NASA is in final preparations to launch the 897-pound Orbiting Carbon Observatory (OCO) into the so-called “A-Train” of other climate monitoring satellites in an effort to pinpoint where carbon dioxide is being emitted and absorbed. The answer to that balancing act should help define how much man is contributing – and in what ways – to greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide (CO2) that are believed to be greatly altering global climate.
DESERT ’BOTS: iRobot Corp. has received another $5.5 million order from the U.S. Army’s PEO for Simulation, Training, and Instrumentation (PEO STRI), bringing its total orders to $286 million under the xBot contract, $73 million of that coming from PEO STRI. The order calls for the delivery of 72 more iRobot PackBot 510s with FasTac Kit robots, and includes spare parts and repairs.
Marshall Aerospace has completed the second flight-test of the C-130 being used as the flying test bed (FTB) for the A400M airlifter’s turboprop. The flight using the modified C-130 fitted with a single TP400 was completed Jan. 27 in Cambridge, England. The C-130 was airborne for 2 hours and 20 minutes, according to A400M officials. During climb, flight-test personnel reached max power on the engine. The propeller also was feathered to ensure safety margins to be able to restart the engine in flight.
MIAMI – U.S. Air Force officials are planning to acquire more than 300,000 gallons of biofuels under an effort to certify two types of the plant-derived fuels for use in a 50-50 mix with jet kerosene by 2013. The effort builds on biofuel initiatives under way at commercial airlines and marks a major new step in the service’s drive to reduce its dependence on oil.
Editor’s Note: This is the last in an exclusive series of investigative articles on the battle between the U.S. Air Force and the Defense Department over the service’s role in combat, search and rescue (CSAR) and its effort to buy a new CSAR aircraft (Aerospace DAILY, Jan. 28, 29). U.S. forces may have to reconsider the way they plan for combat, search and rescue (CSAR) missions with the advent of fifth-generation aircraft like the F-22 Raptor and F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, Pentagon acquisition chief John Young says.
NASA has given prospective bidders until Feb. 27 to deliver proposals for conceptual design work on the Altair lunar lander the agency will use to return astronauts to the moon by 2020. Johnson Space Center in Houston expects to make multiple awards in the spring under the Altair Conceptual Design Contract effort. NASA issued a draft request for proposals (RFP) and held a bidders’ conference last month (Aerospace DAILY, Dec. 17).
Textron predicts it could see as much as $1 billion from international orders in its defense business in 2009, or five times the amount generated in 2008. The strength of the defense business – particularly from international sales – also will bolster the company's results through 2010 and beyond, Textron CEO Lewis Campbell told analysts Jan. 29. The U.S. military's "interest in our products is relatively unaffected by the economy," he said.
RADIO TRAFFIC: Thales Communications has completed delivery of multiple orders for its new 50-watt dual vehicular adaptor/power amplifier to the U.S. Air Force’s Tactical Air Control Party Modernization Office (TACP-M) at Hanscom Air Force Base, Mass. The Air Force procured more than 700 50-watt AN/VRC-111 Vehicle Adapter Amplifiers (VAAs). As part of the order, Thales also delivered more than 200 of its 20-watt AN/VRC-111 systems. Each VAA incorporates two AN/PRC-148 Joint Tactical Radio System (JTRS) Enhanced Multiband Inter/Intra Team Radios (JEMs).
HELPING HAND: Boeing announced it will assist in the development of the U.S. Air Force F-16 Mission Training Center (MTC) program as part of a team led by L-3 Link Simulation & Training. The $68.2 million contract was awarded by the Aeronautical System Center’s Simulator Systems Group at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, to L-3 Link in December 2008. The multiyear contract includes options for production, delivery and sustainment of up to 20 four-ship F-16 MTCs at Air Force installations in the U.S., Europe and the Pacific Region.
NEW DELHI – Swedish defense manufacturer Saab is pursuing a market of 35 different possible business opportunities with the Indian military for a total value of roughly $17 billion. Besides offering the Gripen IN for India’s Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) program, Saab has submitted proposals for a Self Protection System for the T90 MBT, a simulator training program for the navy.
The U.S. Navy is looking at ideas for an unmanned cargo aircraft that could operate from ships and support Marine Corps combat units distributed over a large geographic area where ground supply routes are not available. The Office of Naval Research has requested information on high-speed vertical-takeoff-and-landing (VTOL) platforms that could be fielded in three notional time frames: within the next five years, in 5-10 years and within 15 years.
As the Pentagon attempts to craft a way forward to replace the KC-135 aerial refueling fleet, the option of a split buy of two models is back and gaining attention on Capitol Hill, according to officials close to the tanker program.
The Bell-Boeing Program Office will provide integrated logistics support to the U.S. Marine Corps and Air Force Special Operations Command through a $518.4 million contract awarded by Naval Air Systems Command. The Defense Department announcement said the cost-plus-incentive fee, indefinite delivery contract for joint performance-based logistics (JPBL) support covers the Marine Corps MV-22 and Air Force Special Forces Operations Command CV-22 aircraft during production and deployment of the V-22 program.
LONDON – BAE Systems will further consolidate its position in the U.K. naval market with the acquisition of VT Group’s share in their BVT joint venture. VT has decided to exercise its right to sell its 45 percent stake early as a result of the current economic climate and the opportunity for acquisitions.
PARIS – EADS Astrium and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) have begun a full investigation to determine what caused Eutelsat’s W2M telecom spacecraft to fail in orbit.
BAD DOG: NASA is trying to diagnose a problem with the Mars Exploration rover Spirit, which has been behaving erratically for several days. On Jan. 25 – the 1,800th Martian day of what was originally baselined as a 90-day mission – Spirit failed to respond to its daily driving commands, and did not record its main activities onto its hard drive. The next day, controllers at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory sent a command for Spirit to orient itself by locating the sun, but this also failed. One possible culprit is cosmic rays striking the rover’s electronics, NASA says.
Editor’s Note: This is the next in an exclusive series of investigative articles on the battle between the U.S. Air Force and the Defense Department over the service’s role in combat, search and rescue (CSAR) and its effort to buy a new CSAR aircraft (Aerospace DAILY, Jan. 28).
EADS and its Airbus commercial aircraft manufacturing subsidiary are not planning to compete against Boeing for the prestigious contract to supply three planes to transport future U.S. presidents, according to company officials.
Pentagon acquisition chief John Young says the Family of Advanced Beyond Line-of-Sight Terminals (FAB-T) program needs to re-evaluated with a view toward making sure all the services’ needs and alternatives are considered. In a Jan. 26 interview with Aerospace DAILY, Young said he had just written a memo to Defense Secretary Robert Gates calling into question FAB-T requirements, development and cost growth to $1.6 billion from the $270 million initially awarded in a mid-2002 contract.
The first Boeing-built Wideband Global Satcom satellite (WGS-1) has achieved initial operating capability (IOC) for the U.S. Air Force more than a year after its launch and only six weeks before the scheduled launch of WGS-2.
Boeing plans to reduce its work force by 10,000 employees in 2009, 5,500 more than previously announced, although the company says its 2009 outlook remains stable.
