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.
The damage done to NASA's Kennedy Space Center (KSC) by Hurricane Frances is not a "showstopper," according to Administrator Sean O'Keefe, and should not interfere with the agency's goal of returning the space shuttle to flight by March or April of next year. Although the three shuttles were undamaged by the storm, damage done to the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) and the facility that manufactures the shuttle's thermal tiles and blankets were seen as possible threats to a spring 2005 launch (DAILY, Sept. 8).
The first A-10 Thunderbolt upgraded with precision weapons capability is on track to begin flight-testing in December, according to Lockheed Martin. The Precision Engagement (PE) program for the A-10 is adding a targeting pod and Joint Tactical Radio System (JTRS) data link, as well as integrating the Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) and Wind Corrected Munitions Dispenser (WCMD) on the aging A-10. Most A-10s date back to the late 1970s or early 1980s, and the aircraft is expected to remain in service until 2028.
In an office-wide broad agency announcement (BAA) issued Sept. 8, DARPA's Special Projects Office (SPO) is seeking ideas from industry on topics ranging from countering underground facilities (UGFs) to urban combat and precision navigation in the absence of a Global Positioning System (GPS). The agency expects to begin awarding exploratory funding contracts of less than $1 million each in fiscal year 2005. All responses are due by Sept. 15, 2005.
