Brig. Gen. Jeffrey C. Horne has been promoted to deputy commanding general from deputy commander for operations for the U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command and Forces Strategic Command.
I was quite surprised by the current pre-flight procedures used to determine "fuel aboard" identified in the article "Wrong Dial on ATR 72" (AW&ST Sept. 12, p. 16). In 1956, I began flight training in the U.S. Air Force. I flew B-47s after flight training in Piper Cubs, T-28s and T-33s. In the National Guard, I flew T-33s, F-84s and F-86Hs. In retirement, I mostly fly Cessna 182s. Always, before every first flight and after being refueled, I check the gauges--I was trained, "you never believe them"--and verify the level with a physical check.
The Transportation Security Administration is reviewing a fee-based, private-sector business model for Registered Traveler (RT), a program that lets previously vetted passengers bypass some airport security hassles. Five TSA-run RT pilot programs at airports serving Boston, Houston, Los Angeles, Minneapolis/St. Paul and Washington expired last month, but TSA Administrator Edmund (Kip) Hawley says he is still committed to the concept of easing security demands for passengers who pass a background check and submit biometric data for identification.
Robert P. Dowski has become chief financial officer of the Allied Defense Group, Vienna, Va. He succeeds Chuck Hasper, who resigned. Dowski was senior vice president/CFO of NeuStar Inc.
Maarten (Max) Meerman (see photo) has become industrial reader in space systems at the Surrey Space Centre at the University of Surrey, England, and principal engineer and missions architect at Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd. He has held the Schriever Chair in Space Systems Engineering at the U.S. Air Force Academy.
A U.S. Air Force/Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency satellite is checking the feasibility of orbiting short-lived, low-altitude, rapid-response spacecraft. An Orbital Sciences Minotaur I launcher placed the technology demonstrator payload into orbit at twilight, creating a spectacular sight over Southern California and the Southwest U.S.
Aerospace companies and some of their customers are struggling to deal with a movement to phase out lead and other dangerous metals from electronics products. And they are worried the trend could have a significant impact on their systems' performance.
EADS Astrium has completed assembly of the mirror for the European Space Agency's Herschel space telescope at its facility in Toulouse after four years of work. The milestone moves Herschel a step closer to its late 2007 launch date. The silicon carbide mirror (shown)--the largest ever to built to be lofted into space--will undergo thermal testing and optical characterization in Belgium. It will then be shipped to ESA for integration on the spacecraft, which is to be performed by prime contractor Alcatel Space starting in mid-2006. The 3.5-meter-dia.
The NASA Kennedy Space Center will unveil a management reorganization this week to begin formal conversion of the U.S. manned launch infrastructure to a Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV) launch capability. Inherent in that plan will be a Kennedy potential to launch one or more unmanned test flights of the Crew Launch Vehicle (CLV) shuttle solid rocket motor/SSME upper-stage vehicle before its first manned mission about 2011-12, depending upon winning contractor test plans. The two primary elements of the restructuring will be:
Engineers at NASA's Glenn Research Center already are getting ready to test a key new piece of lunar-exploration hardware in a facility dating back to the Apollo lunar module.
I was horrified to read "The Once and Future NAS" (AW&ST July 4, p. 44) about the complete disregard for the air traffic control system and the controllers using it. No other nation controls as many aircraft as safely and efficiently as the U.S. Its controllers take great pride in the way they use the ATC system to manipulate and orchestrate the daily flow of aircraft.
Canada's Magellan Aerospace has been awarded a $90-million contract by Messier-Dowty to provide assemblies for the nose and main landing gear on the 787. Specifically, the company will develop and manufacture the nose landing gear drag brace and steering assemblies along with the nose and main landing gear torsion link assemblies.
Meanwhile, the Canadian Space Agency selected the Space and Technology Group of EMS Technologies, based in Ottawa, to build the fine-guidance sensor and tuneable filter for NASA's James Webb Space Telescope, which is to succeed Hubble around 2013. Despite an aperture diameter of 6.5 meters, corresponding to a surface seven times bigger than Hubble's, JWST must be accurate enough to be capable of focusing on a dime 100 km. away, according to EMS. The contract has a value of C$26.2 million ($22.2 million).
