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.
NEW DELHI — Industry observers are wondering what effect India’s recent decision to suspend its purchase of six aerial refuelers may have on future defense procurements such as the 126-aircraft Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) deal. India’s tender for six aerial refuelers went out for the Airbus A330 Multi Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) and the Ilyushin IL-78. The IL-78, the lower-cost option, was rejected on the grounds that the proposal was incomplete since it had failed to quote for five extra engines and life-cycle costs.
PEACEFUL PURPOSE: One of two NASA-owned Global Hawk unmanned aircraft had its first flight under agency operation Oct. 23. The former military aircraft, to be used for Earth system science research, flew four hours during a functional check flight in restricted airspace over Edwards Air Force Base, Calif. The first Earth science mission for the aircraft will be the Global Hawk Pacific campaign, or GloPac, to be carried out in partnership with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
NASA scientists are still analyzing data from the Lunar Crater Observation and Sensor Satellite (Lcross) impact at the Moon’s south pole on Oct. 9, but it turns out that the European Space Agency’s Smart-1 lunar orbiter apparently produced a bigger plume than its larger NASA cousin when it plowed into the lunar surface. The angle of incidence seems to be the reason, says Bernard Foing, ESA’s Smart-1 project scientist. While Lcross hit the bottom of the Cabeus crater at the Moon’s south pole at a relatively steep angle, Smart-1 came in at a shallow angle and bounced.
