India's ambitious human spaceflight programs are moving in a skewed phase for want of requisite technologies and capabilities. The country has shelved plans to undertake a manned mission to the Moon in the near future, and the launch program of the first manned mission in space is delayed. As a result, any chance of India becoming the fourth nation with an indigenous human spaceflight is also slipping into the future.
Close-up imagery from three sites on the floor of the Gale Crater on Mars, collected by NASA's Curiosity rover, confirmed rounded pebbles were deposited there by water flowing in a “vigorous stream” down from the crater wall, conclude scientists examining data from the new robotic geologist.
Ginger Wierzbanowski (see photo) has been named VP-space, missile defense, advanced technology and ground programs at Northrop Grumman Corp., Falls Church, Va., succeeding John R. Landon, who is scheduled to retire at year-end. Wierzbanowski has been VP-government relations and was legislative assistant to the vice chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Nearly everyone knows that the U.S. is the largest arms exporter in history, selling or donating more weapons and defense services abroad than any other nation. But did you know that the U.S. also is the world's single-largest financial supporter of conventional weapons destruction? Since 1993, the State and Defense departments, the U.S.
David Davenport (see photo) has been promoted to VP and regional operations manager of New York LaGuardia Airport-based FlightSafety International from manager of the Savannah (Ga.) Learning Center. Fabio Miguez was promoted to manager of the Columbus (Ohio) Learning Center from manager of the Detroit Metro/Toledo Center. He succeeds Chip White, who moved to the Gulfstream Learning Center. Daniel MacLellan has been promoted to regional operations manager and will continue as manager of the Dallas/Fort Worth Learning Center.
Mark C. Cherry has joined Aurora Flight Services, Manassas, Va., as president and chief operating officer. He succeeds Aurora founder John S. Langford, who will continue as chairman and CEO. Cherry was VP-corporate strategy and synergy at Sikorsky Aircraft Corp.
Roger Sherrard (see photo) has been promoted to president of Irvine, Calif.-based Parker Aerospace, succeeding Bob Barker, who is scheduled to retire at year-end after 39 years with the company. Sherrard has been president of Parker Hannifin's automation and instrumentation groups. Greg Crowe has been promoted to VP-operations from VP and general manager of the Fluid Systems Div. He has been succeeded by Guy Martin, who was general manager of the Seal Group's Engineered Polymer Systems Div. Frank Dubey has become VP and general manager of the Control Systems Div.
Sir Martin Sweeting, executive chairman of Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd. and director of the Surrey Space Center at the University of Surrey, England, has received the International von Karman Wings Award for his contributions to aerospace, presented by the Aerospace Historical Society and the Graduate Aerospace Laboratories of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.
As concerns about privacy and security begin to weigh on the launch of unmanned aerial systems (UAS) in civilian airspace, the Senate is forming a bipartisan UAS Caucus to help smooth the industry's takeoff. Aviation enthusiast Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.) and Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) are heading the push to move the industry out of the civilian world and into the hands of businesses and state and local governments.
Women in Aerospace has recognized nine women for their contributions to the aerospace industry and the advancement of women in the field with its 2012 awards. The Outstanding Achievement Award went to Gwynne Shotwell, president of SpaceX; Aerospace Awareness Award to Susan Anderson, public affairs specialist at NASA's Johnson Space Center; Aerospace Educator Award to Shella Condino, advanced-placement physics and chemistry teacher; Leadership Awards to Simonetta Di Pippo, ASI European Space Policy Observatory, and to U.S. Sen.
Michael Merk has been named manager of real estate and business development at Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport. He was director of real estate for BAX Global.
Tom Roche (see photo) has been appointed VP-customer support at Tempe, Ariz..-based StandardAero. Alain Berube succeeds Roche as VP-turboprops and fleets from his previous role as VP-operations.
Von Gardiner (see photos) has been named senior manager for Defense Department programs, and John Wallace VP-market management of Vienna, Va.-based NJVC. Gardiner was director of communications and information with USAF Special Operations Command at Hurlburt Field, Fla., and Wallace has been sales director for capital markets and banking corporate accounts, as well as VP-financial services industry at Hewlett-Packard.
Academic exercises about whether Congress will allow a nearly $1 trillion in across-the-board budget cuts known as sequestration to take effect in January are taking on an entirely new reality. Aerospace and defense companies are already beginning to announce plant closures, layoffs and cutbacks, and at least one of them is citing sequestration specifically.
It's official: President Barack Obama last week signed into law a measure that confirms full ownership rights to artifacts received by Apollo-era astronauts from their missions. According to the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee, NASA managers routinely allowed astronauts to keep mementos, pieces of hardware and personal equipment from the spacecraft during the Mercury, Gemini and Apollo programs. But beginning in the mid-2000s, NASA began to challenge the ownership of these artifacts.
Dean Foley has become sales manager of the aerospace division of West Springfield, Mass.-based Atlantic Fasteners. He has more than 25 years of experience in aerospace metals distribution.
Sir Martin Sweeting, executive chairman of Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd. and director of the Surrey Space Center at the University of Surrey, England, has received the International von Karman Wings Award for his contributions to aerospace, presented by the Aerospace Historical Society and the Graduate Aerospace Laboratories of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.
