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.
Over the next several days, NASA will attempt to fix the Rock Abrasion Tool (RAT) on its Mars Exploration Rover "Opportunity," which apparently jammed Aug. 14 when a pebble became stuck in its cutting mechanism. The RAT is used to bore into martian rocks, exposing their interiors for further analysis. The possibility of a small rock jamming the mechanism was a "known vulnerability" of the RAT, but should be reversible, according to Opportunity Mission Manager Chris Salvo.
Under a $1.5 million contract from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), the Boeing Co. is developing parachute guidance technology that could help future Mars landers touch down accurately in windy areas such as the polar caps or the Valles Marineris.
A recent report prepared by the deputy undersecretary of defense for industrial policy recommends that the Department of Defense (DOD) focus on new rotorcraft concepts and programs - including heavy-lift - to stimulate the U.S. rotorcraft industrial base.
