CLUSTER DISCOVERY: Adding evidence to how diverse the universe is, NASA’s Kepler planet-hunting satellite has observed the first instance of multiple planets orbiting two suns, what astronomers call a circumbinary planetary system. The system, named Kepler-47, is 4,900 light years from Earth in the constellation Cygnus. One star is the size of the Sun but only 84% as bright; the other star is diminutive. The inner planet, Kepler-47b, has a radius three times the size of Earth and orbits the two stars in just 50 days, making its surface too hot for life.
HOUSTON — Step by step, the overarching elements of a human mission to a near-Earth asteroid are coming together at NASA’s Johnson Space Center (JSC), even though the needed hardware is still in development, timelines are hazy and budgets are uncertain.
ARMY Alliant Techsystems Operation L.L.C., Keyser, W.Va., was awarded an $84,100,000 firm-fixed-price contract. The award will provide for the procurement of the MK 437 Multi-Option Fuze, Navy. The work will be performed in Keyser, with an estimated completion date of Aug. 15, 2017. Two bids were solicited, with two bids received. The U.S. Army Contracting Command, Picatinny Arsenal, N.J., is the contracting activity (W15QKN-12-D-0089).
Click here to view the pdf Fiscal 2013 Senate Defense Appropriations Markup:Other Procurement: U.S. Navy, Army, Air Force ($ in thousands) Fiscal 2013 Senate Defense Appropriations Markup: Other Procurement: U.S.
NEW DELHI — India’s defense ministry is in talks with French firm Sextant to buy 95 more autopilot systems for Indian air force (IAF) Jaguar fighters. “Procurement of autopilot for 55 Jaguar aircraft has been completed and commercial discussions for repeat procurement of additional 95 autopilots are [under way],” Defense Minister A. K. Antony said in parliament Sept. 3.
ARMY Lockheed Martin Gyrocam Systems, Sarasota, Fla., was awarded a $333,300,000 firm-fixed-price contract. The award will provide for the procurement of spare and repair parts to support the Vehicle Optics Sensor System. The work will be performed in Sarasota, with an estimated completion date of Aug. 22, 2014. The bid was solicited through the Internet, with one bid received. The U.S. Army Contracting Command, Alexandria, Va., is the contracting activity (W909MY-12-D-0017). NAVY
ARMY PAR Government Corp., Rome, N.Y., was awarded a $48,000,000 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract. The award will provide for the services, including Full-Motion Video, Geospatial Information Systems and Surveillance and Reconnaissance related applications. The work will be performed in Rome, with an estimated completion date of Aug. 27, 2017. One bid was solicited, with one bid received. The U.S. Army Contracting Command, Natick, Mass., is the contracting activity (W911QY-12-D-0010).
It certainly has been a hot summer for contracts associated with U.S. ballistic missile defense (BMD) and Aegis combat system-related work. The U.S. Navy and Missile Defense Agency (MDA) awarded contracts and contract modifications for at least $2.3 billion worth of missiles, BMD research and Aegis system-related work in July and August, according to Pentagon contract reports. The potential total cumulative amount for those contracts approaches about $3.9 billion.
FRANKFURT — Bernhard Gerwert has been named the new CEO of EADS’ defense division Cassidian, effective immediately following the resignation of longtime CEO Stefan Zoller. Zoller has headed the division since 2005. His departure does not come as a complete surprise, after he was rumored to have wanted to become EADS CEO when the group sought a replacement for Louis Gallois earlier this year. The board picked ex-Airbus CEO Thomas Enders, who has headed EADS since June.
SINGAPORE — Thailand’s air force has decided that the Eurocopter EC-725 will be the type to replace its aging Vietnam War-era Bell UH-1Hs. The country’s cabinet has approved the purchase of 10 EC-725s, according to an air force spokesperson. “The project is divided into two phases; the first phase is to receive the first four helicopters within the year 2015,” the spokesperson says.
HOUSTON — Astronauts Sunita Williams and Akihiko Hoshide will attempt to troubleshoot problems with an electrical unit outside the International Space Station during a Sept. 5 spacewalk organized over the U.S. Labor Day weekend.
SINGAPORE — Vietnam is expected to receive its third Airbus Military C212-400 maritime patrol aircraft (MPA) next year, completing its order for the type and giving a major boost to Vietnam’s maritime surveillance capabilities. The Southeast Asian nation ordered three of the aircraft in 2008 for the Vietnam Maritime Police. The first arrived in Hanoi on Aug. 16 after a 10-day ferry flight from Skavsta, Sweden, Airbus Military says. On the way the aircraft stopped in Greece, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Oman, India and Thailand.
The Obama administration is supposed to provide details on how it will handle a potential across-the-board federal budget reduction later this week. And although Congress could return after the November elections with a plan for delaying or somehow avoiding the budget penalty known as sequestration, contractors are also preparing themselves for the possibility. Agnes Dover, director of the government contracts group at the international law firm Hogan Lovells, has had a number of tips for her clients as the “fiscal cliff” nears.
Just as the Pentagon has asked for authority to put five programs into contracts that will run for up to four years, budget turmoil on Capitol Hill threatens to throw a wrench in the Defense Department’s plan to save money and add stability to the industrial base on those and other long-term agreements.
In observance of the U.S. Labor Day holiday, Aerospace Daily & Defense Report is not publishing a Sept. 4 issue. The next issue will be dated Sept. 5. Aviation Week Intelligence Network subscribers can visit www.aviationweek.com/awin for news updates.
LOD, Israel — Israel is ready to test the complete version of its improved Arrow missile defense system to demonstrate that it can reach farther and higher to destroy newer, higher-speed ballistic weapons. The modifications also will provide the basis for even more improvements. These include the ability to search more of the electromagnetic spectrum for elusive, high-speed missile threats being designed and tested by Iran.
MOTOR RUNNING: Alliant Techsystems (ATK) will perform a horizontal test-firing of their GEM-60 solid rocket motor on Sept. 6 at 11:15 a.m. MDT at the company’s facility in Promontory, Utah. The 43-ft.-long, 60-in.-dia. graphite epoxy motor will be cooled to 30F and will produce up to 270,000 lb. of thrust. The GEM-60’s fixed nozzle is needed to accurately test at the colder temperature. The nozzle, previously built by a supplier, is now built by ATK. A public viewing area will be available along route 83 North, approximately 20 mi. west of Corinne, Utah.
