The NASA/Lockheed Martin Jet Propulsion Laboratory Mars Odyssey spacecraft is undergoing initial checkout in interplanetary cruise after its successful launch from Cape Canaveral on board a Boeing Delta II booster on Apr. 7. The liftoff occurred at 11:02 a.m. EDT after a flawless countdown that enabled launch at the opening of a 1-sec. launch window. Solar array deployment was normal. Odyssey is now to make its first trajectory correction maneuver in late May, a month later than planned, because of the precise Delta targeting.
The delivery of XM Satellite Radio production design chips to radio manufacturers is another step toward commercial launch of the system scheduled for this summer. The custom silicon chips are designed to receive and decode digital signals broadcast via satellite and ground-based repeaters from the company's studios in Washington. XM plans to offer up to 100 channels of music, news, sports and other programming. The organization's first satellite was launched in March, and the second is scheduled to be placed in orbit next month.
Russia's Siberian and Far Eastern regions are not desirable places to visit or live, and the majority of airports are user-unfriendly. A polar route operator, however, must assess these airports in terms of passenger and aircraft safety in the event of a weather diversion or medical or aircraft emergency.
Pratt&Whitney has finished accelerated mission testing of its JSF119-611 propulsion system for Lockheed Martin's X-35B, freeing the way for full STOVL flight clearance. The test was completed a month ahead of schedule.
Matthew Huff has been promoted to president from vice president-sales and marketing of the Signature Combs Aircraft Sales subsidiary of BAA Aviation, Orlando, Fla. Fred Ahles has been promoted to vice president-New Piper Aircraft sales from regional sales manager.
Intersputnik will deliver Internet access, data transfer and voice service to Germany and elsewhere in Europe through a C-band transponder on its Express-3A satellite at 11 deg. W. Long, leased by KB Impuls Service GmbH. The German company will use its teleport facilities in Berlin to make the Internet connection for the Moscow-based satellite consortium.
Australia's Civil Aviation Safety Authority last week grounded Ansett Australia's 10 Boeing 767s until a special safety check is completed and CASA is satisfied ``the aircraft meet all relevant safety standards.'' Ansett has had repeated safety problems with its 767s--the latest involving incorrect stowage of emergency slides. CASA was to ask Ansett to provide, within two weeks, reasons why its license to operate should not be withdrawn.
India offers hope for aircraft sales but no guarantees. The country's national carriers are deferring aircraft purchases until the government's disinvestment plan is completed, while the country's largest private domestic carrier is actively pursuing fleet expansion.
Robert R. Moore (see photo) has become vice president-production operations of the Sikorsky Aircraft Corp., Stratford, Conn. He was an aircraft products, aircraft systems and operations executive at Hamilton Sundstrand.
Michael Kipp has been appointed engineering director for international partnerships and planning, Chris Boardman director for the U.K. Ministry of Defense Smart Acquisition Process and Denis Lidstone director for the U.K. Smart Acquisition Implementation, all for BAE Systems, Farnborough, England.
In Raytheon Co.'s struggle to put its fiscal house in order, the defense contractor plans to sell the majority of its aviation-support business to Veritas Capital Inc. for $270 million in cash and stock.
General Electric is flight testing the increased-thrust version of its CF34 engine that will power the Bombardier CRJ900, Fairchild Dornier 728JET and Embraer ERJ-170.
Singapore Airlines (SIA) Deputy Chairman and CEO Cheong Choong Kong predicts very large commercial aircraft will become an important element in numerous fleet plans, despite apparent hesitation by most major carriers to order the Airbus A380 superjumbo jetliner. Widespread use of super-size jetliners is ``inevitable,'' he said. ``Despite Boeing's discouragement, such aircraft are badly needed because of all the congestion on the ground and in the air.''
Taking a cue from Wall Street, the U.S. Army is contemplating establishing a venture capital fund to finance promising technologies. The initiative is being examined in large part because service officials hold out little hope of getting additional money.
