LONDON – The U.K. defense establishment may not be adequately recognizing the threat from space weather or weapons-induced electronic magnetic pulse (EMP), a new parliamentary report suggests. “An appearance is given that the [defense ministry] is unwilling to take these threats seriously,” Parliament’s defense committee says in a report entitled “Developing Threats: Electro-Magnetic Pulses.”
Houston – Founders of the Scientific Preparatory Academy for Cosmic Explorers, or SPACE, will preview plans for a four-year undergraduate institution structured to prepare a global student body for careers in space development with real-world experience and classroom instruction during a pair of conferences set for May and July. The formative school, which is patterned after the 25-year-old graduate level International Space University, was chartered on the Isle of Man in January.
William Greenwalt has joined the Aerospace Industries Association, Arlington, Va., as VP-acquisition policy. He was deputy director for surveys and investigations of the U.S. House of Representatives Appropriations Committee.
Gene L. Stygles and Renee D. Palyo have been appointed chief and deputy chief, respectively, of the Facilities Div. at the NASAGlenn Research Center in Cleveland. Stygles worked on the advanced solid rocket motor program, and Palyo was head of the division's Program Management Office.
Amy K. Hoage (see photo) has been selected as VP-business development for PAS Technologies, Kansas City, Mo. She was director of aerospace business development at Goodrich Corp. Engine Components.
E. Robert Lupone has been appointed executive VP, general counsel and secretary of Textron, Providence, R.I., succeeding Terrence O'Donnell, who will retire. Lupone was senior VP and general counsel of Siemens Corp.
Richard Larson (see photo) has been named executive director-business development for MEI Technologies of Houston. He was VP-business development for space and launch at the Science Applications International Corp.
Gilles Gosselin (see photo) has been appointed general manager of Munich-based Aviareps' subsidiary in Paris with added responsibility for the Morocco office. He was managing director for France and Europe at Air Seychelles.
William J. Lynn , 3rd, has become chairman and CEO of DRS Technologies, Parsippany, N.J., succeeding Mark S. Newman. Lynn was U.S. deputy secretary of defense in 2009-11.
Warren Persavich has been appointed president and CEO of Wichita-based NASAM, succeeding Aki Sato. Persavich was senior VP-parts distribution of Greenwich AeroGroup.
USAF Lt. Gen. Ellen Pawlikowski, commander of the Space and Missile Systems Center of Air Force Space Command, has been selected by the Society of Satellite Professionals International of New York, to receive its Stellar Award for Government Service. Pawlikowski is being honored for introducing new satellite communications technologies and exploring ways to acquire space systems.
Ellen Tauscher has been named vice chair-designate of the Brent Scowcroft Center on International Security, which will be inaugurated later this year, by the Atlantic Council of Washington. She was U.S. undersecretary of state for arms control and international security. HONORS AND ELECTIONS
Mike Fetcko has joined Elliott Aviation, Moline, Ill., as avionics manager for the Quad Cities team. He was a systems design engineer with Great Lakes Aviation and a private contractor. Randy Davis has been promoted to accessory shop sales manager from sales data administrator.
Robert G. Semelsberger (see photo) has joined Rincon Research Corp., Tucson, Ariz., as director of the Procession and Development Div. He was a senior officer at the CIA.
Maj. Gen. (ret.) Ajit Hari Gadre has become CEO of the Helicopter Academy to Train by Simulation of Flying, Bengaluru, India. He was director-general of army aviation of India.
Managers of Europe's new Vega rocket plan to ask European Space Agency (ESA) ministers to approve modifications to the launcher that would anchor it more solidly in Europe by replacing its Ukrainian-built upper stage with European hardware, preferably from Germany. The Feb. 13 debut flight (see photo) qualifies the Vega system—including the four-stage launch vehicle, ground infrastructure and operations—to operate alongside the Ariane 5 and Europeanized Soyuz rockets from the recently expanded spaceport in French Guiana.
Larry Lawson has been named executive VP for the aeronautics business at the Lockheed Martin Corp., Bethesda, Md., succeeding Ralph D. Heath, who plans to retire April 1. Lawson is VP and general manager for the F-35 program and will be succeeded by Orlando Carvalho. Lorraine Martin will follow Carvalho as VP and deputy for the program.
Gene L. Stygles and Renee D. Palyo have been appointed chief and deputy chief, respectively, of the Facilities Div. at the NASAGlenn Research Center in Cleveland. Stygles worked on the advanced solid rocket motor program, and Palyo was head of the division's Program Management Office.
Launch of the replacement Orbiting Carbon Observatory (OCO-2) will be delayed at least into mid-2014 while NASA finds a new launch vehicle and fixes a problem in the spacecraft reaction wheel assemblies. After two launch failures with Orbital Sciences Corp.'s Taurus XL solid-fuel rocket, NASA has decided to try to launch its replacement on another vehicle. Possibilities include the Pegasus XL, Falcon 9, Delta II and Atlas V, according to Jim Norman, director of launch services at NASA headquarters.
The National Air Traffic Controllers Association of Atlanta has presented the Archie League Medal of Safety to controllers Kristina Kurtz, Anchorage Tracon; Todd Mariani, Kansas City Center; Matt Reed, Potomac Tracon; Guy Lieser and Steve McGreevy, Chicago Center; Chris Henchey and Ryan Workman, Boston Center; Charlie Rohrer, Denver Center; Ken Greenwood, Josh Haviland and Ryan Herrick, Seattle Tracon; Alvin Kent, Atlanta Center; Frank Fisher and Greg Fleetwood, Corpus Christi Tower/Tracon; and Kevin McLaughlin, Southern California Tracon.
Jeff Chalupa (see photo) has been named general manager-domestic operations for Tulsa, Okla.-based Nordam's transparency division. He was senior director-global engineering and quality for the repair division.
Richard DeFatta has joined Kratos Defense & Security Solutions in San Diego, as VP-engineering support services for the Madison Research Business Unit of the Weapon Systems Solution Div. He was VP of Teledyne Solutions.
Michelle A. Scarpella and Stephen D. Hogan (see photos) have been appointed Falls Church, Va.-based VPs for the F-35 and F/A-18 programs, respectively, for the Northrop Grumman Corp. Scarpella has worked on the B-2, Joint Stars and E-2C Hawkeye programs, and Hogan was EA-18G and EA-6B program director.
R. Scott Rettig has been named chairman and CEO of OTO Melara North America in Washington, succeeding U.S. Navy Adm. (ret.) James Amerault, who will retire. Rettig was chairman and CEO of AgustaWestland North America.
