The Air Force's Space Warfare Center has picked RS Information Systems (RSIS) of McLean, Va., to provide systems management and engineering services under a contract with a potential value of $88 million.
South Korea has delayed a decision on its fighter modernization program, saying that all of the bids it received for its tender were too expensive. Four companies submitted bids to the Korean government: The Boeing Co. with the F-15K, a variant of its F-15 Eagle; Sukhoi of Russia with the Su-35; Dassault of France with the Rafale; and the Eurofighter consortium with the Typhoon (DAILY, Oct. 3).
NASA and THE UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY in Reston, Va., have partnered to continue the mission of the Earth Observing-1 (EO-1) spacecraft by having researchers pay for data. EO-1 price levels have been set to cover the costs of satellite operation, data transmission and customer interfaces, which are estimated at $5 million per year. Depending on demand, EO-1 could be decommissioned as early as this spring or as late as the spring of 2005.
Gripen International, the joint venture between Saab and BAE Systems, announced Jan. 24 it has submitted a formal offer to supply the JAS 39 Gripen in response to Austria's fighter competition. The Gripen offer presents Austria with two alternatives - an interim lease of 12 Gripen fighters and 24 new single-seat fighters with an option for six dual-seat aircraft; or early delivery of 24 new single-seat and four dual-seat Gripen fighters.
Rep. Tony Hall (D-Ohio) is asking his colleagues to sign a letter urging President Bush to increase spending on defense science and technology (S&T) to 3 percent of the Defense Department's budget, a level recommended by DOD's 2001 Quadrennial Defense Review report.
STELSYS LLC of Baltimore will fly experiments on the International Space Station to compare human liver cell function in space with that on Earth. The research could help StelSys' development of treatment for people who are in need of liver transplants, according to NASA. Space Shuttle Discovery will deliver the research equipment on the STS-111 mission, slated for launch in May 2002. "This will be an excellent start for commercial use of space technology," said Neal Pellis, chief of the Biological Systems Office at NASA's Johnson Space Center, Houston.
Expedition Four crewmembers are slated to conduct a spacewalk, or extra-vehicular activity, on Jan. 25 to install thruster plume deflectors and other equipment outside the Zvezda service module. Commander Yury Onufrienko and Flight Engineer Dan Bursch have been "prepping the suits and the tools" for the spacewalk, which will be conducted through the Russian Pirs module.
Expedition Four crewmembers are slated to conduct a spacewalk, or extra-vehicular activity, on Jan. 25 to install thruster plume deflectors and other equipment outside the Zvezda service module. Commander Yury Onufrienko and Flight Engineer Dan Bursch have been "prepping the suits and the tools" for the spacewalk, which will be conducted through the Russian Pirs module.
Raytheon reported a sharp decline late Jan. 23 in net earnings for the fourth quarter and 2001 after a series of divestitures and streamlining actions reduced previous gains and triggered higher tax rates.
THE BOEING CO. has renewed its memorandum of understanding with the Space Alliance Technology Outreach Program (SATOP) to continue providing technical engineering assistance to small business owners. The company has pledged as a "platinum" space alliance partner, meaning it will donate 2,000 man-hours per year. "Boeing knows the responsibility of being a corporate citizen with our level of technical expertise," said Boeing Communications Director Ron Larivee.
Even though the United States leads the world in military power, the U.S. armed forces are still lacking in intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) assets, according to Gen. Gregory S. Martin, the commander of U.S. Air Forces in Europe (USAFE).
The U.S. Air Force and NASA are conducting a study that could lead to joint development of new reusable launch vehicles (RLVs), according to documents and industry sources. According to documents posted on an Air Force website, the "One Team 120-day study" is to come up with a "credible, comprehensive plan for a joint NASA-USAF development of the next generations" of RLVs. The Air Force and NASA share they belief that they "should work together to meet the nation's spacelift requirements," the website says.
NASA and THE UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY in Reston, Va., have partnered to continue the mission of the Earth Observing-1 (EO-1) spacecraft by having researchers pay for data. EO-1 price levels have been set to cover the costs of satellite operation, data transmission and customer interfaces, which are estimated at $5 million per year. Depending on demand, EO-1 could be decommissioned as early as this spring or as late as the spring of 2005.