Continental Airlines pilots are expected to vote 60% in favor of having their union--the Independent Assn. of Continental Pilots (IACP) merge with the Air Line Pilots Assn. (ALPA), according to sources close to both pilot groups. ALPA declined to comment on the possible outcome of the vote. Both unions agreed to the merger on Dec. 12, and ballots were mailed to Continental and Express pilots on Mar. 12, and are to be counted on Apr. 12. A yes vote will reunite Continental pilots with ALPA, which represented the group until the early 1980s.
Boeing's Delta IV integrated stage assembly completed a 145-sec. hot-fire test at NASA's Stennis Space Center last week, simulating several events the Delta IV Common Booster Core will experience in flight. Among them were a commanded halt and resumption of the countdown, gimballing the Rocketdyne RS-68 main engine and depletion of the liquid hydrogen fuel. Throttle settings ranged from 58-101% during the Apr. 3 test, which was the third that combined the Delta IV stage and its newly developed engine (AW&ST Mar. 26, p. 44).
Adonias Lucero has been appointed director of quality assurance for Aviation Distributors Inc., Lake Forest, Calif. He was director of quality material contracts.
Japanese agencies are reappraising the Hope-X project in the light of new technology challenges and budget shortfalls. Officials from the National Space Development Agency (NASDA), Institute of Space and Astronautical Sciences (ISAS) and the National Aerospace Laboratory (NAL) said here that the three agencies planned to work together to define a single approach to reusable launch vehicles and to determine the amount of government investment that should be made in RLV projects.
Commercial satellites generated $81.1 billion in revenue across all sectors of the industry in 2000, a 17% jump from 1999, according to the Satellite Industries Assn. A survey of more than 900 companies worldwide found subscription satellite services the largest revenue producer at $31.4 billion, with another $8.4 billion from transponder leasing pushing overall satellite services up 29% over 1999. Satellite ground equipment generated $17.7 billion for its manufacturers, up 11% over 1999, while manufacturing the satellites themselves pulled in revenues of $15.8 billion.
To help its outreach to small businesses and minority institutions, the Air Force has created an Interactive Electronic Mall at www.miairforcemall.org. Qualifying organizations can open a ``storefront'' on the IEM that highlights their expertise, allows them to interact with the military and other businesses, and lets them search for Air Force requirements. The virtual mall was opened in 1999 and expanded recently. The service also helps small businesses at www.selltoairforce.org.
SAirGroup has discounted plans, at least for now, to pull out of charter carrier LTU despite continuing red ink and fierce competition in the leisure travel market. Last week, LTU reported a 224-million-euro ($202-million) loss in 2000, after a 129-million-euro deficit 12 months earlier, and expects ``a rocky road'' ahead this year and next, SAirGroup Chairman/CEO Mario Corti said. The loss was twice as large as had been anticipated.
Sabena Belgian World Airlines' executives will submit a revised recovery plan to SAirGroup and the Belgian government in the next few weeks designed to staunch the carrier's massive losses. Last year, Sabena's deficit climbed to 325 million euros ($292 million) on $2.2 billion in revenues. Paradoxically, healthy traffic growth and a cost-effective fleet could not have prevented the outcome and appears to indicate an outdated strategy that no longer matches mid-size airlines and Europe's deregulated air transportation market.
Space leaders are attempting to refocus Europe's sputtering and fragmented reusable launch vehicle initiative as they grapple with some of the issues that forced the recent reevaluation of the U.S. RLV effort. ``The time is right for reappraisal of Europe's RLV program,'' said European Space Agency launcher director Jean-Jacques Dordain. ``U.S. experience has shown that these projects cannot be market driven. They must be driven wholly by government.''
Lufthansa is facing its first severe pilot strike ever, following the union's rejection of its latest offer. Lufthansa offered a 10-16% wage and bonus package, but the pilots want 35%. The union said it is considering spot strikes--perhaps during the busy Easter holiday season (AW&ST Apr. 2, p. 24).
