Defense Secretary-designate William S. Cohen as chairman of the Senate Armed Services seapower subcommittee could usually be counted on to support major Navy programs, but he raised questions earlier this year about the projected Arsenal ship, an examination of fiscal 1997 SASC hearing volumes reveals. At a March 21 hearing, he fired the first of what would be a year- long barrage against the vessel, which the Navy envisions as a platform for vertically launched missiles.
Expectations are low all over for the "Space Summit" originally called to map a long-term space spending strategy. Mike Mott, a top official at NASA headquarters, raises eyebrows by publicly doubting the White House meeting with congressional officials will produce strong support for human exploration (DAILY, Dec. 11). Jim Muncy, an aide to California GOP Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, tells the AAS meeting in Houston that polling data has revealed no public support for major restructuring of the U.S. space program, including cuts in some programs.
Rene I. Beauchamp has been named director of light helicopter marketing. Beauchamp's focus will be to increase the company's light helicopter market share worldwide in the air medical, law enforcement, utility, executive and public service markets.
Human exploration planners at NASA's Johnson Space Center are eagerly awaiting the results of next year's Lunar Prospector mission, a small Lockheed Martin probe that will map resources over the entire lunar surface for possible human use later. Meanwhile, engineers at Japan's National Space Development Agency (NASDA) and the European Space Agency (ESA) are planning their own robotic lunar landing missions that may also pinpoint promising spots for future moon bases.
AIRWORK, part of Garrett Aviation Services, a business of UNC Inc. has appointed Larry Batchelor to the position of Allison 250 program manager. His duties include the operational and financial functions of the Allison Program for the Millville and Miami facilities. Allyn P. Robinson III has been appointed to the position of vice president and general manager of the Long Island facility. Robinson will report directly to Dave Roy, senior vice president of operations.
MCDONNELL DOUGLAS opened an office in Prague, vowing to place production of parts for its F/A-18 Hornet in the Czech Republic if the nation selects the fighter for its air force. The company opened a similar office in Warsaw earlier this week (DAILY, Dec. 11). Aero Vodochody produce parts for the Hornet in the Czech Republic, and Benjamin S. Park, director for the corporation's new business and industrial participation efforts there, will head the Prague office.
Human space exploration managers at Johnson Space Center are considering a "focused outreach" to industry in search of "breakthrough" technologies that can help send astronauts to Mars early in the second decade of the next century.
FRENCH GOVERNMENT plans to split Thomson SA into two parts, the defense arm and the multimedia arm, in order to sell the company, a Thomson spokesperson confirmed yesterday. Thomson CSF, the company's defense electronics unit, will be put up for sale in early 1997. The government will retain a stake in the company to protect French military interest. Thomson Multimedia, the troubled consumer electronics unit, will be sold after recapitalization by the government.
The U.S. Air Force plans to build several stealthy unmanned demonstrator aircraft in a multi-year development program that would investigate two different concepts for future fighters at a cost of $160 million.
The FAA and Raytheon are meeting daily trying to avoid what could be a schedule slip in the $1.5 billion Standard Terminal Automation Replacement System (STARS) program, according to multiple sources.
Brandon (Randy) Belote has been named director of media relations, Washington. Belote reports to Kathleen Wailes, vice president for corporate communications and investor relations.
Greater commercialization of space activities is seen as one way to help the U.S. pay its share of the enormous costs of moving human exploration beyond low Earth orbit, and the possibilities for doing so will only grow as the pace of exploration continues into the next century.
CVD PRODUCTS Dr. James V. Marzik has been named to head engineering efforts. He will be responsible for maintaining the hightest level of material quality as the company continues to expand into the growing materials market.
Terry Higginbotham has been promoted to director of military helicopter marketing. Higginbotham will head the company's efforts to increase military helicopter sales while working to maintain customer satisfaction with the company's products and services.
BDM FEDERAL, INC. The James S. Cogswell Outstanding Industrial Security Achievement Award has been awarded to BDM Federal, Inc. by the Department of Defense. This award is presented for extraordinary performance as a cleared facility in the National Industrial Security Program.
Janice Olvera has been named assistant director of A-10 systems in the Avionics and Support Department of the Aerospace Electronics and Training Systems Division.
The third satellite in the Inmarsat-3 series is ready for a planned Dec. 17 launch aboard an Atlas IIA rocket from Cape Canaveral, Fla., Inmarsat said yesterday. The satellite will help extend portable phone service and will boost capacity for the company's other commercial maritime, aeronautical and land-mobile communications systems.
AEROSPACE INDUSTRIES ASSOCIATION William J. Andahazy, a former professional staff member of the House National Security Committee, received the 1996 Defense Manaufacturing Excellence Award for his contributions to the manufacturing community and for supporting manufacturing as an integral element of the defense budget.
Chuck Nichols has been named new agriculture product line manager to oversee marketing, product development, and business analysis for the precision agriculture industry. SPOT provides detailed, panchromatic and mutispectral imagery for crop monitoring and analysis, and extensive satellite programming services.
Rep. Steve Stockman (R-Tex.) has lost his run for reelection against Democrat Nick Lampson, a former tax assessor. Stockman, a member of the House Science Committee's panel on space and aeronautics, came in second in a special runoff race Wednesday. His loss opens up another seat on the panel. Several GOP members lost their bids for reelection, and some of the posts won't be decided until Congress returns Jan. 2, panel aides said.
