21700 Atlantic Blvd. Dulles, VA 20166, USA Tel. (703) 433-6300; Fax (703) 433-6400 www.orbcomm.com Orbcomm Plane A (A1 through A8) Mobile communications, telecommunications. Orbital location is 45° near-polar LEO at 513 mi. Carries VHF-band transceiver. Microstar model. Launched 1997. Orbcomm Plane B (B1 through B8) Mobile communications, telecommunications. Orbital location is 45° near-polar LEO at 513 mi. Carries VHF-band transceiver. Microstar model. Launched 1998.
With all the laments in the last five years about losing science and engineering talent in U.S. aerospace, can we take a look at making more interesting airliners? In the golden age when airliner improvements came in leaps and bounds, they were big news, exciting and glamorous for all. From the Stratoliner and Constellation to the 707 and DC-8, the public packed the waving decks just to see them. When the Concorde and Boeing 747 were rolled out, it was world news on par with the Apollo lunar landing.
US Airways plans to use its long-haul Airbus A330 fleet in a new FAA trial that is expected to bring the benefits of satellite-based navigation links to congested Northeast airspace and transatlantic routes.
The U.S. Air Force opted not to buy the Aargm kit. Instead, it issued a request for information Jan. 7 on the kit for HDAM (HARM Destruction of Enemy Air Defenses Attack Module). This is a control section upgrade kit including a GPS/INS that was developed by Raytheon. USAF intends to use HDAM on the F-16C/D “to address the force structure gap until sufficient numbers of fifth-generation aircraft and advanced weapons are fielded” to handle suppression of enemy air defense missions.
This month’s inaugural Delta IV Heavy mission for the National Reconnaissance Office is the first of a busy cycle of government space launches scheduled through 2011.
461 S. Milpitas Blvd. Milpitas, CA 95035, USA Tel. (408) 933-4000; Fax (408) 933-4100 www.globalstar.com Globalstar series Internet access, mobile communications, telecommunications. 50-satellite LEO constellation with in-orbit and ground spares; orbital planes with five satellites on each plane located at 763 naut. mi., inclined at 52°. Launched 1998-2000. 7.5-year design lifetime. Eight replacements launched in 2007; a second-generation constellation is expected to go into orbit starting in 2009.
Arsenal KB (Design Bureau) FSUE (Federal State Unitary Enterprise) and the associated Arsenal Machine Building Plant OAO (St. Petersburg) trace their history to cannon foundries founded by Czar Peter the Great in 1711. Arsenal developed the R-31 (SS-N-17), the first Soviet solid-fuel submarine-launched ballistic missile. In 1980, it ceased its involvement in missile systems and switched to satellites, mostly naval reconnaissance and hand-off types. Since then, more than 80 Cosmos series spacecraft have been developed, manufactured and operated by Arsenal.
KOREA AEROSPACE INDUSTRIES (Seoul) (www.koreaaero.com): Comprising Daewoo Heavy Industries, Samsung Aerospace and Hyundai Space & Aircraft, KAI is the predominant aerospace defense contractor in South Korea (see p. 284). Products include the KT-1 turboprop trainer, T-50 jet trainer and KMH medium helicopter (in development). Also has joint ventures with Lockheed Martin (F-16C/D) and Bell (SB 422).
Air Force Beech RC-12D (5) Beech RC-12K (2) Bell Helicopter Textron 206B (2) Bell Helicopter Textron AH-1E (7) Bell Helicopter Textron AH-1F (13) Bell Helicopter Textron AH-1G (5) Bell Helicopter Textron AH-1S (30) Bell Helicopter Textron OH-58D (7) Boeing 707-300 (12) Boeing F-15I (25) Boeing Helicopter AH-64A (37) Boeing Helicopter AH-64D (11) Dornier Do 28 (5) Gulfstream G550 (3) IAI CM 170 (43)
Airbus is facing much more than just contractual and schedule challenges in its A400M military airlifter program—the company may need to do a great deal of re-engineering work to achieve the aircraft’s performance targets. Numerous issues threaten to make the A400M a less attractive and capable aircraft, industry officials say, on top of the well-publicized delays in the flight-test program linked to the lagging engine Fadec development.
Sundbybergsvägen 1 SE-171 54 SOLNA, Sweden Tel. (468) 505-645-00; Fax (468) 28-24-80 www.nsab-sirius.com Sirius 3 Broadcasting, business services. Orbital location is 5° E. Carries 15 Ku-band transponders. 2010 EOL. Sirius 4 Broadcasting, business services. Orbital location is 5° E. Carries 52 Ku-band and two Ka-band transponders. 15-year design life. 2022 EOL.
EADS is undertaking trials to clear Australia’s KC-30B Airbus A330-based tanker to receive as well as deliver fuel. On Jan. 19, the company used its A310-based refueling boom flying testbed in conjunction with the first KC-30B during flight trials. The two aircraft made a series of contacts off the southwest coast of Spain. The aircraft are based at Getafe, near Madrid, home of EADS’s tanker conversion business.
9601 S. Meridian Blvd. Englewood, CO 80112, USA Tel. (303) 723-1000; Fax (303) 723-1046 www.dishnetwork.com Echostar 1 Direct-to-home TV broadcasting. Orbital location is 148° W. Launched 1995. Echostar 2 Direct-to-home TV broadcasting. Orbital location is 148° W. Launched 1996. Echostar 3 Direct-to-home TV broadcasting. Orbital location is 61.5° W. 2009 EOL. Echostar 4 Direct-to-home TV broadcasting. Orbital location is 119° W. 2010 EOL.
Robert Steele, Head Coach Skunkworks Robotics Team No. 1983 Aviation High School (Des Moines, Wash.)
Raytheon Chairman and CEO William H. Swanson is right on when he writes that tomorrow’s technology innovation leaders are in the classroom now (AW&ST Jan. 5, p. 58).
