NASA has determined there are "no insurmountable technical or programmatic challenges" to finishing the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (Sofia), but it still hasn't decided to go ahead with the project, despite strong pressure from its German partner. "It is not yet clear whether Sofia represents the best investment of space science funding," says Associate Administrator Rex Geveden, chairman of the NASA Program Management Council, which reviewed the project.
French space agency CNES has approved participation in Sweden's Prisma formation flying mission, to be launched in mid-2008. CNES will be responsible for the radio-frequency metrology package, which will be supplied by Alcatel Alenia Space with support from EADS Astrium (AW&ST Sept. 12, 2005, p. 38). Germany and Denmark are also participating.
DGA said it will issue a 120-million-euro ($150-million) award later this year for a demonstrator to study all-weather operation and other critical future helicopter technologies. The demonstration program will be conducted with Eurocopter and involve its two other home base nations, Germany and Spain. The program will be part of an effort to quadruple R&D spending for rotorcraft applications.
France says it is closer to bringing Germany into its European medium-altitude long-endurance unmanned aerial vehicle initiative, after deciding the U.K.'s Watchkeeper cannot meet the requirement.
USAF also is seeking further advances in aircraft self-protection technology. Under a research effort called the Proactive Infrared Countermeasures (Pircm) program, USAF wants to devise a system that can detect electro-optical and infrared seekers and jam them so missiles can't leave their launchers. Pircm is intended to protect low-flying aircraft and helicopters, which would present situations where the flight times of missiles might be too short for a typical self-protection system to deflect them.
American Eurocopter's UH-145's impressive overall performance, maneuverability and solid handling qualities, combined with its large, easily accessible cabin add up to excellent potential for the U.S. Army's Light Utility Helicopter competition. Army and National Guard pilots will have no trouble transitioning from the Bell Helicopter UH-1 Iroquois and OH-58 Kiowa and will appreciate the increased performance and safety afforded by the twin engines.
Verified Identity Pass Inc., which operates the only Registered Traveler program in the U.S., is partnering with Visa USA and Carlson Wagonlit Travel to offer discount membership in the streamlined airport security program. Verified ID's program in Orlando, Fla., allows frequent travelers who pre-register, submit to a background check and provide biometric identification data to use designated "Clear" lanes at airport security checkpoints, avoiding long lines and delays. More than 23,000 people have signed up for the program.
After $120 million and four years of research and testing, Congress is looking for ways to get the oft-delayed airline passenger prescreening program, known as Secure Flight, back on track. Rep. Robert Simmons (R-Conn.), chairman of a House homeland security subcommittee, plans a closed-door briefing soon with officials of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and other federal agencies involved in the program.
Goddard Space Flight Center is getting started with some early hardware and software orders for the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter planned for launch in October 2008. GMV Space Systems Inc. will supply the FlexPlan mission planning and scheduling tool for implementation and validation of mission and flight rules. The project has tapped Adcole Corp. to deliver coarse Sun sensors.
AgustaWestland will supply the Royal Danish Air Force with an EH101 Merlin cockpit procedures trainer. The air force selected the EH101 in 2001 for use in the search-and-rescue (SAR) and troop-transport roles. Also for the SAR role, the company has signed a deal with Australia's Queensland government for three AW139 medium-twin helicopters.
Lockheed Martin received a $32.7-million competitive contract to deliver additional Paveway II Laser Guided Bomb GBU-10 and -12 kits to the U.S. Air Force, beginning in the fourth quarter of this year. The company's Paveway II system was recently requalified through joint service testing in accordance with Air Force and Navy performance requirements. GBU-12 kits are used on 500-lb. bombs, the GBU-10 and -16 kits on 1,000- and 2,000-lb. bombs, respectively.
The U.S. Marine Corps plans to exercise transcontinental flight capabilities and procedures for the Bell Boeing MV-22 Osprey to deliver the aircraft to 2006 Farnborough (England) air show next month. This will be the first appearance and flight demonstration of the MV-22 at an international show.
The enormous task of returning the shuttle to flight, then retiring it, while shifting the massive infrastructure here to exploration system launchers, is taking its toll on personnel through workload concerns and frustration. Balancing the changes will affect the jobs of about 15,000 aerospace employees at Kennedy Space Center (KSC)--as many people as Airbus employs in Toulouse.
