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.
The National Academies’ National Research Council (NRC) is giving NASA poor marks so far for its implementation of the most recent NRC decadal survey on solar and space physics, which endorsed a number of missions that have since been delayed or scaled back.
The U.S. Air Force’s second Wideband Global Satcom (WGS) spacecraft is nearing launch on a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla., on March 13. Liftoff off is scheduled from Space Launch Complex 41 during a 38-minute launch window from 9:25 to 10:03 p.m EST. Generating approximately 1.7 million pounds of thrust at launch, the Atlas V includes a first stage powered by the kerosene/LOX RD-180 engine, and a liquid hydrogen–liquid oxygen powered Centaur upper stage.
FAILURE PROBE: The mishap investigation board probing the loss of NASA’s Orbiting Carbon Observatory (OCO) formally began its work March 3, according to NASA. The five-member panel is led by Rick Obenschain, deputy director at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md. OCO never reached orbit during its Feb. 24 launch attempt, due to the apparent failure of the Taurus XL rocket’s fairing to properly separate (Aerospace DAILY, Feb. 25).
