The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has awarded Teledyne Ryan a $14.1 million contract to prototype and fly a Miniature Air-Launched Interceptor (MALI) with supersonic capability to kill cruise missiles. The interceptor will be an air-launched missile for U.S. Air Force F-16s and eventually transition to a ground-launch capability for use off of U.S. Army Humvees, explained Air Force Lt. Col. Walt Price, program manager, in an interview with The DAILY.
EGYPT has received approval to buy two Sikorsky UH-60L Blackhawk helicopters to carry top government officials, once Congress reviews the proposal, the Pentagon announced last week. The foreign military sales contract includes two spare General Electric engines and is worth about $38 million.
FAA has awarded Titan Corp. a $38 million contract by FAA for system engineering and analysis support (SEAS). Titan said last week it will support the FAA's National Airspace System and its Systems Engineering And Analysis Division in the areas of airspace and airports analysis, simulation, modeling and development, human factors analysis, operational concepts analysis and information technology.
The U.S. Army is contemplating several moves to improve its Apache fleet, including accelerating key equipment upgrades, allocating more flight hours for pilots and implementing an aviation pay bonus for mid-level warrant officers.
The House Appropriations Committee, in its fiscal year 2000 defense bill, zeroed funds for the Medium Extended Air Defense (MEADS) program and the engineering and manufacturing development stage of the Theater High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system. The Pentagon requested $48.5 million to continue the cooperative MEADS program with Italy and Germany. While the appropriators acknowledged there is a valid need for a mobile ground-based system for ballistic missile defense, the Administration has not made a strong commitment to MEADS.
Brad Spahr, the new president of Composite Structures LLC (CS), considers his ompany "an oddity" in the aerospace business. The privately held company has been in the same location in the same town since 1930, transforming itself from a hot water heater company into a provider of composite parts for aircraft around the world. Now the company is looking at several different expansion methods in an effort to keep growing.
Japan's Rocket System Corp. has conceded its first commercial launches on the new H-2A vehicle will take place at least a year later than expected, because of contract provisions with U.S. satellite companies. Originally RSC, a consortium of 73 Japanese space companies, had expected to launch its first commercial payload in July 2000, after launching the first H-2A prototype in February 2000. But the contracts RSC has signed with Space Systems/Loral and Hughes Space&Communications call for an 18-month notice before launch dates.
AN ISRAELI astronaut will be selected for training to fly on a future U.S. Space Shuttle mission, President Clinton announced Monday. The mission will highlight an expanded program of cooperation in space between the U.S. and Israel, Clinton told reporters during a joint press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak.
Moody's Investors Service assigned its Prime-1 rating to General Dynamics for the issuance of commercial paper and gave its A2 rating to GD's proposed floating rate note program. The ratings reflect GD's "solid financial condition, leading market positions, well diversified business portfolio, and its favorable business and cash flow outlook."
Lockheed Martin Corp. yesterday reported second-quarter losses of $41 million yesterday, in keeping with lowered earnings expectations announced last month.
Greece has signed two contracts worth $39 million to buy Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS)-Extended Range (ER) rocket pods and Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS), Lockheed Martin announced Monday. The foreign military sale is the first order for MLRS-ER rockets and the third international ATACMS purchase for Greece, which began buying the ground-to-ground system in April 1997.
NASA launch controllers scrubbed yesterday's planned launch of the Space Shuttle Columbia with only seven seconds to spare after receiving a warning of excessive hydrogen gas buildup in the Shuttle's aft engine compartment that ultimately proved false.
LIBERTY BELL 7, the Mercury capsule that carried Astronaut Gus Grissom on the second piloted U.S. spaceflight, was recovered from the floor of the Atlantic yesterday. The capsule, raised almost three miles to the surface, sank 38 years ago today about 10 minutes after Grissom splashed down. The salvage operation took place about 90 miles northeast of the Bahamas, according to the Discovery Channel, which filmed the recovery for later broadcast.
Northrop Grumman completed its acquisition of Ryan Aeronautical, an operating unit of Allegheny Teledyne Inc., for about $140 million in cash, the companies reported Friday. Ryan Aeronautical, based in San Diego, becomes a unit of Northrop Grumman's Integrated Systems and Aerostructures Sector (ISA), reporting to the Air Combat Systems business area based in Los Angeles.
NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) have delayed launch of the next Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES-L) because problems with the Pratt&Whitney RL-10 upper stage rocket engine have forced its launch campaign to adjust for an upcoming eclipse situation.
Air operations over Kosovo have highlighted the need for NATO allies to beef up their aircraft, command and control and munitions capabilities, Defense Secretary William Cohen told the Senate Armed Services Committee yesterday. The success of the mission demonstrates the "great strides" that have been made in expanding operational coordination among the NATO allies, Cohen said. But it also showed that in the future NATO has to give more attention to ensuring allies have the capability to operate effectively with U.S. forces, he added.
Europe's Arianespace has ordered 20 more Ariane 5 rockets, bringing to 50 the total number of the heavy launchers to be acquired. The order, for two batches of 10 vehicles, is intended to keep pace with anticipated demand in 2001-2002. Contracts with Ariane's European manufacturers will be signed in the next few weeks, with initial delivery of this set of vehicles expected in 2001.
S. Systems Corp., Los Angeles, Calif., is being awarded a $6,200,000 cost-plus-fixed-fee, indefinite-quantity/indefinite-delivery task order contract to provide for the Coatings for High Energy Laser Applications program. This program will develop advanced optics and thin film coatings in support of laser applications. There were eight firms solicited and one proposal received. Expected contract completion date is June 2004. Solicitation issue date was Oct. 7, 1998. Negotiation completion date was June 25, 1999.
Iridium North America has won a $1.4 million contract to provide 1,000 Iridium phones to the U.S. State Dept. The sale is a needed victory in Iridium's quest to refocus its business on vertical and niche markets and overcome financial troubles caused by poor sales. Iridium LLC has received multiple extensions over the past several months on deadlines to meet subscriber and revenue targets set by covenants governing its $800 million senior secured credit facility (Space-business TODAY June 2, 1999).
An MOU signed late last week between Rolls-Royce Turbomeca (RRTM) and Piaggio Aero Industries brought the long-established Italian engine company into the partnership developing, producing and supporting the RTM322 twin-spool turboshaft family. Three variants of the RTM322, which is a wholly European engine, are already in full production to meet more than 400 orders for the UK's EH101 Merlin HM Mk 1 and HC Mk 3 ASW and transport helicopters, plus the GKN Westland WAH-64 Apache attack helicopter.
Sparta Inc., Laguna Hills, Calif., was awarded on July 14, 1999, a cost-plus-fixed-fee, indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contract with a base year total of $23,797,959, and a cumulative total of $40,471,200, if all options are exercised. An appropriation number and dollar value will be issued with each delivery order. The contractor will provide scientific and technical assistance to analyze, simulate, measure, test, and evaluate offensive missile systems at the Missile Space Intelligence Command, Defensive Missile System Services.
Three decades after Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first humans to set foot on the moon the space agency that sent them there has no definite plans to return to Earth's satellite, although it may become a way station as humans push on to Mars and beyond.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) may allow some space launch vehicles to use aviation regulations for part of their operations, according to Patricia G. Smith, associate administrator for commercial space transportation at the FAA. The idea is one of a number of discussions underway as the FAA works on new regulations governing reusable launch vehicles (RLVs). Comments on the proposed regulations for Reusable Launch Vehicles are due today in Smith's Associate Secretary of Transportation office.
From Commerce Business Daily: Posted in CBDNet on July 12, 1999; PART: U.S. GOVERNMENT PROCUREMENTS; SUBPART: SERVICES; CLASSCOD: A-Research and Development; OFFADD: NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, Code 215, Greenbelt, MD 20771 ... SOL 544-29914-912; DUE 080399; POC Lou Etta M. Milstead, Contract Specialist for Simplified Acquisition, Phone (301) 286-4782, Fax (301) 286-1720, Email Lou.Etta.M.Milstead.1@gsfc. nasa.gov - Mary E. McKaig, Contract Specialist for Simplified Acquisition, Phone (301) 286-4240, Fax (301) 286-1720, Email Mary. E. [email protected].
Computer Sciences Corp., San Diego, Calif., is being awarded a $6,374,216 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, cost-reimbursement contract for research, development, test and evaluation in biological science, chemistry, biochemistry, environmental biotechnology, physics, marine sciences, environmental engineering, advanced sensor development, and radiation physics for ocean surveillance in support of the Navy. A major focus area is marine environmental quality assessment and remediation.
