A Chinese Long March 3B rocket has successfully launched Venesat-1, Venezuela’s first telecommunications satellite. The 5.1-metric ton spacecraft, also known as the Simon Bolivar Satellite, was launched from the Xichang launch complex in Sichuan on Oct. 30. Equipped with 28 C-, Ku- and Ka-band transponders and designed to remain operational for 15 years, it was supplied under an in-orbit delivery contract with China Great Wall Industry Corp. (CGWIC) and built by China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp. (CAST), using China’s new DFH-4 bus.
A sense of history in the making engulfed most of Washington and indeed the whole United States on Nov. 4 as voters decided who they wanted to occupy the White House and control Congress starting next year. Supporters of Sens. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Barack Obama (D-Ill.) waited anxiously for most of the day, while congressional watchers pondered an expected Democratic surge on Capitol Hill. Vote results were not available by press time for Aerospace DAILY, but further updates can be found online at www.AviationWeek.com. Expected pain
Sweden has now formally kicked off the competition to field new armored vehicles ready to be operationally available in 2014. In June, the Swedish government started talking to industry and now has made the call to proceed rapidly with the acquisition phase. The program is expected to include at least 100-150 vehicles, although Swedish armaments agency FMV says the number could grow significantly beyond that.
Pentagon acquisition chief John Young says the congressional cut to Joint Strike Fighter funding in fiscal 2009 will cause problems executing the test schedule for the program. Congress cut advance procurement funding for the first three U.S. Navy F-35C carrier variants, which were to have been procured in FY ’10. The aircraft are planned for operational testing. “Those planes are critical,” Young told a group of reporters at the Pentagon Oct. 30.
LOOSE NUT: Investigators have found that a loose nut on an electrical capacitor connection inside a battery charger prompted a hydrogen buildup that caused a fire at an unmanned Minuteman III launch facility near F.E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyo., in May. A spark ignited from a loose connection inside the charger, and this may have occurred after commercial power was restored to the area following thunderstorms. The fire damaged some cables leading to the nuclear-tipped intercontinental ballistic missile, but it did not enter the launch tube or damage the missile.
MOON BOUND: Indian controllers are continuing orbit-raising maneuvers with the Chandrayaan-1 lunar orbiter as it moves toward a Nov. 8 rendezvous with Earth’s natural satellite. A three-minute burn of the probe’s 99-pound-thrust Liquid Apogee Motor (LAM) Oct. 29 pushed it into a new elliptical six-day Earth orbit with an apogee of 267,000 kilometers (165,910 miles) and a perigee of 465 kilometers.
AIR FORCE The Air Force is modifying a firm fixed price contract with DTS Aviation Systems of Fort Worth, Texas, for $11,456,736. This action will provide for contractor logistics support for the C-21 Aircraft, consisting of maintenance, repair and support functions. At this time all funds have been obligated. OC-ALC/727 ACSG/PKA, Tinker Air Force Base, Okla., is the contracting activity (FA8106-05-C-0001/P00125). NAVY
TAIWANESE TREMORS: The Taiwanese military is maintaining its longstanding opposition to commercial airlines taking the shortest route between the island and mainland China, with officials citing the need to guard against surprise air attack. Defense Minister Gen. Chen Chao-ming says he supports the policy of charter flights that don’t go through the sensitive restricted zone in the Taiwan Strait.
LYNX SENSORS: The Brazilian navy has ordered six Sea Star SAFIRE III infrared multisensor surveillance systems for its Super Lynx helicopters, for use in maritime patrol and fleet security missions. The contract with manufacturer FLIR Systems also has options for another six SAFIRE III systems. The value of the award was not disclosed, per the request of the Brazilian defense ministry. FLIR Systems has delivered more than 70 airborne sensor systems to the Brazilian military, municipal and federal police, as well as private operators, the company says.
The Pentagon failed to properly follow acquisition procedures in buying fleets of cars, trucks and other nontactical vehicles for use in Afghanistan, according to a new Defense Department Inspector General (IG) report. The IG inspected records from the Regional Contracting Center Bagram, the Combined Joint Task Force (CJTF)-82, and the Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA), which failed to follow proper acquisition procedures, auditors said.
GEOEYE PARTNER: Italy’s Telespazio S.p.A. will serve as the Europe/North Africa Commercial Regional Affiliate for GeoEye Inc.’s new GeoEye-1 high resolution imaging satellite under an arrangement announced in Dulles, Va., Oct. 29. The deal also gives the Rome-based company access to Ikonos satellite imagery collected after Dec. 31. The U.S. government must approve the imagery-collection, processing and sales rights granted the Italian company for both spacecraft. GeoEye-1 is set to become fully operational later this fall.
There’s more at stake in the Nov. 4 U.S. elections than control of the White House, with a number of top congressional leaders fighting to keep their seats while Democrats seek a veto-proof majority in the Senate and even wider control in the House of Representatives.
NASA has awarded United Space Alliance (USA) the Integrated Mission Operations Contract (IMOC), signaling a continuing partnership between the agency and the company for operation of the Mission Control Center at Johnson Space Center (JSC) in Houston. The contract is valued at $206.5 million for the base contract period, which could grow to a potential of $371 million if the option year and variable work content are fully exercised. The cost-plus-award fee contract has a base period of performance of three years and includes a one-year option.
Pratt & Whitney’s EcoPower engine wash system, which has garnered 60 commercial customers worldwide since its start in 2004, has obtained its first military client – the 800 engines in the U.S. Air Force’s C-17 fleet. Pratt is a subcontractor to Boeing, which announced last month that it had won a fleet-wide overhaul and repair support contract for the C-17’s PW F117-PW-100 engines. The F117 is a military version of Pratt’s PW2000 for Boeing 757s.
PARIS – Thales is being forced to take a 60 million euro charge because of development delays on the A400M military airlifter. “It is necessary to significantly revise the estimated costs for the future versions of the Flight Management System (FMS), which is under its management,” Thales said in announcing third quarter sales. The French aerospace supplier is blaming delays in the flight-test program that are forcing the company to keep its development team operating much longer than initially planned.
Boeing and BAE Systems are teaming as part of the Pentagon’s effort to add nonkinetic weapons, particularly in the areas of electronic attack and cyberwar, to its combat aircraft. It is part of the Defense Department’s attempt to better rationalize its investments, reuse technology it has already paid for and ensure programs are not duplicated by the military services and other agencies.
The British Defense Ministry is being given a general thumbs up by financial watchdog the National Audit Office over central aspects of how the ministry manages Private Finance Initiative programs.
NEW BLOOD: Lockheed Martin’s top lobbyist in Washington, Brian Dailey, will retire from the company in April. In his position he has overseen the top Pentagon contractor’s Washington Operations office. He will be succeeded by Gregory Dahlberg, who currently heads up Lockheed’s legislative affairs office. Dahlberg joined the company in 2003 and was previously the Democratic staff director of the House Appropriations defense subcommittee.
To list an event, send information in calendar format to Donna Thomas at [email protected]. (Bold type indicates new calendar listing.) Nov. 4 - 7 – Aircraft Survivability Symposium 2008, “Low Altitude Today, Preparing for Tomorrow,” Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, Calif. For more information go to www.ndia.org/meetings/9940
RIVER ROBOT: The U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency has awarded Alliant Techsystems $494,000 to study a robotic submersible to be deployed from aircraft, ships or submarines and navigate rivers, inlets, harbors and coastlines to conduct clandestine surveillance of things on and under the water. The Unmanned Underwater Riverine Craft would be capable of crawling along the bottom, burrowing under the mud to evade detection, and hibernating until recovered.
