XM Satellite Radio's space infrastructure is complete with the handing over of the second satellite by Boeing Satellite Systems. The second Boeing 702 spacecraft, launched May 8, has completed in-orbit testing, reached its final orbital position at 85 deg. W. Long. and has begun broadcasting. The first geostationary satellite is positioned at 115 deg. W. Long. A third spacecraft, a spare, has been built and is in its final phases of testing. Start of XM Satellite Radio commercial service is scheduled for later this summer.
Dynamics Research Corp. has won a $4.2-million contract to provide helicopter vibration analysis to the U.S. Army Aviation&Missile Command at the Redstone Arsenal in Alabama.
Japan set an Aug. 25 launch date for the first flight of its new H-IIA booster, an upgrade of the all-domestic H-II that incorporates U.S. and other foreign components. The first vehicle will carry a dummy payload in its flight from the Tanegashima Space Center.
Space weather forecasters hope to improve their accuracy in predicting solar storms with the help of a new space-based X-ray imager that will return a picture a minute of the Sun's ultra-hot corona, giving them a real-time view of the phenomena that lead to communications and power disruptions on Earth and threaten astronauts with high doses of radiation.
Cutting back to reflect the commercial aviation slump, Delta Air Lines will remove 10 aircraft from scheduled service, six by Sept. 1, two more by Nov. 1 and a final two by Dec. 1. This will reduce capacity by 1.4% and cut 2001 capacity growth to 0.3%. Seven of the aircraft will be permanent retirements, among 72 727s that Delta intends to phase out by mid-2005. Delta President Frederick Reid said capacity will be reduced on routes where the slump has hit hardest and where remaining service will be enough to ``retain our traffic and recapture revenue.''
The U.S. Army's interest in lighter-than-air vehicles is growing steadily. The service has been assessing for some time the utility of using such an airship as a cargo hauler, but now wants to pursue a prototype system for long-dwell surveillance. Under the High-Altitude Airship program, the Army Space and Missile Defense Command wants to award a contract for an unmanned, geostationary airship that could carry 2,000 lb. of payload and remain at 70,000 ft. for six months. An operational version should be able to carry five or six times the payload of the prototype.
NASA/Boeing Delta II carrying the Microwave Anisotropy Probe (MAP) lifts off from Cape Canaveral June 30 on a mission to chart minute differences in the microwave cosmic background radiation created a split second after the Big Bang (AW&ST June 25, p. 84). The 1,850-lb. spacecraft, which was developed by the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, was placed into the first of three Earth-phasing orbits each with 2,000-3,000-mi. perigees and apogees between about 186,000 and 218,000 mi.
To the surprise of no one and the relief of many, it looks like United Airlines and US Airways will go their separate, uncertain ways. The carriers said last week they are discussing termination of their May 2000 merger agreement, and US Airways' top executives told employees the merger ``is no longer an option.'' This development changes the near-term future of U.S. commercial aviation by leaving its current structure alone, and it frees the Justice Dept. from having to rule on thorny antitrust issues. It was welcomed by several groups:
Conventional wisdom holds that US Airways' demise is all but inevitable, especially with the collapse of its proposed merger with UAL Corp., parent company of United Airlines (see p. 45). As currently structured, according to ABN AMRO industry analyst Raymond E. Neidl, US Airways' costs are too high to allow it to be competitive against lower-cost airlines.
The European Commission's decision to block the merger of General Electric and Honeywell International could mushroom into a contentious political issue as some U.S. government and industry officials begin questioning what they perceive as diverging U.S. and European antitrust policies. Meanwhile, Honeywell begins the difficult task of trying to re-establish some momentum in the wake of the failed merger. One of the first casualties was Michael Bonsignore, who was replaced as chairman and CEO by former AlliedSignal chief Larry Bossidy.
In an unprecedented move, the Belgian government plans to file a lawsuit for damages against the Swissair Group for not appropriately funding the ailing Sabena Belgian World Airlines.
