After years of talk that space-based electrical energy generation could aid everyone from front-line troops to homemakers, a Northern California utility has become the first customer of a Southern California satellite startup that says it can do just that.
Atmospheric aerosols have a much greater impact on the warming observed in the Arctic than previously appreciated, which may give policy-makers a leg up as they try to mitigate it. Climate scientists at NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies have run computer models that suggest the small particles of material—largely produced by industrial and other processes on the surface—have a net warming effect in the Arctic (shown) that is absent in the Antarctic, where there is less industry nearby.
A leadership shift at the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office continued last week with Defense Secretary Robert Gates appointing Betty Sapp principal deputy director of the office, which oversees procurement and operation of the nation’s classified satellite fleet. Sapp has been acquisition and resource director for the undersecretary of Defense for intelligence. She will succeed Ralph Haller, who left the position about three months ago. NRO Director Scott Large will be leaving his post. No replacement has been named.
Matthew Perra has become manager of media relations for Pratt & Whitney , East Hartford, Conn. He was communications manager for the company’s Commercial Engines business.
The British Defense Ministry is being accused of negligence and a breach of care by families of 10 personnel killed as a result of an RAF C-130K being shot down over Iraq in 2005. A high court writ was issued last week that includes the allegation that the ministry did not comply with the European convention on human rights. The aircraft was not fitted with explosive suppressant foam (ESF). The ministry has since funded the installation of ESF on the RAF’s remaining C-130s.
The elections of President Barack Obama and solid Democratic majorities in Congress have set the stage for the most dramatic change in U.S. environmental policy since the 1970s. As the U.S. moves to follow Europe’s lead in tackling global warming, the shameful stonewalling of the Bush years almost certainly will be replaced by a movement to cap emissions of greenhouse gases. But the devil is in details that have yet to be decided. That has the airline industry worried, and for good reason.
Hamilton Sundstrand business unit Haskel International has introduced a portable high-pressure gas transfer and charging system. The Model 87114 (below) handles inlet pressure up to 3,500 psig. and maximum rated outlet pressure up to 4,000 psig. with any inert industrial gas, according to the company. Model 82880 accepts inlet pressure up to 4,000 psig. Adjustable automatic shutoffs on both models are preset for 3,000 psig. The 24-lb. system includes a relief valve for integrated air drive protections, and an integrated cooling jacket to minimize compression heat.
Rolls-Royce is gearing up to begin test runs of its environmentally friendly engine (EFE) research project. But attempts to turn U.K. Defense Ministry interest into financial support have been stymied, at least for this stage of the program. The EFE is aimed at a 10% reduction in carbon dioxide and a 60% reduction in nitrogen oxide emissions relative to current engines. The joint U.K. government/Rolls-Royce testbed is based on the Trent 1000 developed for the Boeing 787, but with more advanced features.
French-based Daher has created an aeronautics division to integrate its aerostructures, systems and aircraft manufacturing activities, following the acquisition of light aircraft maker Socata in January. The unit, known as Daher-Socata, is expected to help boost Daher’s revenues to more than €1 billion by 2012, up from €600 million in 2008.
Jim Chapman (see photo) has become vice president-U.K. operations for Atlantic Inertial Systems . He was a project director and managing director for Cobham Aviation Services.
Boutros Boutros has been appointed divisional senior vice president-corporate communications for Emirates . He was senior vice president-media relations, sponsorships and events, and succeeds Mike Simon, who has retired.
Rusty Roberts has become director of the Georgia Tech Research Institute’s Aerospace, Transportation and Advanced Systems Laboratory in Atlanta. He was associate director for business development in the institute’s Information Technology and Telecommunications Laboratory.
USAF Maj. Gen. (ret.) Jeff Riemer (see photos) has been appointed vice president-strategic programs and JuliAnna Potter director of Washington operations for InDyne Inc. , Reston, Va. Reimer was the USAF program executive officer for the F-22, while Potter was special adviser to the deputy NASA administrator.
Jack Garson has been appointed to the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority board as one of the two members from Maryland. He is founder of the law firm of Garson Claxton.
Signature of a $1.3-billion contract to develop a military airlifter could not come at a better time for Embraer. With its commercial and business aircraft production hit by the global economic malaise, development of an all-new tanker/transport for the Brazilian air force will boost the manufacturer’s defense business and offset the civil aviation cycles.
Boeing has shipped the IndoStar II/ProtoStar II/ telecom satellite to Baikonur, Kazakhstan, for a Proton M launch in May. The Boeing 601-based spacecraft will replace Indonesia’s aging Indostar I while providing additional direct-to-home capacity for Protostar, a Bermuda-based startup company that is supplying broadcasting services throughout Southeast Asia.
NASA isn’t getting enough money to hold the so-called gap in U.S. human access to space to five years, and even if it does get more, it may not be able to improve the situation. Space shuttle managers last week decided to focus on flying the rest of their missions safely instead of retaining the option to continue past next year’s slated retirement. A congressional “do not preclude” order expires Apr. 30.
The next “decadal” survey of the U.S. planetary science community will consider the technical maturity and cost of space missions as well as their scientific value in setting priorities, by applying lessons learned from the delayed Mars Science Laboratory (MSL).
Ashok Nayak (see photo) has been named chairman of Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. of Bengaluru (formerly Bangalore), India. He succeeds Ashok K. Baweja, who has retired. Nayak was managing director of HAL’s Bengaluru Complex.
Joe Sigg has become director of aircraft spares for SkyWest Airlines . He succeeds Todd Wilkinson, who is now at SkyWest sister carrier Atlantic Southeast Airlines.
Boeing delivered the 6,000th 737 on Apr. 16. The 737-800 was handed over to International Lease Finance Corp. for service with low-cost carrier Norwegian Air Shuttle. The delivery came 42 years and one week to the day after first flight of the 737 in 1967, and slightly more than 41 years after initial entry-into-service with Lufthansa. The 5,000th 737 was delivered to Southwest Airlines in February 2006, while the 6,000th order came in December 2005. Backlog for the 737 stands at more than 2,200.
Australia’s National Assn. of Testing Authorities has approved Boeing Defense Australia’s application for testing medium-sized military and commercial aircraft, plus a variety of equipment, for electromagnetic environmental effects (E3). The approval supports Australia’s introduction of the 737-derived Wedgetail airborne early warning and control aircraft, but could also be applied to other platforms such as the C-130. Approval is for testing aircraft emitting on frequencies between 4 and 400 MHz.
Air Line Pilots Assn. International President John Prater—leader of more than 52,000 pilots flying for U.S. and Canadian airlines—outlines the challenges facing the professionals who occupy the “front office” of airliners during tumultuous times. Prater met with Aviation Week editors James R. Asker, Frances Fiorino, Jennifer Michels and Graham Warwick to discuss the pilots’ perspective on forging protective labor contracts and maintaining the highest level of airline safety and security.
Dassault’s Rafale is out of the 126-aircraft Indian fighter competition, leaving the Boeing F/A-18E/F, Lockheed Martin F-16IN, Eurofighter Typhoon, RSK MiG-35 and Saab Gripen in the race.
