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 field of debris from the recent collision of a defunct Russian government satellite with an Iridium spacecraft should stabilize within about a month, at which point its behavior should be fairly predictable, according to U.S. Marine Corps Gen. James Cartwright, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
AXEL EXERCISED: NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory and the California Institute of Technology have designed and tested a small robot that can rappel off cliffs, travel over steep and rocky terrain and explore deep craters, according to the agency. Called Axel, the two-wheeled rover could be used on other worlds like Mars, or for terrestrial uses such as assisting in search-and-rescue operations.
GMD SUPPORT: The U.S. Missile Defense Agency has awarded Boeing a one-year, $250 million contract for Ground-based Midcourse Defense (GMD) maintenance and operations support. Awarded Feb. 2, the contract includes an option for 2010 and covers operator and maintainer training, supply chain services, on-site engineering support and technical data development, according to Boeing. The GMD system includes operational sites in Alaska, California and Colorado, as well as the Sea-Based X-Band radar system.
