Jeff has been involved in aerospace journalism since the mid 1990s. Prior to joining Aviation Week, Jeff served as managing editor of Launchspace magazine and the International Space Industry Report. He has been the editor and chief of Aviation Week's Aerospace Daily & Defense Report since 2007 and has been a regular contributor to Aviation Week magazine. He received his B.A. from the College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, Va.
NASA Administrator Michael Griffin announced May 7 that Ed Weiler will remain in place as NASA’s associate administrator for science. Formerly the director of Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md., Weiler was made interim chief of the science directorate on March 26 following the departure of Alan Stern (Aerospace DAILY, March 27). Weiler has led NASA science before, serving as associate administrator from 1998 to 2004. He also served as chief scientist for the Hubble Space Telescope from 1979 until 1998.
NEW CUTTER: The U.S. Coast Guard took preliminary acceptance of the National Security Cutter (NSC) Bertholf during a ceremony at Pascagoula, Miss., May 8. Capt. Pat Stadt hopes to take the ship and its crew to sea in about 10 days and stay under way for a week, performing damage control drills. The 418-foot ship will be in and out of the shipyard until June 13, and eventually be commissioned by the Coast Guard at Alameda, Calif., on Aug. 4.
Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) has signed a contract to build 18 new satellites for Orbcomm Inc., with an option to buy up to 30 more to upgrade Orbcomm’s current constellation. Serving as prime contractor, SNC has lined up a team including Boeing Intelligence & Security Systems, ITT Space Systems and SNC subsidiary MicroSat Systems. SNC, Boeing and ITT will provide oversight, systems engineering, technical management, integration and mission assurance, while MicroSat will perform integration and testing.
