Ogden Corp. will look into splitting its existing businesses into two separate public companies, one focusing on Ogden's Energy business and one comprised of the Entertainment and Aviation businesses, the New York company reported.
A key congressional subcommittee chairman has told NASA he doesn't see how the new Consolidated Space Operations Contract (CSOC) will produce the $1.4 billion in savings the U.S. space agency has promised. Rep. Dana Roharabacher (R-Calif.), chairman of the House Science space and aeronautics subcommittee, said last week it was not apparent how combining NASA's spacecraft control and data handling functions under a single contract will lead to privatization of the diffuse system or save the amount promised by 2005.
FAA officials, anticipating a National Transportation Safety Board meeting March 23 and 24 on the probable cause of the crash of a USAir 737 near Pittsburgh, said last week that the agency's actions since the Sept. 8, 1994, accident have "fixed all possible scenarios." Expecting the board to recommend a sweeping overhaul of the rudder control system on all 737s, FAA officials also said that the rudder control system on next-generation 737s meets "current," not original certification standards.
A FAILED GYROSCOPE sent GE American Communications GE-3 satellite spinning Friday morning, knocking out service to customers for several hours before controllers reacquired the platform. Service on the satellite, which covers the continental U.S. from a geostationary location at 131 degrees West longitude, failed at about 4 a.m. Friday, and the satellite was restored to service at about 10 a.m, according to GE Americom. Among customers suffering interrupted service were CNN, Fox and the Associated Press.
National Transportation Safety Board Chairman Jim Hall said "we may never have the factual information needed to find out what happened" when flight control anomalies occurred on a MetroJet 737 on Feb. 23. The plane was enroute from Orlando, Fla., to Hartford, Conn., when the crew experienced an uncommanded control wheel deflection. They landed the plane safely at Baltimore/Washington International Airport.
HARRISON DIGICOM INC., Costa Mesa, Calif., signed a strategic alliance with Engineering and Professional Services Inc. to pursue communications projects at U.S. military and veterans facilities, Harrison reported. The companies estimate the market to be worth more than $2 billion.
Based on the findings of an independent study, the Pentagon plans to put more funds into risk mitigation for the Airborne Laser, particularly in the areas of atmospheric correction and countermeasures, reports DOD Acquisition Chief Jacques Gansler. "It's a high risk program, but if it works, it will have enormous potential," he says. Even if ABL was not 100% effective, it would still limit targets and pass off critical target data to other theater missile defense systems, he says. The Pentagon also is adjusting the schedule for ABL.
The Senate this week will take up a bill mandating deployment of a national missile defense (NMD) system "as soon as technologically possible." The big disagreement is over that phrase. Democrats say it limits DOD from deploying a system that is "operationally effective." Republicans have scoffed at that argument, saying it's nothing more than word play.
U.S. government indemnification authority for third-party losses associated with commercial space launches is due to expire at the end of the year, and FAA's OCST warns that if it isn't extended, "launch companies and their customers would face unbounded risks in commercial launches of new, untried vehicles and the U.S.
The U.S. Air Force may opt to truncate testing of the F-22 fighter to cut costs, says Gen. Joseph W. Ralston, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Responding to concerns from Capitol Hill over cost growth in the program, Ralston says the Air Force has to "stay vigilant" to keep control of F-22 costs. The Air Force "may have to defer some items ... you may get away with doing less testing overtime," he adds. Sen.
French engine maker Snecma earned 1.63 billion francs ($290 million) in 1998, a 128% improvement over 1997 earnings. Sales were 28.47 billion francs ($5.06 billion) in 1998, a 24% gain over 1997's 23.05 billion francs ($4.09 billion). Snecma said the improvement reflected company-wide efforts and progress initiatives over the past few years and the growth in commercial markets, which accounted for 80% of 1998 sales.
FAA's Office of Commercial Space Transportation (OCST) plans to issue its final rule governing commercial space launches from federal ranges "in the next few weeks," Patricia G. Smith, associate administrator for commercial space transportation, tells the House Science space and aeronautics subcommittee. The FAA unit attempted to establish "a regulatory regime that protects public safety while enabling the industry to evolve its technology and bring its products to the marketplace with minimum regulatory burden," Smith tells the panel.
