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.
NEW DELHI — Industry observers are wondering what effect India’s recent decision to suspend its purchase of six aerial refuelers may have on future defense procurements such as the 126-aircraft Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) deal. India’s tender for six aerial refuelers went out for the Airbus A330 Multi Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) and the Ilyushin IL-78. The IL-78, the lower-cost option, was rejected on the grounds that the proposal was incomplete since it had failed to quote for five extra engines and life-cycle costs.
PEACEFUL PURPOSE: One of two NASA-owned Global Hawk unmanned aircraft had its first flight under agency operation Oct. 23. The former military aircraft, to be used for Earth system science research, flew four hours during a functional check flight in restricted airspace over Edwards Air Force Base, Calif. The first Earth science mission for the aircraft will be the Global Hawk Pacific campaign, or GloPac, to be carried out in partnership with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
An astronaut, a cosmonaut and a circus clown returned to Earth from the International Space Station (ISS) early Oct. 11, capping a standard ISS tour for the two spaceflight professionals and what may be the last space tourist flight for awhile. Canadian Guy Laliberte, the billionaire founder of Cirque du Soleil, joined Russia’s Gennady Padalka, outgoing commander of ISS Expedition 20, and Expedition 20 flight engineer Michael Barratt of NASA in the landing on the steppe of Kazakhstan. Their Soyuz TMA‑14 touched down at 12:32 a.m. EDT, after a nominal return from the ISS.
