Some 2,500 space professionals from around the world gather this week in Valencia, Spain, for the 57th International Astronautical Congress, which comes amid a flurry of activity in orbit and beyond that could set the tone for space cooperation for generations. Hard on the heels of NASA Administrator Michael Griffin's historic visit to China, top U.S. and Chinese space officials are scheduled to present updates on their programs at "late-breaking news" gatherings designed to supplement the more formal sessions.
The European Union has established harmonized aviation security measures after several weeks of disagreement and disparate rules throughout the 25 member states. The agreement, to take effect next month, was applauded by airlines. It limits the quantity of liquids that can be brought on board and the size of carry-on baggage.
Budget constraints are causing the French government to trim its spending plan for NH90 helicopters in 2007. But the government's support is not wavering for the PA2 future carrier, despite program uncertainties. The decision to reduce to 12 helicopters the originally slated purchase of 34 NH90s for the army is the biggest shift in the government's €15.9-billion modernization plan for 2007.
Vietnam Airlines is facing its biggest transformation yet, as the country's economic growth pushes it into rapid expansion mode and structural changes. The carrier plans to boost its fleet by around 50%, join one of the international alliances and prepare for at least partial privatization--all by 2010 or earlier. The carrier also aims to greatly expand its network with more destinations in Europe, Asia and its first flights to the U.S.
VneshTorgBank (VTB), which recently acquired a 5.02% stake in EADS, seeks to obtain a greater share in the European aerospace-defense group and hopes to achieve a blocking minority as well as a board seat. VTB's staggering initiative is creating a serious embarrassment for EADS's shareholders (including the French government) and have placed the company's top executives in an awkward position.
Virgin Atlantic Airways Chairman Richard Branson plans to increase pressure on the aviation industry to cut aircraft engine carbon emissions and fuel use as part of his larger campaign to fight global warming. Branson said at a New York press conference that he has written to leaders at other airlines as well as manufacturers, asking them to join an "industry forum" to help brainstorm ways to tackle global warming. He wants to accelerate the work toward "continuous descent approaches" for aircraft and improve air traffic control efficiency.
The U.S. Congress has been notified of the possible sale of two MQ-9 Predator B unmanned aerial vehicles to the British Defense Ministry to support its forces in Afghanistan.
Airlines that serve Chicago O'Hare Airport will be allowed to buy, sell, lease and otherwise deal in arrival slots through Oct. 28, when the two-year-old FAA flight-operations order intended to control airport congestion expires. The order permits slot exchanges only in one-for-one swaps, subject to FAA approval. Deals concluded in October will be honored as O'Hare operations come under a newly passed FAA rule, starting Oct. 29.
Niel Ransom, a former chief technology officer of Alcatel, has been appointed to the board of directors of Applied Micro Circuits Corp, Sunnyvale, Calif.
The highest-ranking political and military officials of the Air Force are calling for the formation of a new service command to oversee computer network defense and attack capabilities. Secretary Michael Wynne and Chief of Staff Gen. T. Michael Moseley have asked their top commanders to come up with a plan for the new command by mid-October, with a standup next spring. It will "integrate the full range of global effects across the entire electromagnetic spectrum and networked system," according to a Wynne/Moseley memo. Air Combat Command chief Gen.
I could not agree more with Garrett Hoffman's letter "Engineering Left Behind" (AW&ST Sept. 18, p. 6). But I would suggest the problem is broader than the quality of our schools or the lack of encouragement of our students, and goes directly to the state of aeronautical research.
Michael Springman (see photo) has become chief information officer for the Northrop Grumman Corp.'s Reston, Va.-based Mission Systems Sector. He was its director of battle command.
Bernardo Higuera (see photos) has been named a principal engineer at The Aerospace Corp., El Segundo, Calif., and will be chief engineer of the Launch Directorate within the Planning and Communications Div. He was systems director of the Mission Assurance and System Engineering Dept. Keith P. Zondervan has been promoted to associate general manager of the Missile Defense Space Systems organization in the Space-Based Surveillance Div. from principal director of the company's STSS organization.