The U.S. Navy EP-3 recovered from Hainan Island, China, has been delivered to Dobbins AFB at Marietta, Ga. Lockheed Martin and Navy officials expect to have a contract hammered out within two weeks to restore the aircraft to flying status. Once the contract is signed, defense officials have variously estimated the aircraft will be returned to flying status in 3-12 months. A second P-3 has been procured to use as a source of spare parts.
Pierre Fabre (see photo) has been named president/CEO of France-based CFM International. He will succeed Gerard Laviec, who is scheduled to retire on Aug. 30.
HUMAN ERROR IS THE CHIEF CAUSE OF ACCIDENTS involving helicopters flying emergency medical services (EMS) missions in the U.S. According to a report published by the Flight Safety Foundation, from January 1987 to December 2000 there were 87 EMS accidents. Of these, 32 were fatal crashes that killed 96 people. Human error was cited as the cause in 84% of the accidents. In addition, 36 of 87 aircraft were destroyed and another 51 were damaged substantially.
Bioethicist Laurie Zoloth of San Francisco State University sparks a lively debate in the NASA Advisory Council by wondering if the Crew Return Vehicle, halted to help keep International Space Station (ISS) within budget caps, is really necessary. Former Sen. Jake Garn (R-Utah), himself a one-time space traveler, argues the U.S. astronaut corps would be willing to forego the lifeboat.
Ralph W. Shrader, chairman/CEO of Booz, Allen&Hamilton, has won AFCEA's David Sarnoff Award for 2001. The award honors ``sustained personal commitment to enhancing the future of mankind through communications, electronics and information technology.''
The extent of the chill in U.S.-China relations could be known soon when Chengdu-based China Southwest Airlines (CSAL) makes a decision on whether to acquire Boeing or Airbus aircraft for its short-haul domestic routes. There is also concern for other deals, including the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) order for 30 Boeing 737 Next-Generation aircraft, the lease by Hainan Airlines (HAL) of 737 and 767 aircraft and the lease of 737s by Xinjiang Airlines (XAL).
A three-engine Tupolev Tu-154M passenger jet crashed on July 3 near the southern Siberia industrial center of Irkutsk, killing all 136 passengers and nine crewmembers. The aircraft was operated by Vladivostok Avia and was flying from Yekaterinburg, in the Urals region, to Vladivostok, with an intermediate stop in Irkutsk. It was on its approach to the Irkutsk airport at 2:10 a.m. local time in clear weather conditions when the aircraft disappeared from air traffic control radar.
Doug Whitlock, who has been president of Stellex Monitor Aerospace, a subsidiary of Florham Park, N.J.-based Stellex Technologies Inc., has been appointed president of Stellex Precision Machining, Wellington, Kan. He will be succeeded by Bill Waskey, who has been president of Stellex Paragon Precision. P. Roger Byer has been named president/ CEO of Stellex Aerostructures. He succeeds Bradley Call, who has resigned.
General Electric is preparing to begin the latest round of ground tests aimed at securing certification in 2002 for its CF34-8 growth powerplant. Upcoming trials at the company's Peebles, Ohio, site include vibration, turbine stress and turbine assurance tests (left photo).
The race to succeed Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Michael E. Ryan is open again. The Air Combat Command chief, Gen. John Jumper, had been seen by many as all but crowned. But new Air Force Secretary James G. Roche would like to see Gen. Gregory (Speedy) Martin, the commander of U.S. Air Forces in Europe and one of the youngest four-stars, in the job. Still listed as contenders are the vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs, Gen. Richard B. Myers, and Gen. Ralph E. Eberhart, head of the U.S. Space Command. But Eberhart is also in another race--to succeed Army Gen.
June passenger traffic reflected single-digit growth for four U.S. major carriers but fell for United, American, Delta and TWA, compared to June 2000. Air Transport Assn. chief economist David A. Swierenga expects that overall June traffic will be down slightly.
North Korea has conducted an engine test for its Taepo-Dong intercontinental ballistic missile, according to U.S. government officials. U.S. intelligence officials have said they believe Pyongyang has been refining the missile despite North Korea's declared flight test moratorium. The test, late last month, is the first overt sign that development work is proceeding. The only flight test of the Taepo-Dong 1 took place in August 1998.