Michael A. Taverna and Robert Wall (Paris), Douglas Barrie (London)
Defense electronics consolidation in Europe missed a beat last week with the decision of Ericsson to sell its military and space operations to neighboring Saab. Finmeccanica had been angling for Ericsson, too, with an eye on further strengthening its Selex defense electronics operations. An Italian acquisition would have helped reduce fragmentation in the European radar market, particularly in the active phased-array arena, where Ericsson, Selex and Thales have competing airborne systems in development.
NASA's Astronaut Office is leading a Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV) cockpit team to define all CEV piloting elements, including a greater software-based automated operating philos- ophy than on any previous U.S. manned spacecraft. The cockpit team, based at the Johnson Space Center (JSC), is refining concepts for instrumentation, computer displays, stowage and myriad habitability issues for the CEV Crew Module (CM) that by 2014 will be the command post for astronauts transiting to the International Space Station and then returning to the Moon about 2018.
USAF wants five C-5Bs fitted and operational with the Northrop Grumman Large-Aircraft Infrared Countermeasures system in Fiscal 2008 and plans to award a production and installation contract next April. The upgrade must be compatible with the ongoing C-5 Avionics Modernization Program and Reliability Enhancement and Re-Engineering Program.
The 7-ton Russian Resurs DK1 remote-sensing spacecraft is undergoing checkout following liftoff from the Baikonur Cosmodrome June 15 on board a Soyuz booster. The spacecraft was placed into a high-inclination orbit, from which it is to provide 3.3-ft. black-and-white and about 7-ft. multispectral image resolution. The spacecraft also carries an Italian astrophysics payload and a Russian-built magnetic-field detector to assess whether minute changes in the Earth's magnetic field can help with earthquake prediction.
Rolls-Royce has been awarded a 110-million-pound ($203-million) contract to ensure engine availability over the next five years for the U.K. Defense Ministry's fleet of RR-powered C-130 Hercules transports, covering 244 engines. This latest nod is incremental to a July 2005 48-million-pound contract for support of the AE 2100 engines on C-130s.
If the U.S. Air Force is going to buy both large and intermediate tanker/transports, why not spend the first five years buying Boeing 777ERFs, then buy 787s when they are in production? USAF can't afford to replace most KC-135s for decades anyway. The 777s would be ideal for refueling bombers and transport aircraft, long-range air bridge missions and carrying cargo. The 787s would represent the latest technology, and their composite structure will minimize corrosion problems during the very long service lives of refueling aircraft.
A U.S. Air Force accident investigation board has concluded that the cause of a C-5B crash near Dover AFB, Del., on Apr. 3 was a series of primarily pilot errors that resulted in the aircraft stalling into the ground. All 14 crewmembers from the USAF Reserve's 512th Military Airlift Wing and three passengers survived. Some were seriously injured. The aircraft crashed and broke into two large pieces about 2,000 ft. short of the runway during an emergency return to Dover.
The Transportation Dept. chose US Airways over Comair for two slot exemptions at Washington Reagan National Airport (DCA) to provide one daily nonstop round trip between DCA and Sarasota/Bradenton, Fla., initially using 72-seat Embraer 170 aircraft. Comair proposed Delta Connection nonstops to Savannah, Ga., using 50-seat Bombardier CRJ200 aircraft.
Michael Girps (see photo) has become vice president/general manager of Jet Aviation London Biggin Hill. He was general manager of Jet Aviation Engineering Services, Spring Branch, Tex. Girps succceeds Stephan Koss, who will become a sales executive at Jet Aviation Basel, Switzerland. Michael Sattler (see photo) has been named vice president/general manager of the Singapore maintenance and fixed-base operation. He was director quality and technical services for Jet Aviation Basel. Sattler succeeds Thomas Rudisuhli, who has left the company.
Teledyne Controls will supply the Aircraft Health Monitoring System for the Navy's P-8A Multi-Mission Maritime Aircraft. Teledyne won the contract from Boeing for an enhanced configuration of its Digital Flight Data Acquisition Unit, which is already flying on about half of the 737 Next-Generation-series aircraft. Los Angeles-based Teledyne is to provide the hardware, software and engineering support for the AHMS.
Singapore Airlines CEO Chew Choon Seng has been appointed chairman of the board of governors of the International Air Transport Assn. He succeeds Robert Milton, chairman of Air Canada.