Boeing has installed the final Block E avionics modification kit on the U.S. Air Force's 67 B-1B bombers as the final act in a five-year program to improve computer hardware, software and weapons delivery capability. The service plans for another 40 years of life from the aircraft. The kit links the bomber to the Global Information Grid, which can provide targeting and threat warning data around the world. The package also improves standoff capability by integrating the Joint Standoff Weapon, Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile and Wind-Corrected Munitions Dispenser.
By extension, Air Force Secretary Michael Wynne's comments on focused microwave beams could be taken to mean our military dare not kill its enemies because we don't kill our own people (AW&ST Oct. 2, p. 21). That is not what I would call a warrior mentality. An enemy exposed to focused microwave beams not cleared for use by U.S. law enforcement would "cry out that [we] have hurt them medically," would they? Hasn't Wynne heard that "hurting" the enemy is the whole point? What a pity that our enemies don't observe such niceties.
America's top aerospace managers are predicting that a $10-12 billion per year "tax" or deduction from next year's defense budgets of both the U.S. Air Force and Navy--in order to rebuild the Army's war fighting capability--will slash acquisition, drive up the cost of surviving programs and leave only a few new areas for them to compete over for new business.
Germany's new dual-use high-resolution radar satellite, TerraSAR-X, is once again poised for liftoff, following the issuance of a preliminary launch report suggesting its Dnepr booster will soon be cleared for launch.
Engine Alliance GP7200 high-bypass turbofan engines powered Airbus A380 MSN 009 on its first flight, in late August. The General Electric/Pratt & Whitney engines have a thrust rating of 70,000 lb. each. Certification for the A380 equipped with Rolls-Royce Trent 900 engines is expected within a few months. Airbus has accumulated more than 2,000 hr. in the A380 flight test program. The French company has orders for 159 A380s, with 25 of those in the freighter version. Flight report begins on p. 48. Airbus photo by Herve Gousse.
Alliant Techsystems (ATK) has tested a thermally throated ramjet combustor at speeds from Mach 3.7-5.3, logging 23 min. of hot time on the flight-weight, fuel-cooled rig at NASA's Langley Research Center. With the design demonstrating "wide throttleabilty" across its simulated flight regime, the company has moved into freejet tests of a complete fuel-cooled engine. ATK hopes to apply the technology in vehicles ranging from air-to-ground missiles to air-breathing space launchers.
FEATURES Israel hits 18 Israel assesses how well its tanks survived Hezbollah attacks during the recent fighting in Lebanon. future soldier 20 The U.S. Army Land Warrior is nearing fielding, and comparable European programs are close behind. euro frigate 28 With design differences resolved, France and Italy see smooth sailing for their planned multi-mission frigate.
Lufthansa and Aeroflot are poised to make widebody fleet purchases, after having first decided to take action to bolster their short-haul capability. Lufthansa started by making a decision on how to replace its 62 aging Boeing 737 Classics--it bought five Airbus A319s, 10 A320s and 15 A321s and secured another 30 options for A320 family aircraft. The choice is no surprise, as Lufthansa already operates a large A320 fleet. Last week's order also includes five A330s to complement 10 now in service.
Boeing added orders for 16 787s and 30 737s last week, but didn't identify the buyers. The orders raise the company's overall net sales this year through Sept. 19 to 632 aircraft, including 477 737s and 102 787s.
Joseph C. Anselmo misses an important point in his article concerning defense systems against short-range ballistic weapons (AW&ST Aug. 7, p. 30). Laser-based systems such as Skyguard and kinetic systems like Phalanx are not interchangeable for certain missions. Phalanx is an excellent, proven system, but it is not suitable for use in urban environments due to the amount of ordnance that it puts downrange. In such an environment, a directed-energy system is the only choice if casualties and damage on the ground are to be limited.
Telesat plans to proceed with an intial public offering, dashing expectations for now that a new round of satellite operator consolidation might be in the offing.
One factor in NASA's choice of Lockheed Martin as prime contractor for the $8-billion Orion crew exploration vehicle (see p. 36) was confusion over just how the losing Northrop Grumman/Boeing team works. When they teamed up to bid on NASA's new fleet of exploration vehicles--two rockets, the Orion vehicle, a lunar lander and eventually habitats, rovers and other lunar-surface gear--the two aerospace giants agreed to switch off taking the lead in the different competitions (AW&ST Jan. 2, p. 79).
