The Indian Space Research Organization has reached a space sciences agreement with Mongolia and is expected to make another deal with China. Studies related to satellite communications, remote sensing and meteorology, satellite ground stations and mission management are all part of the Mongolian deal. Along with China, Thailand, Pakistan, South Korea, Bangladesh and Iran, Mongolia agreed in 1994 to develop a multi-purpose satellite for Earth observation and telecommunications. That spacecraft is expected to be launched in 2005.
Ionatron Inc. of Tucson, Ariz., and the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory's Directed-Energy Directorate will jointly study the feasibility of demonstrating "laser-induced plasma channel" technologies. The project will use ultra-short, extremely high-intensity laser pulses to produce ionized plasma particles in the atmosphere. These particles or "filaments" create a conduction path--essentially a short-circuit through the air--to route radio frequencies (RF) in a particular direction.
Plans by Thales to reinforce its terrestrial defense electronics business and solidify its foothold in Germany could signal a new round of European defense consolidation, particularly in the fragmented land systems market. Thales Chairman/CEO Denis Ranque said the company would establish a business unit specialized in land and joint air/sea/land systems by pooling existing capabilities in optronics, communications and other areas.
I guess air travel customers are doomed to riding 707 derivatives for the foreseeable future. Double-deckers, dolphin noses, plastic parts and taller windows are the "great leaps forward." Big whoop. Thank goodness for Burt Rutan and his SpaceShipOne. He is actually doing something to boost airspeed for the average Joe.
SpaceX, the California startup that plans to launch a U.S. Defense Dept. satellite on the first flight of its Falcon 1 rocket this year, intends to fly a bigger rocket next year that it says can cut the cost of orbiting payloads to $1,300 per lb. Dubbed the Falcon V, the new vehicle will carry five engines and offer "true engine-out reliability." SpaceX says the Falcon V would be able to launch more than 9,200 lb. of payload to low-Earth orbit, protected on ascent by a 13.1-ft. fairing. The company plans to charge $12 million per flight, plus range costs.
Although key technologies remain to be proven, the Pentagon's effort to develop a miniature kill vehicle (MKV) for its ballistic missile interceptors could provide the first significant enhancements to the U.S. ballistic missile defense system to counter advanced threats.
Leaders of the U.S. Air Forces in the Pacific are involved in a careful balancing act, trying to expand regional ties while at the same time dealing with the high operational pace in the area that is taxing materiel and personnel.
Japan has settled for a $775-billion budget for fiscal 2004, a bare 0.4% increase over last year, that includes a 1% increase to $46.2 billion in defense procurement. But as Japan takes on a new role in international peacekeeping by sending troops to Iraq, that increase won't be reflected in higher rates of aircraft procurement, although procurement spending will increase by 5% to $7.55 billion. The program includes $1 billion to introduce Japan's upgraded missile defense program of Patriot PAC3 and Standard Missile SM-3s.
USN Rear Adm. (lower half) Donna L. Crisp has been named assistant to the chief of naval personnel for Sea Warrior, Norfolk, Va. She has been deputy chief of staff for shore base management for the U.S. Pacific Fleet, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Rear Adm. (lower half) Rosanne M. Levitre has been appointed director of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance for FORCEnet in the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations at the Pentagon. She has been director for intelligence for the U.S. Pacific Command. Rear Adm. (lower half) (selectee) Martin J.
NASA still has at least 25 more space shuttle missions to go before it retires the venerable vehicle, but the agency and its contractors are shifting gears quickly to begin developing a replacement in the wake of President Bush's call for a return to the Moon.
Thailand's government says work on a third and fourth runway for the New Bangkok International Airport should start immediately, and not a year and a half after the facility opens, as is now planned. Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has directed Airports of Thailand to complete the design so construction can begin by year-end. A 15-billion-baht ($384-million) budget has been allocated for the runways, and Thaksin fears a later start date will push up costs.
A scrape with financial disaster can have a profound effect on a company, and more evidence is emerging that AMR Corp.'s brush with Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection last year put American Airlines on a course that can only do the carrier good.
