While proving the basic Falcon-line design and hardware, the Falcon I also is meant to illustrate the Defense Dept. objective of new low-cost rapid turnaround launch capability, by lofting the 250-lb. U.S. Navy TacSat-1 spacecraft for a list price of $5.9 million. This compares with the $20-25-million launch cost for a similar payload on a Pegasus air launched booster (AW&ST Aug. 25, 2003, p. 56). In reality, SpaceX Chairman and CEO Elon Musk is charging the Defense Dept. only $3-4 million for the first flight, given its higher risk.
Inspection and repairs to the rudder speed brake actuators on NASA's three remaining space shuttles may not have as severe an impact on return-to-flight planning as originally feared. William Parsons, the shuttle program manager, said Hamilton Sundstrand, which built the massive mechanisms that open the twin brakes on the shuttle tails to slow it before landing, believes it can inspect and refurbish the actuator gears in time to support a spring 2005 mission.
Malaysian low-fare carrier AirAsia has appointed Credit Suisse First Boston and Sajura Merchant Bankers to manage the airline's planned initial public offering on the Kuala Lumpur stock exchange in the fourth quarter.
For a nation that builds a lot of offshore runways, another 20-30 years of sinking for Kansai International Airport in Osaka Bay is a dim prospect, but that's the prediction. Built on a man-made island with a sea-footing that has been described as firm as mayonnaise, Kansai has been sinking ever so slightly since it opened in September 1994. The owners report it has dropped 12.18 meters (39.95 ft.) since it opened.
Robert S. Tyrer has been appointed to the board of directors of the New York-based EDO Corp. He is president/chief operating officer of the Cohen Group and a former Defense Dept. chief of staff.
Steven T. Schorer, who has been president of the Electronic Systems Group of DRS Technologies Inc., Parsippany, N.J., now heads its C4I Group. Fred L. Marion, who has been president of the Electro-Optical Systems Group, now heads the Surveillance and Reconnaissance Group. David W. Stapley, who was president of the Flight Safety and Communications Group, has been named senior vice president-international business development/government relations and president of DRS Technologies Canada Inc.
The U.S. Transportation Dept. tentatively chose US Airways over American, Continental and Delta for a newly available third-country code-share opportunity--the fourth--between the U.S. and Israel. American, Northwest and United are incumbents, partnered with Swiss International, KLM and Lufthansa, respectively. In addition, Delta code-shares with El Al and Continental operates nonstops from Newark.
The Transportation Security Administration is moving ahead with the Computer Assisted Passenger Prescreening System (Capps II), but some members of Congress question whether it will be effective even if privacy concerns are resolved.
John F. Lenihan, William P. Leahy and Michael D. Robinson have been named federal security directors under the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) at Washington Dulles International Airport, Philadelphia International Airport and Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport, respectively. Lenihan was director of the Container Security Div. at U.S. Customs and Border Protection, while Leahy was deputy FSD for Hanscom Field and Worcester Regional Airport in Massachusetts. Robinson was assistant TSA administrator for aviation operations.
Managers charged with fielding complex space systems-of-systems may sidestep traditional program startup problems attributed to enterprise systems' incompatibilities, thanks to a new "middleware" package that translates engineering and product data formats.
I must take umbrage at your recent editorial "Let Failing Airlines Fail." As an employee of United Airlines, I disagree that United is "back on a glidepath to oblivion." Since Sept. 11, 2001, I have watched United reduce its head count by almost 40,000, drastically cut costs and become a much leaner, more efficient carrier. Most of this efficiency has come from the increase in productivity from the employees, who have endured drastic changes to their contracts.
Boeing employees Shreekant Agrawal, Viet H. Nguyen and Lawrence Y. Dong have won Asian-American Engineer of the Year awards. Agrawal, an engineering manager for Boeing Integrated Defense Systems (IDS), Huntington Beach, Calif., and a Boeing technical fellow, is considered an expert in high-speed aerodynamics. He oversees development of technology and tools, and promotes common processes and best practices among Air Force Space Systems programs.
Thomas Stuger (see photo) has become chief executive for products and services for Lufthansa Technik, effective Nov. 1. He will succeed Gerald Gallus, who will be retiring. Stuger heads the aircraft maintenance division in Frankfurt.
Suzanne Scharton (see photo) has been promoted to general manager of Signature Flight Support's Santa Barbara, Calif., facility from client service manager at company headquarters in Orlando, Fla.
India and the U.K. intend to ink this week the industrial contract covering the purchase of 66 BAE Systems Hawk advanced jet trainers, following the recent signature of a memorandum of understanding covering the sale. The two governments okayed the MOU Mar. 20, paving the way for final contract closure, in a deal estimated to be worth $1.5 billion.
Another sign the economy is recovering: Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI) expects to resume growth this year, says Chief Executive Moshe Keret. "2003 was IAI's toughest year in the economic slowdown [in place] since 2000." The weak commercial market and additional cuts to Israel's defense budget led to a drop in revenues of 11% last year, to $1.87 billion; net profit was $15 million, a decrease of 54%. Backlog stagnated at $4.5 billion before receiving the recent Indian air force $1.5-billion order for three early-warning airborne systems.
Jim Banke has been appointed director of communications for the Colorado Springs-based Space Foundation. He was senior producer in the Cape Canaveral Bureau for Space.com.
The South Korean government will invest 51 billion won ($44 million) this year to help local industry achieve the country's long-sought goal of ranking among the world's top aerospace manufacturing nations. By South Korea's estimate, it currently ranks 15th. Its goal is to be No. 10 by 2010 and No. 8 by 2015.
The Transportation Security Administration is moving ahead with the Computer Assisted Passenger Prescreening System (Capps II), but some members of Congress question whether it will be effective even if privacy concerns are resolved.
V-22 Osprey No. 22 conducted the first air-to-air refueling flights since the program's return to flight almost two years ago. Two test pilots each logged five "dry plugs" behind a KC-130F in flights near NAS Patuxent River, Md. The test unit is in the process of qualifying six pilots to refuel during the day or night. Developmental testing of a retractable probe will begin in early April and is expected to last about three weeks.
Protoflight version of the SpaceX Falcon I privately developed low-cost rocket is checked at the SpaceX plant in El Segundo, Calif. The first-flight vehicle is to be launched from Vandenberg AFB, Calif., by mid-year, to place a U.S. Navy satellite in low orbit for a list price of only $5.9 million (see p. 48). SpaceX photo by Doug Kim.
Another sign the economy is recovering: Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI) expects to resume growth this year, says Chief Executive Moshe Keret. "2003 was IAI's toughest year in the economic slowdown [in place] since 2000." The weak commercial market and additional cuts to Israel's defense budget led to a drop in revenues of 11% last year, to $1.87 billion; net profit was $15 million, a decrease of 54%. Backlog stagnated at $4.5 billion before receiving the recent Indian air force $1.5-billion order for three early-warning airborne systems.
India is expected to test-fire its Agni-III missile this year, which extends the surface-to-surface ballistic missile's range to 3,000 km. (1,900 mi.), according to a senior defense scientist. The original Agni had a 750-km. range; the Agni II was extended to 2,000 km.
Thales is restructuring its air defense and land systems activities amid a flurry of industrial maneuvering that could presage fresh realignment in Europe's missile, armor and naval sectors. Although better known for its expertise in aerospace and airborne defense, the European defense electronics giant has long had a significant presence in other areas. About 25% of its annual sales of 10 billion euros ($12 billion) are generated in the land systems sector, and about 20% in the naval segment.
