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.
Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) and Rocketplane-Kistler (RPK) made the final cut in NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) program Aug. 18, signing funded Space Act agreements with the agency to demonstrate their schemes for autonomously resupplying the International Space Station (ISS). RPK is receiving $207 million from NASA and SpaceX is getting $278 million. Both companies proposed two-stage rockets powered by liquid oxygen/kerosene engines.
With a gap in launch vehicle work looming at NASA's Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans following construction of the last space shuttle external tank and prior to the manufacture of NASA's new Ares launch systems, Michoud caretaker Lockheed Martin is working with the agency to try to stem work force departures by competing for new work to be done at the facility and shifting some current work there.
Lockheed Martin is embarking on the development of a new vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) unmanned demonstrator, with an eye toward the U.S. Marine Corps' VUAV program. The demonstrator, dubbed VARIOUS (VTOL Advanced Reconnaissance Insertion Organic Unmanned System), would use three shaft-driven lift fans to take off and land vertically from ships. Current conceptual designs somewhat resemble a smaller version of the F-117 Nighthawk stealth fighter.
