Polaris A1 on the test pad at Cape Canaveral.

Meanwhile on October 23, 1961, tests continued on the newest types of ICBMs, which were submarine-launched. The nuclear submarine USS Ethan Allen successfully fired off a Polaris A2, which was basically an improved Polaris A1. Eventually this missile design would enter srvice before the year was out and was placed on 13 submarines until 1974. This launch stands as the first underwater launch of the Polaris missile, and the tests were successful.

SSBN 608, USS Ethan Allen under way.

The USS Ethan Allen was the first submarine to be designed as a Ballistic Launch Nuclear Submarine. The first sub to launch a Polaris missile was the USS George Washington back in 1960, but that sub was modified from an attack submarine. The Ethan Allen had just completed trials and was commissioned in August 1961, before preparing for the Polaris tests.

Posted by Mark Daymont
Space Center Educator

Occupy Pleasant Grove! Space Center Volunteers take to the Sidewalk.

Occupy New York

This is New York under siege. An overly educated mob of young people have occupied a park near Wall Street demanding reforms to the nation's banking system and relief from their student loans.

"We're buried under tons of debt!" said one young man wearing tight jeans and an Abercrombie and Fitch T-shirt. He spoke between bites of a croissant smothered in cream cheese. "I majored in Oppressed Studies. What am I supposed to do now? I can't find work."

"What is Oppressed Studies?" I asked.

"You study the world's oppressed people."

"And you can't find work?"

"Nobody's hiring, and it isn't just me. That girl over by the bottled water can't find work either."

"What did she study?"

"Extinct languages."

"My, you'd think companies would be beating down your doors." I spoke sarcastically. He took another bite of his croissant, oblivious to my response.

Out little town of Pleasant Grove is not immune to world events. News of Occupy Wall Street reached us by telegraph. Up until recently our streets were quiet, that has changed.

Occupy Pleasant Grove

This photograph was taken a few Saturdays ago. The group calls itself "Occupy Pleasant Grove". They've taken up part time residence at the town's Central Elementary School and home of the Christa McAuliffe Space Education Center.

"We demand an end to the oppression of the 99% by the 1%!" shouted Morgan (last name withheld. Morgan fears reprisal from her friends and family in Park City). When asked why she wasn't protesting in her own town, Morgan replied that the residents of Park City WERE the 99%.

"I'm here with the simple, potato eating people of Pleasant Grove to show that some of us in the 99% really care," she explained.

"Here here!" exclaimed Matt, another weekend visitor from Logan.

Andrew, not wanting to be left from the discussion, chimed in. "We want peace, land and bread. We want a chicken in every pot."

"Here here!" exclaimed Matt. "Bravo and well said. By jove, I couldn't have said it any better."

"Quite," added Morgan.

"I'm in the Marching Band." Erin stepped forward. I had a difficult time hearing what she said. Her words were being formed around a Tootsie Pop. Chocolate I think, due to the copious amounts of brown dribble around her mouth.

"Here here!" exclaimed Matt.

"Erin, let's have you stand over here by the fire hydrant while we list our demands." Morgan took her by the hand and led her to the hydrant. "Now be a good girl."

I took out my camera for a snapshot to be added to this story. Erin rushed back.

"I cheer for liberty," Erin said taking a position.

"I do the thinking." Morgan jumped into a pose.

"I'll show oppressed people," Matt sat down on the sidewalk delivering his visual interpretation of what the movement stood for.

"I'm the muscle, in case the cops show up," Andrew flexed.

Mr. Williamson came out carrying two buckets of soapy water and brushes. "If you four are going to stand out here shouting socialist slogans at passing cars, you might as well do a little PR for the Space Center." He went back into the school and came out with a portable white board. He sat it on the side walk facing the street and wrote: "We wash cars for free until our demands are met".

They made $20.00 in tips, the Space Center got some good PR and several uninterested citizens of Pleasant Grove are driving around town with nice clean cars at no cost to them except for get an earful of demands ranging from more windmills and tulips to less homework and teacher sarcasm.

Occupy Pleasant Grove was seen later that afternoon at Sammy's in beautiful downtown Pleasant Grove. They were enjoying Sammy's famous Pie Shakes purchased with their tips. I joined them in a Berry Surprise.

"Are you enjoying the shakes?" I asked. They nodded, except for Matt. He stood by the door examining the workings of the Gum Ball Machine. "Now follow along with me, you worked and got tips. You took the tips and did what?"

"We bought these shakes," replied Morgan, the professed brains of the movement.

"So if you work you get......." I led them to the water and waited for them to drink.

"Money!" Andrew shouted.

"And what do we do with money?"

"Buy things," Erin answered. She started to smile. I could tell a light was coming on.

"We wouldn't have to work if they would just give us the shakes for free?" Matt returned to the table.

"Good Grief." I sank down in my chair. I could tell my generation had a lot to teach these youngsters. It was going to be a long discussion. I ordered a double, with a shot of pumpkin.

(Thanks to Morgan for posting this picture. Sorry Morgan, I couldn't resist. Some pictures just demand a back story. If you open the door with a picture like this, you'd better expect me to walk through :)
Mr. W.