Thompson is a PwC partner, leader of U.S. Aerospace & Defense practice

Paul Anderson B.S. in Aerospace Engineering, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University; Ph.D. candidate in Aerospace Engineering Sciences, University of Colorado. GPA: 4.0 Research: Evolution of the geosynchronous orbital debris environment. Undergraduate Research: Development of Stability Conditions of Oblique Wave Trains

YouTube goes a long way in highlighting the creativity and delight some of today's university students take in being . . . well, a nerd. Whether at Purdue University creating an over-engineered automated soft-drink dispensing system or at the University of Michigan putting a fresh take on dance-a-thon turned hack-a-thon, present-day engineering students add to the tradition of poking fun at who they are while reveling in what they do.

Since he was appointed CEO of Thales earlier this year, Jean-Bernard Levy has repeatedly proclaimed that there is nothing wrong with the company's business portfolio, because all of its operational units are profitable, if only marginally. Unfortunately, this view is symptomatic of the way most European aerospace and defense (A&D) players fail to understand the value of dynamic business portfolio management.

India launches $80 million Mars odyssey

Test of formation flight shows value of two-way ISS communication

International Space Station occupancy temporarily surged to nine people on Nov. 7, with the launch and docking of the Soyuz TMA-11M spacecraft. Onboard was a crew of three, including veteran aerospace engineer Koichi Wakata, who is slated to become the first Japanese commander of the orbiting science lab in March.

A Senate panel on aviation led by Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) convenes this week to discuss how to keep aviation manufacturing in the U.S. competitive. But competition in the increasingly global airline and aerospace industries is in the eye of the beholder. U.S. unionized pilots and flight attendants are scrutinizing how Norwegian Air Shuttle proceeds with its latest round of contract negotiations. The contract talks represent a test case for the U.S.-EU Open Skies agreement in 2010, which allows more European flights into the U.S.