Qian Xuesen, a U.S.-trained rocket scientist who became the father of the Chinese space program, died on Oct. 31, aged 98. Qian, whose name is sometimes spelled as Tsien Hsue-shen, was born in Hangzhou, China, moved to the United States in 1935 and became an early researcher in rocketry. During and immediately after World War Two, the sudden importance of jet propulsion and rocketry in catapulted him to the highest levels of the U.S. military scientific establishment, even though he was a foreigner.

The autopilot of a Jetstar A330 disconnected in flight on Oct. 29 because of icing in a pitot tube that is believed to have lasted for a few seconds. The fault in the Australian aircraft caused airspeed readings to drop briefly. The crew, flying from Tokyo, landed safely at their destination in the Gold Coast, which is on Australia’s East Coast. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau is investigating.

All Nippon Airways aims to double its planned cost cuts by finding another ¥100 billion (US$1.1 billion) in annual savings that will be achieved by reducing employee numbers and consolidating group airlines. The airline, Japan’s second largest, also will shift 20% of its 6,000 administrative workers to roles closer to the front line, such as sales. Along with the new cost cuts, that step is to be made by the end of its fiscal year to March 31, 2011.