FAA is in "expedited agency coordination" for more commercial space rules, with first drafts expected out for public comment before the end of the year. They include notices of proposed rulemaking for reusable launch vehicles, including reentry vehicles and on the financial responsibility requirements for licensed reentry activities. An NPRM on licensing commercial spaceports is due out this summer, and the agency plans to publish two circulars to help industry understand how to comply with the NPRM on reentry.
DRS Electronics Systems won a multi-year contract for about $9.2 million from the U.S. Navy for AN/SPS-67 radar system design services to improve system performance and reliability for eight classes of surface ships. Under a previous contract, DRS is making radar systems for several ships, with deliveries expected to begin late this year. The Gaithersburg, Md., company said it expects future contracts for additional systems on new aircraft carriers and amphibious operation ship platforms.
The deal will create a $150 million satellite-based, consumer and recreational electronics business, said David Thompson, president and chief executive officer of Orbital and chairman of Magellan.
Russian space officials have suggested that at least two members of the first three-man International Space Station crew could be sent to the orbiting laboratory as early as October, three months earlier than presently planned.
Israel Aircraft Industries has requested a review of a contract won by BVR Systems Ltd. from an unnamed NATO country for EHUD fifth generation rangeless ACMI systems, BVR reported yesterday. BVR announced the $23 million contract on Monday. "We intend to fully participate in the review and we believe that it will not lead to a substantial change in the terms of the award previously announced," Aviv Tzidon, president and chief executive officer of BVR Systems, said in a statement.
U.S. Air Force research managers will decide by midyear whether it's worth continuing an effort launched in February to reduce the freeze point of JP-8 jet fuel - widely used both on AF jets and commercial jetliners worldwide. The AF Research Laboratory's fuels branch started looking at the problem after successfully wrapping up a program that developed additives to make JP-8 more stable at high temperatures, turning its attention to the other end of the temperature scale.
The U.S. has offered the Egyptian military a modernization package of 24 Block 40 F-16s, a Patriot 3 missile battery and 200 M1A1 tanks, Defense Secretary William Cohen told reporters in Cairo yesterday following a meeting with Field Marshall Muhammad Hussein Tantawi, the Egyptian Minister of Defense.
ABOARD THE USS TRUMAN - Simulations accurately predicted performance of the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet during trials this week on the carrier USS Truman off the east coast of Florida, according to U.S. Navy officials. The trials, which started March 3 and are expected to conclude on March 16, and which have included the first night carrier landing of the two-seat F/A-18F (DAILY, March 10), mark the first time simulation has been used this extensively in the final stages of Navy aircraft development, the officials said.
Northrop Grumman has signed an agreement to acquire the defense business of California Microwave Inc. for $93 million in cash, the companies reported yesterday. The transaction is expected to close in April. The move will strengthen Northrop Grumman's defense electronics hand, and help California Microwave concentrate more on wireless broadband markets. Northrop Grumman will pay up to $5 million more for California Microwave's Information Systems Div. in 2000 if certain revenue goals are met.
The Russian Space Agency got its tightest budget ever for the current fiscal year, with a nominal drop of 20% made much worse by the falling ruble. Russian federal budget allocations to RSA decreased from 3.683 to 2.998 billion rubles under the newly released budget. The agency's share of the overall federal budget decreased from 0.7% to 0.52% of overall outlays. Total federal budget outlays for FY '99 were set at 575.047 billion rubles compared to 499.945 billion rubles in FY '98.
Investment-casting specialist Howmet Corp. won't face a total cut-off from all U.S. government business. The U.S. Air Force yesterday withdrew its week-old notice of proposed debarment against the company, maintaining the proposal only against Howmet's Howmet-Cercast (Canada) subsidiary.
Testing of the F-22 fighter's integrated avionics onboard Boeing's 757 flying testbed began yesterday, the company said. The 757 - which operates F-22 test avionics from a simulated cockpit of the fighter installed in the cabin - took off from Boeing Field and tested navigation and sensor emitter management functions, Boeing said.
