Last update: January 03 2006
This page is maintained by volunteers and updated when we have time. Please go to the No Nukes North site for the most current information.
Here is a blog related to the Kodiak Launch Complex and the Alaska Aerospace Development Corporation that is more current than this page.
KRLIG can be contacted through the blog.
This launch was part of the NMD testing program and the Army STARS program. According to DOD employees working on the launch, the reason for the explosion is unknown (although NMD spokesman Lt. Col. Rick Lehner claims that the Army purposely activated the destruct command). The KLC is owned by the State of Alaska and operated by the Alaska Aerospace Development Corporation. The facility was constructed entirely with government funds. Launch receipts have not covered operational costs, requiring continual government subsidies to keep the facility operating.
September, 2001: Kodiak vehemently opposes missile silos during a four hour community meeting with Lt. Col Rick Lehner and representatives of NMD. In four hours of public testimony, only two supporting comments were expressed.
The Kodiak community is adamantly opposed to further development of the Narrow Cape/Pasagshak area.
The Narrow Cape/Pasagshak Area Comprehensive Plan clearly states the community's stand that this area receive no further development beyond the KLC.
AADC has yet to make good on its promises of launching private enterprise telecommunications satellites.
Industry insiders say that Lockheed Martin is playing Vandenburg against AADC to substantially reduce their launch costs and increase profits (all with government money)
In another disturbing development, a private entity has built housing for 60 people near the KLC Pasagshak site. This is in direct contradiction to their promise that launch personnel would be housed in town, providing economic benefits to our community. In fact, the feeding and lodging of KLC related workers IN town is the primary economic benefit predicted to come from the use of the facility.
With over 18 million dollars of construction funding coming directly from the Pentagon, it is obviously "private" or "non-federal" in name only. The remaining construction funds also came from government sources: NASA and the Alaska Science and Technology Foundation (Alaska state funded organization)
Total cost of KLC construction is over 50 million dollars at this point.
The project was promoted to the community as being totally financed by private aerospace businesses to launch private commercial telecommunications satellites.
As of January 24, 2004, AADC has only signed a few launch contracts and they are to launch military or other government funded rockets.
Military launches are paid with taxpayer funds through DOD.
The first launch at the KLC in November, 1998, was a 31 year old Minuteman missile.
The 11/98 launch was accomplished entirely with USAF personnel and USAF mobile launching equipment.
AADC received an additional 9 million dollars to construct a launch tower in order to attract private launches. Ted Stevens came through with the money; NO PRIVATE COMMERCIAL LAUNCHES HAVE YET TO MATERIALIZE.
As was predicted in 1997 by KRLIG (Kodiak Daily Mirror advertisement), AADC continues to request substantial additional government financial support, claiming it is the only way they will attract commercial launches.
KRLIG predicts that AADC will continue to need even MORE state and federal subsidies for construction, operation, and maintenance.
Senator Ted Stevens is responsible for legislation intended to sidestep a comprehensive Environmental Impact Statement for this project.
Representative Don Young actively pressured the federal agencies to drop their concerns and objections related to environmental concerns connected to the Kodiak Launch Complex.
If you'd like to know more about this government boondoggle waste of taxpayer money and how Alaska Senator Ted Stevens has impeded environmental impact studies of the KLC, contact us through the blog link at the top of th epage.
Just send five dollars and a SASE with THREE stamps to:
ARMY NMD MISSILE EXPLODES!!
On Friday, November 9, 2001, a missile launched from the Kodiak Launch Complex exploded 52 seconds after liftoff. See Anchorage Daily News article.
The KLC now has a 1 in 8 (12.5%) mission failure rate.
The KLC is commonly referred to as "Space Pork Kodiak" here in Kodiak.
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KLC FACTS:
Taxpayer funds continue to be the sole support of the KLC - taxpayer federal funds coupled with grants from the State of Alaska now total 50 MILLION DOLLARS just for construction!
(AADC is, in fact, an entity of the State of Alaska)
No Private Enterprise Money to speak of has contributed to construction funding. The completed launch and the next two projected launches are entirely paid for by your tax dollars
AADC facilities and personnel played a neglible part in the entire launch process; this launch could have successfully occurred without the existence of the KLC
(or even AADC, for that matter). As of January 03 2006, AADC has yet to sign a single launch contract for a private enterprise payload!.
Yet, they continue to claim that commercial aerospace companies are "lining up" to launch telecommunications satellites at the KLC.
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