Conspiracies: The Great Galactic Ghoul

SPACE SABOTAGE

Travelling to the stars has always been a daunting task, but is it being made more difficult than it need be? Is someone–or something–trying to do its best to keep mankind on Earth, by sabotaging space flight after space flight? The problem has become so widespread that NASA has jokingly referred to this enigmatic and often deadly force as the ‘Great Galactic Ghoul’. But is it the subject for levity, or something far more terrifying?

The high incidence rate of spaceflight accidents, disappearances and technological foul ups would have crippled any other endeavour that did not have the benefit of government funding. From simple wires burning out in satellite systems to the tragedy of the Challenger explosion, the Great Galactic Ghoul shows no national preference: both the Russian and American space programs have both been plagued it’s disruptive hand.

Recent examples include the fiasco surrounding the Hubble telescope. Once in space, the much vaunted telescope’s mirror was discovered to have been imperfectly ground, thus making its pictures far more blurred than expected. This was followed by an expensive repair mission, and even now, the much vaunted Hubble pictures are being discounted for being more a triumph of selective filters designed to hide the telescope’s imperfections than the groundbreaking shots supporters claim them to be.

Another example was the much vaunted Mars Explorer in 1993, which was to take closer pictures of the mysterious Cydonia Region of Mars. Just as the craft was entering Martian orbit, it suddenly stopped functioning. Other failures include the Soviet Koralb 11 (blew up), Sputnik 24 (blew up), NASA’s Mariner 3 (missed Mars), Mariner 8 (fell into Atlantic) and the fiery deaths of the astronauts involved in the Apollo 1 mission in 1971. The list goes on and on, either a testament to staggering incompetence or evidence of a thorough, worldwide act of sabotage, perhaps even on a galactic scale.

THE STRANGE PART

Missions to Mars fare the worst when it comes to sabotage. One of the most disturbing was the fate of the Russian Phobos probes. Launched in 1988, the Russians sent the two probes to investigate Phobos, the smaller of Mars’ two moons. They were interested in the irregular orbital patterns, which led many to believe it to either an artificial construct or perhaps even hollow. The first probe was somehow lost on the journey from Earth, while the Phobos 2 made it to Mars. En route to the small moon, the probe took photographs of a cylindrical shaped shadow on Phobos’ surface. Shortly thereafter, the probe was destroyed. Its final picture, beamed back to Russia, has been declared too sensitive to release to the public. The same night, orthodox Russian priests were asked to go to Moscow Phobos 2 Control Centre to discuss the pictures received.

THE USUAL SUSPECTS

NASA

As horrible as it sounds, especially with the human lives being lost in some accidents, secret members within the NASA organization could be sabotaging missions in order to satisfy elements in the U.S. Government that do not want the space program to discover the alien prescence surrounding Earth. Corresponding members would of course exist in the Russian space program.

Competing Contractors

The financial windfall associated with landing a lucrative government contract would prove irresistible to many businessmen. The best way to succeed in the cutthroat tendering process would be to discredit fellow competitors, using whatever means available, including sabotage. The power of the dollar, especially one from a government trough, would easily overcome the sanctity of human lives in the eyes of many.

Also suspected: The FBI; MJ-12; sheer human incompetence.

UNUSUAL SUSPECTS

The Greys

For reasons of their own, it would be in the best interests of the Greys to keep Earth isolated from the rest of the Universe. If, as has been theorized, the Greys are rebellious slaves escaping from their ‘Masters’, using human genetic material to somehow rediscover the secrets of sexual reproduction and save them from the degradation of their cloned bodies, it simply would not do to have mankind drawing the attention of other alien races. In particular, the Masters.

Martians

The surprising incident rate surrounding Mars missions goes beyond pure coincidence. The Monuments on Mars indicate that there was–or may still be–life on Mars, life that may wish to be left alone or will make its prescence known in its own good time. The breakdowns, disappearances and erratic behaviour of craft around the Red Planet has led some NASA employees to joke about a Great Galactic Ghoul living in between  the asteroid belt and Mars. Perhaps this Ghoul is nothing more than a disgruntled Martian.

MOST CONVINCING EVIDENCE

Previous to its launch on September 25, 1992, NASA technicians opened the outer housing of the Mars Observer for a routine check. Inside, they were shocked to find to find the probe filled with garbage.  This garbage included metal filings, dirt, paper, fibres, and Plaster of Paris. Even though Hurricane Andrew had blown through the area, it was impossible for debris of this kind to enter the probe solely by the force of the storm.

MOST MYSTERIOUS FACT

In July, 1998, the Galileo spacecraft was passing Europa, one of Jupiter’s moons, when it suddenly stopped transmitting information. Europa, along with Mars, has long been theorized to be able to sustain life.

SCEPTICALLY SPEAKING

We are a race that has trouble programming our VCRs. Is it any wonder our spaceships keep blowing up?