Sverdrup Technology Inc. won a five-year contract worth as much as $1.15 billion to support engineering and science at NASA's Johnson Space Center. The hybrid cost-plus-award fee/firm-fixed-price contract will include engineering products and services for the International Space Station, space shuttle and other spacecraft programs.
The British Defense Ministry and BAE Systems are quietly developing a range of visual and infra-red signature reduction technologies for aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and unmanned combat air vehicle (UCAV) applications in an effort that has included flying demonstrators. In response to questions from Aviation Week & Space Technology, the Defense Ministry is at least partially lifting the veil of secrecy from these efforts.
The U.S. Air Force's chief of staff is expanding his war on "cultural ruts" in the military that inhibit the use of airpower in combat, and this time his target is airlift in Iraq.
Ted Carlson of Mission Viejo, Calif., won the grand prize in this year's Aviation Week & Space Technology annual photo contest with this image of four Michigan ANG A-10s flying over cloud cover. Special section devoted to contest prize winners and honorable mentions begins on p. 44. Following the photos are prize-winning paintings and honorable mentions from the annual juried exhibition of the American Society of Aviation Artists.
General 2nd Place Sean D. Tucker pulls negative Gs in a vertical roll. --David Carlson Valrico, Fla. General 3rd Place A Jenny replica flies over foggy fields. --Jim Koepnick Oshkosh, Wis.
The U.S. Federal Communications Commission has given initial approval for air-to-ground wireless Internet transmissions as early as 2006. The FCC also is taking public comment on inflight cell phone usage. Its action is aimed at expanding the availability of WiFi networks, which passengers are accustomed to accessing in airports. Internet applications are available on a limited basis.
Space 2nd Place Ariane 5 V163 Rosetta awaits launch at the European Spaceport at Kourou, French Guiana. --Stephane Corvaja Paris, France Space 3rd Place Soyuz TMA-3 during its rollout to Pad 1 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. --Stephane Corvaja Paris, France
World News Roundup 15 Boeing, USAF to try again this week for first Delta IV Heavy launch 15 Sukhoi begins to cut metal for Russian Regional Jet 16 Lockheed Martin to start testing of first modernized AT-63 Pampa 17 Two of three shareholders aiming to acquire control of Eutelsat 17 Typhoon Tranche 2 pact signed; no production interruption seen World News & Analysis 20 In counteroffensive, Airbus draws first blood with its A350
Peggy Ferris and husband Keith have worked together as a team in support of his artistic and photographic efforts for more than 50 years. Peggy oversees Keith's reference files, library and collection of more than 50,000 35mm slides. She has traveled extensively with Keith in support of his work for the aerospace industry and the U.S. Air Force.
As it looks forward to the next five years of defense spending, Japan is realigning its procurement with a philosophical shift that recognizes China and North Korea as its biggest threats, accepts a greater military role in international coalitions and regards terrorism as a greater domestic threat.
National security space programs still are recovering from Fiscal 2005 budget debate that left several of them in shambles, and storm clouds already are gathering for Fiscal '06. Air Force officials are scrambling to rebuild the Space-Based Radar (SBR) program, slashed by Congress.
Military 1st Place Special Patrol Infiltration and Exfiltration System self-portraits hang under an Alaska ANG UH-60L. --Mark Farmer Anchorage, Alaska Military 2ndPlace A San Diego-based U.S. Coast Guard HH-60J Jayhawk conducts rescue training in the Pacific Ocean. --Ted Carlson Mission Viejo, Calif.
At least two U.S. cities are vying to host an international aerospace and defense (A&D) trade show that eventually could rival biennial world-class venues such as Paris and Farnborough. However, organizers will have to convince industry executives that a U.S. location offers significant value for less of an investment than is required to participate in major European and Asian shows. Las Vegas and Nellis AFB, Nev., boosters envision a private-public partnership that capitalizes on the Air Force-hosted "Aviation Nation" airshow at Nellis.
Space 3rd Place "Apollo 11 July 20,1969" Oil 18" x 24" KEITH FERRIS, ASAA General 1st Place "Controlled Powered Flight" Oil 28" x 42" KEITH FERRIS, ASAA
Top space shuttle managers will begin spending a lot more time at Kennedy Space Center, Fla., after the first of the year, to prepare the orbiter Discovery for its return to flight. NASA expects the big external tank for Discovery's STS-114 mission to reach KSC on Jan. 6, and shuttle program manager William Parsons won't be far behind.
The Air Force chief of staff, Gen. John Jumper, is calling for a reconnaissance vehicle to operate in "near space"--between 65,000 ft. and 180 mi. altitude--high enough that jet-engine combustion is difficult, but too low to sustain a spacecraft in orbit. "Between the two is no-man's-land," Jumper says. "Persistence is the thing we can do there. So we've invented this term called near space." Jumper and Gen. Lance Lord, commander of AF Space Command, will meet Dec.
Pentagon officials are still assessing why the latest missile defense test failed, but they're pressing ahead anyway with the next round of system enhancements. Last week's failure of the interceptor to fire during the integrated flight test IFT-13C marks a setback for a program the White House wanted to declare operational this year. It was the first test of Boeing's ground-based midcourse missile defense system using the operational Orbital Sciences Corp. interceptor.
Two Eutelsat shareholders are dividing the stake of a third to acquire control of the European satellite operator. Eurazeo, Eutelsat's largest shareholder, and Nebozzo, a joint venture of Texas Pacific Group and Spectrum, are buying Mirror International's 20% share of Eutelsat to gain a total stake of 58%. The shareholders' board--with the approval of the intergovernmental organization controlling Eutelsat--has agreed to remove a clause in the company statutes limiting any single shareholder to 20% of voting rights, and to launch an initial public offer by December 2006.
Asia's biggest A320 purchase this year is by Malaysian budget carrier AirAsia, which reportedly has decided to buy 40 A320s with an option for 40 more. The five-year delivery period will start in January 2006. The A320s will replace the carriers' 18 737-300s and an additional six on lease.
Sukhoi says it is starting to cut metal for six prototypes--four flight test vehicles and a pair of ground test articles--for the Russian Regional Jet program. The Russian government last week said it had allocated 2.7 billion rubles ($97 million) in the 2005 draft budget to provide state guarantees needed for the commercial loans floated to help fund the $600-million development phase.
A French naval Rafale fighter has successfully completed a test firing of the Scalp/Storm Shadow cruise missile against a land target. The test, which included midair refueling of the aircraft by a second Rafale, completes qualification of Scalp on the naval Rafale. The missile has been qualified on the Mirage 2000, and the test campaign for the Eurofighter is underway.
Boeing and the U.S. Air Force will try again this week at Cape Canaveral to launch the first flight of the 235-ft.-tall Delta IV Heavy, following initial attempts that were scrubbed by a combination of bad weather and pad technical problems. The vehicle is framed by its 330-ft. Mobile Service Tower. Planners are looking at Dec. 20-21 as potential dates for the demonstration flight to lift off from Pad 37B on 2 million lb. thrust from three Rocketdyne RS-68 oxygen/hydrogen engines. An initial countdown Dec.
