Northrop Grumman will use data from a thermal vacuum test of this James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) engineering mockup to validate sophisticated thermal designs for the huge infrared observatory. The company had to use its largest thermal vacuum chamber in Redondo Beach, Calif., to chill the mockup down to temperatures as low as 13K (-435F), simulating the operating environment engineers hope will exist behind the telescope’s sunscreen when it is deployed at the Sun-Earth second Lagrange point (L2). Even so, given the size of the spacecraft and its 72 X 39-ft.
Science Applications International Corp. said it—following BBN Technologies—has received funds from the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency and the Air Force Research Laboratory toward a so-called machine-reading program. The effort “seeks to advance the ability of machines to understand text by bridging the gap between human textual representations and those used by machine reasoning systems,” according to SAIC. BBN Technologies said in late June it was awarded $29.7 million.
The few low-cost carriers that are thriving during this recession have one very useful trait in common—domination of niche markets. Those without this advantage are seeing their prospects tumble just as much as their legacy rivals.
Acknowledging that 53% of its global carbon dioxide emissions come from aircraft, UPS has announced an “aggressive CO2 reduction target” for 2020. Through the use of more efficient aircraft and engines, fuel-saving operations and biofuels, UPS Airlines aims to cut its emissions per available ton mile to 1.24 lb. by 2020, from 1.42 lb. in 2008. This represents a 42% drop between 1990 and 2020, and 20% from 2005-20, UPS says.
In Afghanistan, says Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, there is a critical “need to turn the tide in the next 12-18 months” with a regional strategy that includes cooperation with, and support of, Pakistan. U.S. planners are calculating needed troop levels based on the first 60 days of the surge in Afghanistan. Army Gen. Stanley McChrystal’s task “is to zero-base troop levels and tell us what he needs. He’s doing that as we speak. I can’t tell you how it’s going because I really am anxious to give him time and space to figure this out.
L-3 has received a boost in its price ceiling for procurement of satellite communications terminals, spares, services and support for U.S. Special Operations Command to $117 million from $60 million. The equipment is designated the Special Operations Forces Deployable Node-Medium.
Mullen signed a military cooperation agreement with his Russian counterpart, Gen. Nikolai Makarov, chief of the General Staff, during last week’s Moscow summit (p. 28). And one issue they discussed was the sale of Russian S-300s, also known as SA-10s and SA-20s, as well as other advanced missiles to Iran and Syria. Mullen says the S-300 is “a game-changer” and “a huge concern because of the potential it has.” Speaking about Iran’s development of a nuclear weapon, Mullen says the challenge is the timeframe, which he pegs at one to three years.
The British Airline Pilots’ Assn. (Balpa) is asking the U.K. government to convene a conference on the threat of lasers to flight safety. “The number of incidents of laser beams being shone into aircraft cockpits and temporarily blinding pilots during takeoff and landing has increased dramatically in recent years,” Balpa says in its appeal, noting that there were 206 incidents last year, up from three in 2003.
The first piloted aircraft powered only by a fuel cell flew July 7 at Hamburg. Developed by the German Aerospace Center (DLR), the Antares DLR-H2 is a modified motorglider equipped with a hydrogen fuel cell driving an electric motor and propeller. The fuel cell and hydrogen tank are mounted in pods under the wing of the aircraft, which has a range of 750 km. (466 mi.) and a maximum speed of 170 kph. (106 mph.) with no emissions except water vapor. The fuel cell delivers up to 20 kw. of power, and can maintain level flight on about 10 kw.
The European Space Agency’s Planck cosmic background observer has entered final orbit around the Sun-Earth second Lagrange point, following a final orbital insertion maneuver on July 2. The thruster burns were to be followed by a small touch-up burn later in the week to bring the satellite fully into its planned trajectory. Meanwhile, commissioning activities are proceeding on schedule, prompting engineers to predict a mid-August kickoff for science operations on the spacecraft, launched with ESA’s Herschel infrared observatory on May 14 (AW&ST May 18, p. 20).
