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 shuttle Atlantis suffered minor damage to a few ceramic tiles on a portion of its right wing as a result of launch debris during its ascent May 11, and NASA is trying to gather more imagery of the damaged area. Thermal protection system inspections by the STS-125 crew with the Orbiter Boom Sensor System (OBSS) during their first full day in space May 12 revealed small “dings” in four ceramic tiles at the point at the starboard chine where the orbiter’s right wing meets the fuselage.
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. — Shuttle Atlantis lifted off from Launch Pad 39A in nearly perfect weather at 2:01 p.m. EDT May 11, kicking off the final servicing mission to the Hubble Space Telescope. Veteran astronaut Scott Altman commands the 11-day STS-125 mission, with retired U.S. Navy Capt. Gregory Johnson serving as pilot. Aboard as mission specialists are veteran astronauts John Grunsfeld — making his third trip to Hubble — and Mike Massimino, along with first-time astronauts Andrew Feustel, Michael Good and Megan McArthur.
PHANTOM RAY: Boeing on May 8 unveiled the Phantom Ray — a version of its defunct X-45 unmanned combat air vehicle prototype. The company is using its own internal research and development funding for flight tests of the demonstrator, slated for late 2010 at White Sands Missile Range, N.M. The X-45 lost the Navy-led Unmanned Combat Air System (UCAS) program to Northrop Grumman’s X-47 in 2007. Exclusive photos of the aircraft appear in Aviation Week’s May 11 issue and more information can be found online at www.aviationweek.com.
