Chances for a late May/early June launch of Germany's TerraSAR-X 1-meter-resolution commercial radar imaging satellite look better following the successful Apr. 18 sendoff of EgyptSat-1, a remote-sensing/scientific satellite, by a Russian Dnepr-1 rocket (the intended TerraSAR-X launch vehicle). Dnepr-1 had been sidelined since a July 2006 failure caused by a premature first-stage engine shutdown.
Rockwell Collins won't say how much it is investing in 787 research and development, but it will start ramping down next year. Despite the focus on this one big program, the company is actually spending much more of the $800 million it will devote to R&D this year on business aviation, not air transport projects. The company spends 17-19% of sales on R&D.
The European Commission has sanctioned the proposed acquisition of Smiths Aerospace by General Electric, even though the announcement at first raised some questions about market consolidation among European aerospace firms. But the EC says "the proposed transaction would not significantly impede competition and that rivals would not be hurt." Moreover, it notes that since GE already buys from Smiths, suppliers will not suffer unduly from the arrangement. There are several other engine makers for suppliers to court, the EC argues.
Emirates plans to place an additional order for up to 15 Airbus A380s as the airline is finalizing details of a wide-ranging fleet study. "We could easily absorb 5-15 more A380s," Emirates President Tim Clark told Aviation Week & Space Technology on the sidelines of the company's annual media conference here. A current in-depth analysis of traffic flows "is reshaping our thinking," Clark said. "We see growth everywhere in the network," and this would justify higher-capacity aircraft on more routes than previously anticipated.
Russia has cleared the re-export of the Klimov RD-93 turbofan engine from China to Pakistan to power the Chengdu JF-17 light fighter. India had been pressing Moscow not to allow Klimov to provide the engine for the JF-17. Klimov has already delivered an initial batch of 15 engines out of the 100 it is contracted to deliver.
Paul Drayson, Britain's minister for defense equipment and support, last week confirmed the Defense Ministry wants to deploy the Royal Air Force's Eurofighter Typhoon to operate in Afghanistan in 2008. The air force is scheduled to declare the Typhoon operational with a limited air-to-ground capability in July 2008.
The U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA), the FAA and India's Ministry of Civil Aviation have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to establish the U.S.-India Aviation Cooperation Program (ACP). India becomes the second country after China to participate in the ACP, which is to serve as a mechanism through which India and U.S. aviation officials will highlight specific areas of technical cooperation. Initially, the ACP is expected to focus on air traffic/airspace management enhancements and the challenges of rapidly increasing aviation traffic in India.
In a sign of how well things seem to be going for Boeing Co. these days, even its chief competitor is betting on it. Airbus CEO Louis Gallois and a European journalist wagered Champagne last week over whether Boeing would deliver its first 787 to Japan's All Nippon Airways within a month of the May 2008 due date. Gallois is betting that his U.S. rival will.
SpaceX has been granted U.S. Air Force rights to operate future Falcon commercial launches off Cape Canaveral's massive Launch Complex 40, a former Titan IV pad. But the agreement covers ground use of the pad, not specific permission to fly SpaceX launch vehicles off the pad. Those discussions are still underway with USAF. SpaceX itself is still keeping its options open for use of facilities near Kwajalein Island in the Pacific or Vandenberg AFB, Calif.
Robert J. Clanin has been named to the board of directors of JetBlue Airways. He is the retired senior vice president/ chief financial officer of the United Parcel Service.
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (Darpa) has long been known for breakthroughs--unmanned aerial vehicle technology, for example--and it is equally notorious for some flops, such as the Total Information Awareness (TIA) data mining effort it began after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. TIA ignited a backlash from civil libertarians and Congress, which shut down the program. But apparently Director for National Intelligence Mike McConnell wants a piece of the action.
Major U.S. airlines are looking at the pages of their low-cost competitors in hopes of finding new revenue generators following a financially disappointing first quarter.
The European Union next month will issue the first call for aerospace proposals under its latest research funding initiative, the 7th Framework Program. One issue to watch will be the extent of Russian involvement. The Europeans and Russia have been trying to foster greater collaboration and, recently, a delegation of EU representatives, researchers and industry went to Russia to discuss expanding the relationship.
Telesat Canada plans to launch its Nimiq 5 spacecraft on a Proton Breeze M in 2009 under a contract with International Launch Services announced Apr. 26. The Space Systems/ Loral spacecraft will carry 32 K u-band transponders to deliver direct-to-home links from its orbital slot at 72.7 deg. W. Long. The Canadian company used another ILS Proton Breeze M to orbit its Anik F3 on Apr. 10 (AW&ST Apr. 16, p. 24).
A News Break item on Eurofighter Typhoon weapons development (AW&ST Apr. 9, p. 18) misstated the manufacturer of the IRIS-T air-to-air missile. Diehl BGT Defense leads the consortium.
A secret National Reconnaissance Office dual satellite ocean surveillance mission to track potential terrorist movements at sea and Chinese and Iranian ship tactics is being developed for liftoff June 14 here on an Atlas V, say intelligence sources. The National Ocean Surveillance System (NOSS) flight is designated NRO L-30. "We're on track for a mid-June launch of the Atlas V," says Lt. Col. Kent Nickle, director of operations for the 5th Space Launch Sqdn. of the 45th Space Wing here. He did not address the secret ocean surveillance payloads, however.
Chittur Venkatasubban and Ken Minks have been named Engineering Fellows at the Hawker Beechcraft Corp., Wichita, Kan. Venkatasubban is considered an expert in computational fluid dynamics (CFD) in the Advanced Design Dept. and has been instrumental in the adoption of Navier-Stokes CFD technology for the aerodynamic design and analysis of airplanes, especially Hawker and Beech models. Minks is manager of the Materials and Process Laboratories.
Raytheon won a $30.1-million contract add-on for the upgrade of 268 Aim-9M Sidewinder air-to-air missiles for Pakistan, Malaysia and the Republic of Korea as well as 229 circuit card assembly kits for Canada. The company also was awarded a $59.4-million contract add-on for lot 7 production of the Aim-9X tactical missiles for the U.S. Air Force and Navy, Finland, Singapore and Switzerland. The Army added a $32.5-million contract for Excalibur Block IA-1 projectiles.
The crippled Hayabusa probe is officially on its way back to Earth, but its journey will be uncertain. The spacecraft has only one of four ion-propulsion engines and one of three reaction-control wheels working properly. Faced with this challenge, Project Manager Junichiro Kawaguchi of the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) says, "It will not be a sweet situation, but it doesn't mean we can't bring it home in June 2010."
Michael Mecham (Atlanta), Neelam Mathews (Hyderabad, India)
Lufthansa Technik is teaming with the developer of Hyderabad's new airport to develop a medium- and heavy-check overhaul center for Airbus A320 and Boeing 737s, becoming the first foreign maintenance, repair and overhaul specialist to enter the Indian market.
American Airlines plans a 2008 in-house start of a two-year upgrade of its fleet of 124 Boeing 757s. Modifications will include new economy-class seats, interior sidewalls, liquid crystal display monitors and digital media file servers to improve entertainment system quality. Two first-class seats will be added, bringing the total to 24. Suppliers have not been selected. The 757 upgrade is part of a $500-million fleet rehabilitation program for cabins in 777, 767-300 and 767-200 aircraft, representing 40% of American's fleet.
