The Bigelow Aerospace project to privately develop inflatable Earth-orbit space modules is beginning to integrate diverse U.S. and European technologies into subscale and full-scale inflatable test modules and subsystems at the company's heavily guarded facilities here. While much public attention is focused on the massive International Space Station (ISS), Bigelow has quietly become a mini-Skunk Works for the NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC).
At the same safety conference, Boeing Commercial Airplanes President and CEO Alan Mulally told 350 government and industry officials that safety and security can't be treated as separate issues in commercial aviation. The industry is starting a long-term journey to make commercial aviation more secure, he says. "I still can't believe a commercial airplane was used as a weapon. It is incomprehensible to me after dedicating my entire life to making capable and safe airplanes," he says.
Arianespace has concluded an agreement to launch a dedicated satellite to serve the growing appetite of airline passengers for inflight broadband and broadcasting services (see p. 38). The satellite, known as AirTV 1, is to be launched in 2007 over the North Atlantic.
The threat to the U.S. from an electromagnetic pulse (EMP) still exists, but the main concern has shifted from megaton weapons to low-yield, duffle-bag-size nuclear arms. To generate an EMP, a nuclear weapon has to explode at high altitude (25-250 mi.) where it interacts with the Earth's atmosphere, ionosphere and magnetic field, creating a pulse of energy that disrupts or destroys electronic systems and electrical infrastructure for ranges of hundreds of miles. The official report from the Commission to Assess the Threat to the U.S.
The Mars Exploration Rovers are back in action after about two weeks of hibernation while the Sun blocked effective communications, and winter conditions on the planet gave little excess energy. NASA last week gave the project more energy by funding another six months of operation through March 2005. On Sept. 22, the rover Opportunity drove to a rock in Endurance Crater and placed its robot arm to take scientific measurements. Spirit was more relaxed, just taking remote sensing data. During hibernation on Sept.
The U.S. Coast Guard does plan to utilize small unmanned aerial vehicles, but has stated no plans for Cyber Aerospace's Air Scouts (AW&ST Sept. 13, p. 78).
Northrop Grumman's $400-million contract from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory as lead company for initial development of the NASA Jupiter Icy Moons Orbiter (JIMO) will propel the corporation into major new technology work tied to the most advanced space mission operations of early 21st century. By defeating Boeing and Lockheed Martin in the Prometheus JIMO competition, Northrop Grumman has carved out a leadership role in advanced planetary mission design and propulsion.
UNITED STATES Editor-In-Chief: Anthony L. Velocci, Jr. [email protected] Managing Editor: James R. Asker [email protected] Assistant Managing Editors: Stanley W. Kandebo--Technology [email protected] Michael Stearns--Production [email protected] Senior Editors: Craig Covault [email protected], David Hughes [email protected] NEW YORK 2 Penn Plaza, Fifth Floor, New York, N.Y. 10121 Phone: +1 (212) 904-2000, Fax: +1 (212) 904-6068
The Singaporean fighter competition is emerging as a significant driver in forcing the British government and BAE Systems to reach an agreement on a contract for Tranche 2 of the Eurofighter Typhoon. The final quarter of 2004 will see Singapore focus on commercial aspects of its fighter selection, including detailed pricing. The cost of the Typhoon offer will need to be predicated on a Tranche 2 aircraft, which in turn requires the government and industry to reach agreement.
RainStorm, a new software package, will pinpoint locations of targets for precision munitions as a tool for command-and-control or air operations centers. It is Northrop Grumman's much higher speed follow-on to the RainDrop program that has been in use for several years. The algorithm combines intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance and precision engagement data from many sources to produce 3D coordinates. Height of the target had long been an element missing from such calculations.
William Bonder has been named vice president-supply chain management for the Eclipse Aviation Corp., Albuquerque, N.M. He was executive director of global sourcing and supply chain for Gerber Scientific.
Paul Graziani, president/CEO of Exton, Pa.-based Analytical Graphics Inc., has been elected to the board of directors of the U.S. Geospatial Intelligence Foundation.
Harold C. Simmons has become vice chairman of the Denver-based Titanium Metals Corp. He also is chairman of Valhi Inc. and chairman/CEO of NL Industries Inc.
The European/U.S. Cluster constellation of space weather satellites--Rumba, Salsa, Samba and Tango--has directly detected the Kelvin-Helmholtz instabilities (KHI) that occur when the solar wind blasts past the Earth's magnetic field. The resulting eddies may explain how charged particles from the Sun find their way into Earth's magnetosphere when the magnetic fields of the Sun and Earth are aligned. When they aren't, the phenomenon known as magnetic reconnection allows the particles into the magnetosphere to create auroras at the poles. On Nov.
The Pentagon's newly unveiled plan for fostering international participation in its missile defense program calls for significant partner cost-sharing as well as new agreements, which some argue represents too high a barrier-to-entry.
In his letter, Paul Havis, a 777 captain flying ultra-long-range (ULR) operations, objects to being held responsible for what happens while he is off the flight deck, even asleep, because his company does not staff the flight with a relief captain--just a type-rated first officer (AW&ST Aug. 16, p. 6).
Russian aircraft manufacturer Irkut Corp. is internally funding development of the Yak-130 advanced jet trainer/light attack aircraft in an attempt to hasten the speed of the program. Irkut took a majority stake in Yakovlev earlier this year.
ELECTRONIC CONTROL SECURITY INC. WILL INSTALL SYSTEMS using a variety of passive infrared and video technologies to protect classified U.S. Air Force installations from unauthorized entry or access. The Clifton, N.J.-based company specializes in perimeter security solutions for military and homeland security needs, including tactical automated sensor systems for rapid deployment to forward bases and remote-controlled aerial surveillance.
Senior Editor Craig Covault (left) and Robert T. Bigelow, founder and president of Bigelow Aerospace, examine shielding for the interior of Bigelow Nautilus inflatable space modules. Covault and AW&ST photographer William G. Hartenstein were given exclusive access to Bigelow's complete inflatable module facility in North Las Vegas, Nev. Bigelow is initiating a $50-million "America's Space Prize" to spur development of a commercial manned orbital vehicle following the X-Prize suborbital competition. See p. 54.
In the cat-and-mouse game of responding to transport-aircraft initiatives, Airbus' stated views on the Boeing 7E7 shed little light on what the company plans to do. But the European giant is working behind closed doors on its main option, an extensively upgraded A330-200.
World airline passenger traffic is expected to rebound this year with 6.2% growth, according to the Inter- national Civil Aviation Organization. ICAO forecasts continued expansion worldwide, with 5.4% growth in 2005 and 5.2% in 2006. The Asia-Pacific region's projected 8.5% growth, the highest rate this year, is attributed to the region's quick recovery from the outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome. ICAO predicts Asia-Pacific will have 6.8% growth in 2005 and 6.4% in 2006.
National Institute for Aviation Research (NIAR) has signed a five-year, renewable lease with Raytheon Aircraft Co. to operate its structural test facility as a full-scale laboratory. NIAR, which is at Wichita (Kan.) State University, will move its aging- aircraft lab to the facility and plans to begin operations Oct. 15. The lab will be available to airframers for structural testing and certification work.
Airbus is using an advanced information technology architecture on the A380 flight deck to deliver enhanced capability now, while making it easy to upgrade the cockpit in the future.
