U.S. spaceflight managers are mapping a course for the International Space Station’s coming decade that they hope will “seed” a high-value commercial research economy in low Earth orbit, but first they must navigate some treacherous passages on Capitol Hill. NASA has scheduled the STS-135 mission on the shuttle Atlantis for June 28, and Congress has authorized the flight. Funding it is another question, and with fiscal conservatives pushing for deep spending cuts for the remainder of fiscal 2011, that question remains open.
A slight wrinkle appeared in SES’s guidance for 2011. And although the operator insisted the impact will be temporary—and, like rival Eutelsat, forecast strong growth in the years ahead—the dip may carry a premonitory warning.
The second prototype of Russia’s fifth generation Sukhoi T-50 fighter developed under the PAK FA program completed its maiden flight on March 4. The 44-min. flight took place at Knaapo’s airfield in Russia’s Far East.
The introduction of a wide-area multilateration (WAM) network in the North Sea is a prime example of how new surveillance technologies are driving the latest transformation in air traffic management. In 1990, U.K. controllers considered it a major breakthrough when offshore rebroadcasting stations allowed them to talk to helicopters servicing North Sea oil rigs. Now, thanks to WAM, controllers can also see these aircraft on their displays far beyond land-based radar range—something that would have seemed inconceivable to their counterparts 20 years ago.
The secretive National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) is looking for companies or other sources to help determine the most efficient way to digitize and release vast stores of high-resolution photographic imagery. And in a twist, NGA says the service provider might be able to “retain rights to distribute declassified imagery and recoup investment, for a specified period of time,” to be negotiated.
With India’s Helina air-launched anti-armor missile nearing its test-firing phase, developers are crafting plans to design a longer-range version of the air-to-ground guided weapon.
Monte Belger (see photo) has become vice president of industry relations for Metron Aviation , Dulles, Va. An industry veteran of 35 years, Belger was vice president of transportation system solutions for Lockheed Martin, following a career with the FAA.
Michael Cox has been named vice president of human resources at Duncan Aviation , Lincoln, Neb., after spending 28 years in the insurance industry. Justin Merkling is the new engine shop manager for Duncan Aviation, Battle Creek , Mich. He was one of the company’s Cessna Citation technical representatives.
The recent awarding of the U.S. Air Force tanker contract to Boeing is a major milestone for the Pentagon. A decade after the KC-X procurement process began, then wended its way through contracting irregularities and management missteps, the U.S. Defense Department may be poised to actually serve the interests of the warfighter.
China will launch the unmanned target for its first space docking in the second half of this year, having slipped a schedule that previously called for the module to be sent to orbit no later than 2010. The target is the Tiangong 1, described in the latest report as a “space module” but previously called an orbital laboratory. The Shenzhou 8 spacecraft, designed to carry a crew but unmanned for this technology-proving mission, will follow Tiangong into orbit two months later to execute the automatic docking procedure.
Led by Europe, demand for civil helicopters is showing signs of recovery, and 2011-15 deliveries will be 5% higher than during the last five years, at 4,200-4,400 aircraft, projects Honeywell.
Don Greiman has joined Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp., Boulder, Colo., as director of systems engineering solutions (SES) for the company’s Midwest operations, succeeding Charles Mark, who was promoted to director of Ball’s SES Strategic Development. Greiman spent 30 years with the USAF and working for the defense industry in the private sector.
Breaking into the tightly contested inflight entertainment (IFE) business is a tough challenge, but gaining qualification so systems can be installed on the aircraft assembly line rather than retrofitted may be even harder.
Ron Soret has joined King Aerospace , Addison, Texas, as president. Soret, who was chief operating officer for Gore Design Completions of San Antonio, will be based at King’s modification facility in Ardmore, Okla. Honors & Elections
To get rich is glorious.” Three decades after then-leader Deng Xiaoping pointed his nation toward a market-oriented economy, China is growing richer at a breathtaking pace, as evidenced by mile upon mile of new skyscrapers across Shanghai and Beijing. Thirty-four major airports are under construction, and another 63 are planned by 2020. The Civil Aviation Administration of China forecasts that per-capita air travel will increase fivefold during the next 20 years—this in a nation that already has 240 metropolitan areas of at least one million residents.
The U.K. is nearing the start of an airborne signals intelligence gap of more than two years with the planned retirement of the Nimrod R1s on March 31. The replacement three RC-135 Rivet Joints the U.K. is acquiring are not due until late 2013. The U.K. will retain some airborne electronic intelligence collection capability through the continued use of the Sentinel R1, which will be retired once Afghanistan operations wind down. Moreover, the Elta El/L-8300 electronic support measures equipment bought for the Nimrod MRA4, which is being scrapped, will be retained.
George Whitesides, president and CEO of Virgin Galactic, has been named to receive the William F. Shea Distinguished Contribution to Aviation Award, given annually by the University of Nebraska at Omaha Aviation Institute . Whitesides was chief of staff to NASA Administrator Charles Bolden.
Elisabeth H. Barrett has been named vice president-human resources of Triumph Group , Wayne, Pa. She was vice president-administrative services of the Alco Standard Corp.
As the Pentagon starts to scale back its war funding in 2012, there will undoubtedly be challenges in transitioning equipment reset and maintenance costs back into the baseline for future years.
Hit hard by the recession, the commercial helicopter industry has fallen far from its peak of 2008, but is looking ahead and lining up new products for a predicted recovery beginning in 2012. Most of the activity is in the middle of the market, centering on medium twins with broad appeal across several high-value markets, including offshore oil and gas, corporate and VIP, emergency medical service (EMS), law enforcement and search-and-rescue (SAR).
Jim Holcombe (see photo) has been named vice president of the Hawker Beechcraft Corp. of Wichita. He was executive vice president of sales and marketing and chief operating officer of Piaggio America.
The European Commission is asking for third-party input as it reviews whether a Czech Airlines restructuring plan violates competition rules. The rescue proposal for the struggling airline includes a 2.5 billion Czech koruna ($140 million) loan from state-owned Osinek under conditions viewed as potentially preferential, as well as other elements. Although the opening of a “formal investigation” does not directly imply the EC believes there are violations, it does note it has concerns on a range of issues related to the restructuring plan.
Boeing has created a new entity to market commercial satellite services to the U.S. government and other satellite users. Part of the Boeing Space & Intelligence Systems Div., the new unit—Boeing Commercial Satellite Services—should help the company take advantage of robust government demand, especially for communications, according to Craig Cooning, vice president and general manager of BSIS.
Embraer has opened its Florida assembly plant and customer delivery center, a welcome source of jobs on the soon-to-be shuttle-less Space Coast. The $50 million complex at Melbourne International Airport is expected to begin turning out Phenom 100 very light jets later this year. Ultimately, it could employ 200 and turn out eight Phenom 100s and 300s per month.
The Aerospace 2011 specifications table for Unmanned Aerial Systems (Jan. 24/31, 2011, p. 102) incorrectly identified the powerplant for the X-47B Unmanned Combat Air System. Its engine is the Pratt & Whitney F100-PW-220U.