The Navy plans to conduct the first above-the-atmosphere test of the Lightweight Exo-Atmospheric Projectile (LEAP) kinetic warhead (KW), on Jan. 25, the Department of Defense said Jan. 24. The Sea-Based Midcourse (SMD) Flight Mission 2 (FM-2) test, to take place at the Pacific Missile Range Facility in Hawaii, involves the shipboard launch of a Standard Missile-3 interceptor. The interceptor, carrying the LEAP KW, will be aimed at an Aries target missile launched from the island of Kauai.
THE BOEING CO. has renewed its memorandum of understanding with the Space Alliance Technology Outreach Program (SATOP) to continue providing technical engineering assistance to small business owners. The company has pledged as a "platinum" space alliance partner, meaning it will donate 2,000 man-hours per year. "Boeing knows the responsibility of being a corporate citizen with our level of technical expertise," said Boeing Communications Director Ron Larivee.
INTERNATIONAL CHARTER ON SPACE AND MAJOR DISASTERS members, including the European Space Agency (ESA), the French space agency (CNES) and the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) have launched a website aimed at speeding the use of spacecraft to aid in disaster relief. The website, at www.disasterscharter.org, contains guidelines on the procedures needed to request data from satellites, including CNES' Spot, ESA's ERS and Canada's Radarsat-1.
STELSYS LLC of Baltimore will fly experiments on the International Space Station to compare human liver cell function in space with that on Earth. The research could help StelSys' development of treatment for people who are in need of liver transplants, according to NASA. Space Shuttle Discovery will deliver the research equipment on the STS-111 mission, slated for launch in May 2002. "This will be an excellent start for commercial use of space technology," said Neal Pellis, chief of the Biological Systems Office at NASA's Johnson Space Center, Houston.
The Navy plans to conduct the first above-the-atmosphere test of the Lightweight Exo-Atmospheric Projectile (LEAP) kinetic warhead (KW), on Jan. 25, the Department of Defense said Jan. 24. The Sea-Based Midcourse (SMD) Flight Mission 2 (FM-2) test, to take place at the Pacific Missile Range Facility in Hawaii, involves the shipboard launch of a Standard Missile-3 interceptor. The interceptor, carrying the LEAP KW, will be aimed at an Aries target missile launched from the island of Kauai.
The U.S. Air Force and NASA are conducting a study that could lead to joint development of new reusable launch vehicles (RLVs), according to documents and industry sources. According to documents posted on an Air Force website, the "One Team 120-day study" is to come up with a "credible, comprehensive plan for a joint NASA-USAF development of the next generations" of RLVs. The Air Force and NASA share they belief that they "should work together to meet the nation's spacelift requirements," the website says.
India's INSAT 3C communications satellite was successfully launched late Jan. 23 by an Ariane 4 booster from Europe's spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana. The INSAT 3C carries 24 C-band transponders, two S-band transponders and an S-band mobile satellite service transponder. It was originally slated to launch last year, but problems with the Ariane 5 booster caused a delay and the Indian Space Research Organisation asked that the launch be switched to an Ariane 4 (DAILY, Jan. 23).
Analysts with the Standard & Poor's ratings service lowered their ratings on Orbital Sciences Corp. and removed them from CreditWatch, where they had been placed Nov. 17, 1999. "Orbital Sciences sold numerous operations over several years, using proceeds to support continuing businesses and to pay down debt, and has resolved issues related to failed high-risk business ventures with only moderate cash outlays required," according to S&P.
Almost a year after negotiations were put on hold, The Boeing Co. and Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI) announced they have concluded a teaming agreement for U.S. production of components for the Arrow missile. The Arrow missile, produced by IAI, is part of Israel's Arrow missile defense system, jointly funded by the United States and Israel. The first of three Arrow batteries became operational in 2000. In 2001, IAI began seeking a U.S. partner to boost production rates and cut the missile's cost.
The Coast Guard plans to take the offensive in the drive for homeland security through a new program known as the Integrated Deepwater System. "We have refocused our efforts to increase our presence and operations in our ports and waterways," Vice Adm. Ernest Riutta, commander of the Guard's Pacific region, said at the Armed Forces Communications&Electronics Association&Naval Institute West 2002 conference here.
INTERNATIONAL CHARTER ON SPACE AND MAJOR DISASTERS members, including the European Space Agency (ESA), the French space agency (CNES) and the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) have launched a website aimed at speeding the use of spacecraft to aid in disaster relief. The website, at www.disasterscharter.org, contains guidelines on the procedures needed to request data from satellites, including CNES' Spot, ESA's ERS and Canada's Radarsat-1.
