Russia's huge nuclear complex--much larger than Western experts predicted--coupled with dramatic post-Soviet societal changes, has increased the risk of weapons-grade fissile material being diverted to other nations. To counter that possibility, extensive collaborative programs aimed at protecting this material have evolved quietly but rapidly. Today, hundreds of scientists and engineers are working to improve security at 44 nuclear laboratories, production facilities and storage sites in former Soviet states.
Recent developments at United, Trans World and American airlines evidence the increasing role of cargo in U.S. commercial operations. United will be adding two additional McDonnell Douglas DC-10-30 freighters to the two already in operation. Americanbroke ground on June 10 for a new 7,800-sq.-ft. addition to its cargo facility at O'Hare International Airport in Chicago. TWA is offering two new services, NFO Life, a premium service limited to urgent medical shipments, and Shipper Saver, an economical service offering competitive second-day morning service in the U.S.
The U.S. and Russia should develop a series of constraints on nuclear military operations, parallel with nuclear arms reduction, according to a National Academy of Sciences report. It said operational safeguards are as urgent as warhead reduction, but that negotiations to achieve them should be pursued independently of U.S./Russian Strategic Arms Reduction Treaties (START). Constraints should include dramatically reduced alert levels and the reorientation of nuclear doctrine away from rapid, massive responses, the NAS report said.
One year after the failure of the Ariane 5's maiden flight, the European Space Agency and the French space agency CNES have given the green light for the booster's second qualification flight. But ESA officials are making it clear that given the stakes--and the consequences of a second failure--they will not be rushed.
Gulfstream Aerospace and Bombardier Aerospace, the world's two principal manufacturers of long-range, large-cabin business jets, appear unphased by the entry of yet another competitor: Airbus Industrie.
Transportation Secretary Rodney E. Slater will meet with Japan's Minister of Transport Makoto Koga this week while both are attending the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation ministerial meeting in Canada. Slater is hoping Japan will agree to resume what have been often-contentious talks on a new bilateral air services agreement. Northwest Airlines, one of the beneficiaries of the existing 1952 pact, continues to insist that nothing short of a full ``open skies'' agreement is acceptable.
MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORP. WILL SUPPLY and install a turn-key S-band Doppler weather radar for Singapore's Changi Airport. It will use the algorithms from two U.S. wind shear detecting systems--the Terminal Doppler Weather Radar and the Next-Generation Radar (Nexrad), now called the WSR-88D Doppler radar, according to the company. The contract is Mitsubishi's third order for klystron Doppler weather radars in the Asian market.
The awarding of a B-1B Block-F engineering and manufacturing development (EMD) contract to Boeing by the U.S. Air Force was believed to be imminent last week. The Block-F work--part of the Conventional Mission Upgrade Program (CMUP)--will upgrade the B-1B electronic countermeasures (ECM) suite, including a programmable towed ECM decoy linked to aircraft systems with a fiber-optic cable. The ECM suite upgrade is expected to reduce costs, improve performance, reduce weight and volume, and provide a growth capability.
THE ATACAMA DESERT, 7,800 ft. up in the Chilean Andes, and with the closest terrestrial terrain to that on Mars and the Moon, is being used as a testing ground for Carnegie Mellon's Nomad robot (see p. 58).
Regional Atlantic Coast Airlines is seeking to raise at least $50 million in a convertible debt offering. The carrier, which operates in the eastern U.S. as United Express, will use proceeds of the offering in part to support the introduction of its regional jet fleet. Earlier this year, it ordered 12 50-seat Canadair Regional Jets from Bombardier and is still in talks with United about whether it will operate the aircraft as United Express or on its own.
THE FAA AWARDED NORTHROP GRUMMAN'S NORDEN SYSTEMS a $19.8-million contract for airport movement area safety systems (AMASS) for 20 airports. AMASS processes radar data from the company's ASDE-3 airport surface detection system for ground traffic and ASR-9 airport surveillance radar for landing aircraft. Controllers are alerted to conflicts with audible and visual warnings. Prototypes have been tested at San Francisco, Boston and Atlanta airports.
British Aerospace has joined Lockheed Martin's team in the battle to develop and build the Joint Strike Fighter, a decision which will inevitably lead to a deeper strategic alliance between the two companies.
A Russian Proton booster successfully launched seven Iridium satellites into low-Earth orbit last week, bringing the venture one step closer to its goal of offering global mobile telephone service by the end of next year via 66 satellites. The Proton, launched June 18 from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, utilized the Block DM-2, a version of the Block DM upper stage that was modified for the Iridium spacecraft. The satellites were expected to undergo in-orbit testing and reach their final orbit of 483 mi. in the first week of July.
Another year of normal U.S. trade relations with China is all but certain because Congress is unable to command enough votes to overrule the President. But China watchers say the possibility that the House might register a symbolic vote against could signal serious trouble down the road for U.S.-Chinese commerce. Sentiment against China is deepening on Capitol Hill, they say, and it could build to a crescendo in 1998, especially if Beijing mishandles its takeover of Hong Kong.
Loren Shriver has been named deputy director of the NASA Kennedy Space Center, effective Aug. 15. He has been manager of launch integration for the space shuttle program. James Jennings has been appointed deputy director for business operations and JoAnn Morgan associate director for advanced development and shuttle upgrades. Jennings has been acting deputy director since Jan. 9 and was director of the administration office. Morgan has been associate director of safety and shuttle upgrades.
A ROBOT DEVELOPED BY CARNEGIE MELLON UNIVERSITY and funded by NASA began operations in Chile's Atacama desert last week as a testbed for geological extraterrestrial and remote investigations. Nomad, a wheeled vehicle, will make a 125-mi. trek through the vegetation-free high desert, testing its ability to navigate, explore and do remote science as if it were on the Moon or another planet. On-board sensors, including a 360-deg. panospheric camera, allow Nomad to reason about obstacles and navigate as necessary without operator assistance.
Gary Hart has become president of the fractional ownership program of Raytheon Travel Air of Witchita, Kan. He was vice president-operations for Business Jet Solutions.
SUN JET INTERNATIONAL AIRLINES ceased operations and filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on June 18. Sun Jet provided charter service with two McDonnell Douglas DC-9-51 and two MD-81 aircraft that were leased. The airline owes creditors about $5 million. Gerald Cook, vice president of flight operations, said all but a few of the 180 employees have been furloughed. The company is discussing recapitalization with three groups, and may reach an agreement within the next 30 days, Cook said.
James P. Linse, director of public affairs for the United Technologies Corp. in Washington, has been named chairman of the Aerospace Industries Assn. Communications Council for 1997-98. Cheryl C. Morosco, manager of communication services for the Parker Hannifin Corp., will be vice chair.
U.S. infrastructure is at increasing risk from cyber threats, according to retired USAF Gen. Robert (Tom) Marsh, who heads the President's Commission on Critical Infrastructure Protection. The panel is charged with recommending by mid-October a strategy to protect those infrastructures whose incapacity would have a debilitating impact on the nation's defense or economy.
Hoping to cash in on the growing international demand for radar ground mapping for battlefield, maritime and border surveillance, Hughes Aircraft Co. has packaged a family of sensors in a modular system that can be installed in aircraft as small as business class turboprops and executive jets.
COMPUTER-AIDED DESIGN, MANUFACTURING AND ENGINEERING systems may have a lot of raw power, but they could be left behind by the explosion of Web-borne services or Java-based component technologies that are springing up to serve Intranet and Web users, according to Daratech Inc., a Cambridge, Mass.-based market research firm. CAD/CAM and CAE vendors are creating Intranet and Web offerings for their markets.
