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.
Boeing continues to analyze possible loads on latches that will hold the space shuttle's inspection boom in place inside the cargo bay, according to Stephen Oswald, vice president and space shuttle program manager at Boeing NASA Systems. Boeing makes the manipulator retention latches (MLRs) for the Canadian-built Orbiter Boom Sensor System (OBSS). The company was limited to installing three latches rather than four, which would have required more significant modifications to the shuttle and cost extra time.
NASA plans to announce several more small Centennial Challenge prize competitions in coming weeks and will begin sharing information about larger prizes later this year, according to Program Manager Brant Sponberg. NASA announced the first two competitions - for high-strength tether materials and wireless power transmission - that will be held on an annual basis starting this year. The 2005 winner will receive $50,000 and the 2006 winner $100,000 (DAILY, March 25).
The U.S. Department of Defense is striving to become a better commercial satellite communications customer by interacting more with industry and streamlining its acquisition process, according to military officials.