Activity is ramping up on the U.K.’s Paveway IV dual-mode guided bomb with clearance trials underway on the Eurofighter Typhoon, and the Royal Navy’s strike wing deploying with the weapon on board HMS Illustrious. The U.K.’s Instrumented Production Aircraft (IPA) 1 is being used for Raytheon Paveway IV jettison tests covering a variety of stores configurations. A total of 15 drops are planned, with three carried out to date.
The U.S. Naval Air Warfare Center and the U.S. business unit of European missile manufacturer MBDA have conducted firings of a Zuni rocket fitted with a semi-active laser seeker. The project is intended to meet a U.S. Marine Corps requirement for a weapon in the Zuni class. The rocket is fired from the LAU-10 launcher that can carry four rounds.
Brian Barrett (see photo) has been named director of repair and overhaul for Crane Aerospace & Electronics’ Aerospace Group , Burbank, Calif. He was president of Triumph Actuation Systems, Valencia, Calif. Honors and Elections
Airports Council International reports that May traffic level was “markedly lower” compared with the same month in 2008. The 8% decline in passenger traffic reflects deteriorating demand due to economic uncertainty and the H1N1 “flu” fears. Domestic traffic was down 7%, and international traffic, 9%—a “direct hit” from the H1N1 virus, says ACI—although it admits it is difficult to pinpoint the degree to which travel was delayed or canceled due to health concerns. The Mexico market was most affected.
Tokyo is considering adding an extra layer to its ballistic-missile defenses as the latest information from Seoul suggests a rising North Korean threat to Japan.
With some choice words, several airlines have jumped into a dispute between the Justice and Transportation Depts. over expanding Star Alliance immunity to antitrust restrictions to Continental Airlines. The new head of the Justice Dept.’s antitrust division, Christine Varney, issued a lengthy rebuke to the Transportation Dept.’s tentative approval of the plan. But the end result is expected to be little more than a footnote to a larger campaign by the Justice Dept. to investigate the use of exclusivity deals by the nation’s telecommunications giants.
A novel neutron detector technology from Sodern promises to significantly improve the ability of airports, drug enforcement agencies, the military and other security organizations to protect against terrorist attacks and illicit trafficking. The technology also underscores efforts by EADS, which owns 90% of Sodern, to develop new products outside its core Airbus business.
Germany has awarded EuroSpike a €35-million ($49-million) contract to supply 311 Spike long-range guided missile systems for its army’s multipurpose guided missile system (Mells) requirement. The system will be installed on the new Puma infantry fighting vehicle as well as equipping ground units and special operations forces. The contract includes an option for another 1,160 missiles worth up to €120 million. EuroSpike, a joint venture of Diehl BGT Defense, Rheinmetall and Israel’s Rafael, was selected late last year for Mells.
Lt. Gen. David Deptula, USAF deputy chief of staff for ISR, says he is chairing a major “summit” on requirements for ground surveillance that could lead to major funding decisions in the next few budget cycles, according to senior service officials. They intend to better articulate and understand needs for collecting, processing and disseminating ground moving target indications (GMTI). Brig. Gen. VeraLinn (Dash) Jamieson says the service is trying for a more holistic approach to GMTI. This means radar is not viewed as the only GMTI solution.
NASA has flight tested an alternate system for astronauts to escape future launch vehicles in the event of an emergency on the launch pad or during ascent. An unmanned launch of the Max Launch Abort System (MLAS) with a mockup crew module took place July 8 at 6:26 a.m. at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Wallops Island, Va. MLAS is a different approach to assuring crew safety than is being used on NASA’s Orion spacecraft.
Expectations are growing that the U.S. strategic posture is due for significant change, as concerns about agreements reached at the recent Moscow nuclear summit mix with anticipated major national security reviews underway at the Pentagon.
Delta and the Virgin Blue Airlines Group are seeking antitrust immunity from the U.S. and Australian governments for a joint venture on U.S.-Australia and U.S.-South Pacific services, and separate approval to code-share on those services and beyond. An immunized alliance could make U.S.-Australia market newcomers Delta and V Australia—Virgin Blue’s international long-haul carrier—more formidable competitors to Qantas, which still dominates the market, and United, which has the second-largest market share.
