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.
Iridium Satellite LLC has begun preliminary talks with satellite manufacturers about building replacement satellites that could start being launched early in the next decade. The Iridium constellation includes 66 operational satellites and 13 spares occupying six orbital planes in low-Earth orbit. The company plans a gradual, 10-year replenishment program, according to Chairman and CEO Carmen Lloyd. Recent projections show current spacecraft lasting until roughly 2014.
The Air Force and Boeing have formally closed the investigation into the premature engine cutoff that marred the first launch of the company's Delta IV Heavy Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) on Dec. 21, and have begun implementing hardware and software fixes that they say should not affect current launch schedules.
The shuttle Discovery's crew has lingering doubts about the on-orbit thermal protection system (TPS) repair techniques that NASA is developing in the wake of the Columbia accident, and would not be comfortable relying on them during re-entry on STS-114.