A three-year ATA Airlines pilots' contract, approved by 59% of the 845 eligible voters, trades deep pay and benefit cuts for stock options and a variable compensation plan. The Air Line Pilots Assn. unit approved pay reductions of 30-40% and cuts in work rules, health care and retirement benefits. Pilot pay is set at 18% below 2003 contract rates until the end of next year. Wages will rise to 7% below those rates by the end of 2008.
Launch of France's first new-generation military communications spacecraft, Syracuse 3a, has been delayed once again, this time for replacement of an element on the Ariane 5 booster that was to send it aloft on Sept. 29. Defense ministry officials say the fault lies in a mechanical component on the electronics bay, which is supplied by EADS Astrium. Syracuse 3a was initially scheduled to be orbited almost a year ago, but has suffered a long string of postponements due to spacecraft delays, launcher availability and problems with ground launch infrastructure.
The Pentagon is being criticized by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) for charging twice for the global war on terrorism and then not being able to show that the money was spent for its intended purposes. A new report says the administration has been increasing the Defense Dept.'s requests by more than $10 billion annually beginning in 2003, but "the military services have lost visibility over these funds and do not know the extent to which they are being used to support [the war on terrorism]."
Unmanned aircraft projects are emerging as the main drivers for European low-observable technology investment. As part of this trend, EADS is completing work on a radar measurement facility that should allow it to boost the stealth characteristics of future systems. Research also is ongoing to improve aircraft visual signatures.
Boeing has completed the firm configuration process for the midsized 787 jet that is due to enter assembly and flight testing in 2007 and see first deliveries in 2008. This milestone signals an end to the aircraft's joint development phase with principal suppliers. "First configuration means the airplane's structural, propulsion and systems architectures are firm," explains 787 General Manager Mike Bair. "They are not changing." Firm configuration is actually broken into components and has been flowing out of Boeing's Seattle Design Center since early summer.
The European Defense Agency (EDA) steering board has backed the organization's effort to establish a non-binding code of conduct to open Europe's defense market to competition among members.
US Airways, which has emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, and America West completed their merger Sept. 27. On the same day, the new US Airways announced a public offering of 8.5 million shares of common stock at $19.30 per share, the stock's closing price that day, and the private placement of $125 million in 7% senior convertible notes due in 2020. Proceeds from the stock sale may be used to buy back warrants held by the federal Air Transportation Stabilization Board in connection with both predecessor airlines' government-guaranteed loans.
Unconfirmed reports--that is, rumors-- making the rounds in European aerospace industry circles contend that Royal Air Force Eurofighter Typhoons, temporarily operating from Nellis AFB, Nev., were able to pick up U.S. Air Force F/A-22s on their radars, stealth notwithstanding. Similar reports appeared during the 1991 Iraq war concerning the ability of British ships, using large radar arrays, to detect the F-117 and, in later conflicts, the B-2. U.S. officials confirm that the Typhoons were at Nellis to fly with the 422nd Test & Evaluation Sqdn.
Following last year's decision by France to establish an Agency for Innovation, the European Commission is now looking at ways to foster critical new technologies. The EC is mulling the creation of a European Technology Institute to serve as a forum for increased exchange between industry and academia--considered a major missing link in the European high-tech chain.
After a stellar run, stocks in companies that specialize in selling information technology services to the U.S. government are starting to cool off. So does that mean the sector's red-hot prospects are dimming? Not exactly.
NOAA AND NASA COMPLETED THE FIRST UNMANNED AIR VEHICLE FLIGHT through a tropical storm on Sept. 16 when Ophelia passed close enough to NASA Goddard's flight facility at Wallops Island, Va., for them to launch an Aerosonde UAV. The 28-lb. UAV with a 9.5-ft. wingspan (see photo) is made by Aerosonde Pty Ltd. of Australia. Research UAVs like this one could presage the use of similar vehicles for routine weather observations during calm conditions or to penetrate hurricanes at low level for the National Hurricane Center, according to researchers.
The U.S. Missile Defense Agency (MDA) is beginning to outline its plans for a multi-billion-dollar space-based midcourse missile-tracking constellation, now that its first two demonstrator payloads are near completion.
