A NASA scientific balloon flying near the edge of space set a new flight record of almost 32 days, NASA said Jan. 22. The balloon carried an experiment to search for the origin of cosmic rays, atomic particles that travel through the galaxy at near-light speed. The balloon was launched Dec. 20 and landed Jan. 21.
Engineers at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md., are preparing to take the next step toward satellite formation flight with the upcoming Space Technology 5 (ST-5) mission, scheduled for launch in 2004. Dubbed the "Nanosat Constellation Trailblazer," the mission will consist of three small satellites flying in formation in a highly elliptical earth orbit.
The war on terrorism, operational demands, budget cuts and other factors are straining the Navy and Marine Corps today and could reduce their ability to meet future threats, a panel of Navy and Marine flag officers said at a conference here. Replacing ships and aircraft to sustain the existing force is a key concern, the officials said at the Armed Forces Communications&Electronics Association&Naval Institute West 2002 conference.
SPACE STUDY: Japan's National Space Development Agency plans to form a study group to consider domestic development of next-generation communications satellites. About 20 companies and organizations are expected to participate, including Mitsubishi Electric, Hitachi Corp., NTT, NEC and Toshiba Corp. The current plan calls for launching three advanced communications satellites within eight years at a cost of about $758 million. Foreign companies may also join the study group.
The Republican-led House Science Committee announced Jan. 22 it has appointed William B. Adkins to be the majority staff director of its space and aeronautics subcommittee. Adkins, who will oversee a staff of about five people, replaces Eric Sterner, who left in October 2001 to become special assistant to the assistant secretary of defense for international security policy. Sterner had been staff director since April 2000.
TOKYO - Japan's Self-Defense Force has selected the Boeing 767 as a tanker/transport platform for the Air Self-Defense Force, which plans to import four of the aircraft. The first of these will be bought in fiscal 2002. The total cost of the four aircraft is estimated at $738 million. The air force estimates the tanker/transport fleet operations will cost about $417 million over 30 years.
China's military is trying to develop small boosters that can launch satellites "at a moment's notice in a contingency," according to Lisa Bronson, the U.S. deputy undersecretary of defense for technology security policy and counterproliferation.
Japan's Self-Defense Force has selected the Boeing 767 as a tanker/transport platform for the Air Self-Defense Force, which plans to import four of the aircraft. The first of these will be bought in fiscal 2002. The total cost of the four aircraft is estimated at $738 million. The air force estimates the tanker/transport fleet operations will cost about $417 million over 30 years.
SAN DIEGO - The war on terrorism, operational demands, budget cuts and other factors are straining the Navy and Marine Corps today and could reduce their ability to meet future threats, a panel of Navy and Marine flag officers said at a conference here. Replacing ships and aircraft to sustain the existing force is a key concern, the officials said at the Armed Forces Communications & Electronics Association & Naval Institute West 2002 conference.
PARTNERS: Marubeni Corp., one of the 10 largest trading companies in Japan, will join Rolls-Royce's Trent 900 engine program as a risk- and revenue-sharing partner. The company will share about 14.5 percent of the engine's development cost, up to about $151 million over the next four years. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries said it will participate in Pratt&Whitney's PW-6000 program, sharing 7.5 percent of the development cost. It will provide combustion chamber modules.
An experimental payload designed to provide signals intelligence, communications, electronic attack and information operations on one platform may begin flight testing as early as 2004, according to contractors involved in the program. The Airborne Communications Node (ACN) is a Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency-funded program intended to provide a scaleable, multifunctional communications payload that can be easily reconfigured to fit on a number of manned and unmanned platforms.
Engineers at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md., are preparing to take the next step toward satellite formation flight with the upcoming Space Technology 5 (ST-5) mission, scheduled for launch in 2004. Dubbed the "Nanosat Constellation Trailblazer," the mission will consist of three small satellites flying in formation in a highly elliptical earth orbit.
General Dynamics Corp. has formed a company to focus on winning the Lead Systems Integrator contract for the Army's Future Combat Systems (FCS) program, the company announced Jan. 21. Eagle Enterprise Inc. will be headquartered in Falls Church, Va., General Dynamics' home base, and will be led by Michael Bolon, former vice president of engineering design and development for the company's Land Systems group.
Marubeni Corp., one of the 10 largest trading companies in Japan, will join Rolls-Royce's Trent 900 engine program as a risk- and revenue-sharing partner. The company will share about 14.5 percent of the engine's development cost, up to about $151 million over the next four years. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries said it will participate in Pratt & Whitney's PW-6000 program, sharing 7.5 percent of the development cost. It will provide combustion chamber modules.
FLIGHT RECORD: A NASA scientific balloon flying near the edge of space set a new flight record of almost 32 days, NASA said Jan. 22. The balloon carried an experiment to search for the origin of cosmic rays, atomic particles that travel through the galaxy at near-light speed. The balloon was launched Dec. 20 and landed Jan. 21.
Japan's National Space Development Agency has postponed the launch of the second H-IIA launch vehicle to Feb. 3 at the earliest. The H-IIA, which is intended to compete in the world launch market, was scheduled to launch Jan. 31 but the agency decided to replace a pressure regulating valve in the booster's liquid oxygen tank. The first H-IIA launched last summer (DAILY, Aug. 30, 2001).
The increasing role of information technology in warfare is driving the efforts of the Department of Defense's Office of Force Transformation, according to its director, retired Rear Adm. Arthur K. Cebrowski. His office is working to change traditional military approaches to research and development and procurement to enable DOD to keep up with its military needs and IT advances.
SAN DIEGO - The increasing role of information technology in warfare is driving the efforts of the Department of Defense's Office of Force Transformation, according to its director, retired Rear Adm. Arthur K. Cebrowski. His office is working to change traditional military approaches to research and development and procurement to enable DOD to keep up with its military needs and IT advances.
MATRA BAE Dynamics' Advanced Short-Range Air-to-Air Missile (ASRAAM) entered service with the Royal Air Force this month, following the settlement of a contractual dispute between the manufacturers and the United Kingdom Ministry of Defense. ASRAAM was scheduled to enter RAF service in April 2001, but was not accepted by the MOD on the grounds that some performance standards had not been achieved (DAILY, April 11, 2001).
General Dynamics Corp. has formed a company to focus on winning the Lead Systems Integrator contract for the Army's Future Combat Systems (FCS) program, the company announced Jan. 21. Eagle Enterprise Inc. will be headquartered in Falls Church, Va., General Dynamics' home base, and will be led by Michael Bolon, former vice president of engineering design and development for the company's Land Systems group.
