Budget and technical realities have led NASA to put its once-ambitious space nuclear power plans on a slow track, but developments in solar power generation should allow new scientific probes beyond Mars to operate without nuclear energy.
USAF Brig. Gen. Kay C. McClain has become deputy director of strategic plans and future systems/deputy chief of staff for manpower and personnel at the Pentagon. She was commander of the Joint Task Force on Sexual Assault Prevention and Response in the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness. Brig. Gen. Stanley T. Kresge has been appointed deputy director for policy and planning at United States Northern Command Headquarters, Peterson AFB, Colo. He has been commander of ACC's 379th Air Expeditionary Wing, Al Udeid, Qatar.
An engine compressor stall has marred the V-22 Osprey's first overseas deployment. The incident caused one of two MV-22s on its way to the U.K. for the Royal International Air Tattoo and Farnborough air show to undergo a precautionary engine swap in Iceland with an engine sent ahead to the U.K. to support the deployment. The other V-22 flew ahead to Britain without incident.
Boothroyd Dewhurst's new version of Design for Manufacture and Assembly (DFMA) software contains iterations of both modules in the integrated DFMA suite: Version 9.3 and Concurrent Costing Version 2.2. The software guides engineers through simplifying a product design, then estimates assembly labor and part manufacturing costs, according to the company. The software isolates the major cost drivers associated with a range of choices for manufacture and finishing.
Technology is the answer. At least that's the prevailing view in the air transport sector as industry officials grapple with increasing demands for "greener" flying.
Tragedy or bathos, there is an undeniable morbid fascination watching a multibillion-dollar company spill blood over strategic missteps. Only weeks after the Airbus A380 claimed a record for escape chute deployment, top management was also making for the emergency exit, voluntarily, or otherwise.
When Henry Hyde retires from the U.S. House of Representatives at the end of the year, Congress will be losing one of its strongest advocates for keeping a tight rein on the transfer of defense technology overseas.
USAF Lt. Col. (ret.) Peter M. McCarthy (Helotes, Tex.)
As a retired military and active major airline pilot, I take exception to the critical remarks by Karl Sutterfield about the Constellation project (AW&ST June 19, p. 7).
You note one of the recommendations for NASA's aeronautics program made by a committee formed by the National Academies of Sciences (AW&ST May 22, p. 23). There are some other intriguing recommendations, such as "the portfolio should be closely aligned with the core competencies of the NASA research centers." If, as many believe, the research centers do not have competencies in areas relevant to future needs, this recommendation is a recipe for technological stagnation.
A more robust shuttle program with demonstrated autonomous repair capability critical for approval of a final Hubble servicing mission and completion of the International Space Station are the big payoffs from the STS-121 mission. The autonomous repair access demonstrated on STS-121 is a "significant step forward" in the decision process for a final Hubble Space Telescope servicing mission, says John Shannon, shuttle deputy program manager and head of the shuttle Mission Management Team.
After prolonged reflection, the French navy thinks it now has a road map for integrating tactical, long-endurance and perhaps armed unmanned aerial vehicles into its operations.
The laser event recorder was developed by Optra in partnership with the Naval Air Systems Command. The device measures, characterizes and documents laser exposures in support of dosimetry requirements for the protection of personnel who could potentially be exposed to laser illumination. The battery-powered device operates for up to 6 hr. against continuous and pulsed laser sources in the visible and infrared portion of the spectrum.
A change in government in Slovakia is casting doubt over plans to sell large stakes in the Bratislava and Kosice airports to operator Flughafen Wien based in neighboring Austria. The new prime minister is opposing the deal, which has passed Austrian anti-trust review. Slovakian authorities are expected to issue a verdict on the deal in mid-August.
Greek air force pilots may undergo jet training in Italy under a plan being negotiated between Rome and Athens, as maneuvering in the European trainer arena continues apace. The arrangement comes as Italian government and industry officials continue to entice Greece to buy the Aermacchi M-346 advanced jet trainer. Italy has already offered a risk-sharing partnership to Hellenic Aerospace Industry.
One Stop Systems, a designer and manufacturer of industrial-grade computing systems, has released Max Express--specifically designed for CompactPci Express. These driverless, high-bandwidth platforms deliver an efficient, economical solution for developing and testing boards, according to the company. The systems are suited for developers in the video, high-speed communications and defense and industrial I/O applications. The 8U and 5U platforms include a 14-slot hybrid backplane and redundant 200-watt power supplies in a 19-in. mount chassis.
Loss of the Insat-4C mission will set back India's bid to register its Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle as a competitor for medium-lift payloads. Preliminary indications are that one of four liquid strap-on booster motors suffered a drop in pressure to zero after the July 10 liftoff. The resulting asymmetrical thrust prompted range safety officers at the Satish Dhawan Space Center to destroy the vehicle as it rose over the Bay of Bengal.
Chris Naro has become chief financial officer and Rob Penrod vice president-manufacturing of Adam Aircraft, Englewood, Colo. Naro was vice president-finance and strategic analysis for Honeywell International's Aerospace Business Unit. Penrod was director of operations for Bell Helicopter Textron.
Paul V. Haack has been appointed to the board of directors and its audit committee of the Esterline Corp., Bellevue, Wash. He is retired lead partner on the Boeing and United Airlines accounts at Deloitte and Touche in Chicago.
A failed second-stage separation ended the first test of India's newest ballistic missile, the Agni III, off the coast of Orissa. Developed by the Defense Research and Development Organization, the two-stage, solid-fueled Agni III has a range of 3,500 km. (2,200 mi.). It is being developed as part of India's Integrated Guided Missile Development Program. The 16-meter (52-ft.) tall, 1.8-meter-dia. Agni III weighs 48 metric tons.
I totally agree with W. Keith Watkins, who says the $100-plus billion it will cost to send man to the Moon and Mars is misguided spending in light of other pressing needs.
Clair Wilde has been appointed director of safety training and risk management for Million Air Salt Lake City. He was a training and safety coordinator for the Defense Dept.
Now in advanced development, the CarrySafe automated trace explosives extraction system for carry-on luggage is due to launch by year-end. Designed to extract and collect particle residue of explosives from suspect carry-on luggage during the airport security screening process, this step is an add-on, not a replacement for the chemical analyzers already deployed. Luggage is placed in the inspection chamber where a flexible adaptive enclosure allows rapid release/extraction of traces of explosives from external and internal surfaces of the bag.
Lt. Gen. Walter Natynczyk has been appointed vice chief of the Canadian Defense Staff. He succeeds Vice Adm. Ron Buck, who is retiring. Natynczyk has been chief of transformation.