SES Global will expand a new transoceanic satcom unit--in large part to meet additional demand from Connexion by Boeing. The SES unit is intended to link the various SES continental affiliates, enabling them to offer seamless global service. It was created last year under the code-name Cross Links, with four ex-Columbia Communications satellites formerly owned by SES Americom, to serve government and high-volume corporate customers (AW&ST July 21, 2003, p. 32).
Ervin T. Kiriu has been named vice president-programs in the Gaithersburg, Md.-based Electronic Systems Group of DRS Technologies Inc. Kiriu was vice president-strategic programs of L-3 Communications' Ocean Systems Div. Donald G. Flodin has become vice president/general manager of DRS Electric Power Technologies, Hudson, Mass. He held the same position at Satcon Applied Technology.
Boeing and the three Japanese partners on the 7E7 project have agreed on a price of 240 billion yen ($2.26 billion) for their participation in the development of the mid-sized jet, according to officials in Tokyo. The amount is said to be about 30% of the 7E7's total development cost.
Hamilton Sundstrand Power Systems has received orders from South African Airways for APS 3200 auxiliary power units for 26 Airbus A319/A320 aircraft that are on firm order and the 13 A320-series aircraft that are on option. Also, ExpressJet Airlines has selected Hamilton Sundstrand to provide repair and inventory support for the air management system on its Embraer ERJ135/145 regional jets, under a 12-year agreement. Hamilton Sundstrand will support the current fleet of 223 aircraft, and up to 274 aircraft by mid-2006.
Loral Space and Communications says it will be able to begin limited service of its Telstar 14/Estrela do Sul 1 satellite in March, despite the fact that one of its two solar arrays only partially deployed after its Jan. 10 launch on a Zenit-3SL. The company said it is generating enough power to operate a minimum of 17 K u-band transponders (out of 42). That will meet demand of current customers and the Brazilian government. The A2100 satellite is insured for partial and total losses up to a maximum of $250 million.
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency wants to develop a massive air vehicle that could carry 500 tons unrefueled over extremely long distances or within a combat region. The Walrus air vehicle is expected to be using lighter-than-air gas buoyancy, but wouldn't qualify as a lighter-than-air vessel because it would also rely on aerodynamic and propulsion methods. The goal is to carry a ready-to-fight Army "Unit of Action"--the service's new, below-division-size combat force--to a battle area. Walrus would have the capability of landing on unimproved sites.
Fresh from launching of its newest telecom satellite, Russian Satellite Communications Co. is now poised to orbit another as part of the second phase in its fleet renewal program (AW&ST Sept. 15, 2003, p. 27). Alcatel Space last week delivered the payload for AM11, a 38-transponder K u/C-band unit, to bus supplier and integrator NPO PM--the seventh spacecraft on which the two companies have collaborated. AM11 is to be launched in the second quarter on a Proton booster.
With its annual EBACE business aviation show firmly on the global aerospace calendar, Europe is now turning its attention to creating a viable helicopter exhibition. On Oct. 5-7, Geneva's Palexpo Center will play host to International Heli Trade. Sponsors hope it will become Europe's answer to the annual Helicopter Assn. International (HAI) event in the U.S. HAI may help organize and publicize the new show, as the National Business Aviation Assn. has done with EBACE, which is held at the same venue.
To get out of the tanker mess and save everyone a ton of money, the U.S. should offer to trade new Boeing C-17 military transports for an equivalent value of new Airbus tankers. This would help everybody, except the A400M transport's design team.
Hellenic Aerospace Industry will join France's uninhabited combat air vehicle technology demonstrator program led by Dassault Aviation. DGA French armaments agency and Greek defense officials signed the agreement on Jan. 19, while negotiations with more countries are continuing.
Eiichiro Sekigawa (Tokyo), Michael Mecham (San Francisco)
An unusual string of cracks that raises reliability issues with the Pratt & Whitney JT8D-200 series has hit the MD-81/-87 fleet of Japan Air System. More than half the fleet has been grounded and its domestic flight schedule thrown into chaos.
