Jeff has been involved in aerospace journalism since the mid 1990s. Prior to joining Aviation Week, Jeff served as managing editor of Launchspace magazine and the International Space Industry Report. He has been the editor and chief of Aviation Week's Aerospace Daily & Defense Report since 2007 and has been a regular contributor to Aviation Week magazine. He received his B.A. from the College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, Va.
NASA's aeronautics mission directorate is evaluating more than 700 research proposals from 110 universities and 120 other organizations and plans to begin making awards next month. Out of its $724 million total budget request for fiscal 2007, the aeronautics directorate has budgeted $50 million to fund external research. "We're looking to make awards starting in October, probably the majority into November," Associate Administrator for Aeronautics Lisa Porter told The DAILY.
The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) is leading an interagency committee charged with making recommendations on securing the future of satellite imagery of the Earth, such as that which has been provided by the Landsat series of spacecraft. The committee plans to propose the establishment of a National Land Imaging program, most likely to be led by the Department of the Interior, which would provide focused federal leadership for land imaging. NASA still would design and procure the satellites on a reimbursable basis.
Following the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the U.S. Air Force last month, NASA is preparing similar agreements with the U.S. Army and the Defense Department to foster cooperation as it embarks upon its restructured aeronautics research program. Although an MOU with the Army already exists, "we want to make sure that it's updated, and the commitment is explicit," Associate Administrator for Aeronautics Lisa Porter told The DAILY. The agreement should be signed within a matter of months.
