New Hubble Space Telescope images have deepened the mystery of one of the most fundamental riddles of modern astronomy and physics--where and what is the ``missing mass'' of the universe? The new data strongly suggest the simplest explanation for the existence of ``dark matter''--the unseen material whose gravitational influence on stars and galaxies can be seen--is no longer plausible.
U.S. AIR FORCE investigators have recommended an AWACS crewman be court- martialed and a second given nonjudicial punishment in the Apr. 14 shootdown of two U.S. Army helicopters in northern Iraq. Capt. Jim Wang, senior director of the mission crew, faces five counts of dereliction of duty. 1st Lt. Joseph Halcli, an enroute controller, was recommended for administrative punishment that could include forfeiture of pay or duty restrictions. Dismissal of charges against three other AWACS officers was recommended. None of the recommendations are binding on Lt. Gen.
RACAL ELECTRONICS IS NEGOTIATING with Thorn EMI about the purchase of Thorn's sensor business. Acquisition of Thorn's radars, electronic countermeasures equipment and command and control systems would give the combined company about 150 million pounds ($241.5 million) in annual sales.
Ships and aircraft from Eastern European nations have begun working with NATO units in exercises including a recent one in Norway in which Russian air force officers toured a Canadian CP-140 Aurora antisubmarine warfare and long-range maritime patrol aircraft. Ten NATO nations' ships and aircraft joined those from Russia, Lithuania, Sweden, Poland, Estonia, Finland and Romania in operations in the North Sea near Norway last month.
The AN60 aircraft platform weighing system can accurately measure loads of 0-60,000 lb. The system includes weighing platforms, entry ramps, spacers, safety end stops, and transport and storage carts. Its patented HAEL load cell allows each scale to be accurate to within 0.1%. CG2 and CG3 software allows users to instantly determine weight and CG. General Electrodynamics Corp., P.O. Box 150089, Arlington, Tex. 76015.
Italy's Alenia and China have reached formal agreement on a contract worth $63 million for Chinese procurement of 15 Alenia air traffic control radar systems. The selection has been expected (AW&ST Aug. 8, p. 17). A joint venture, the Saphire ATC Engineering Co., formed in 1991 between Alenia and two Chinese industrial groups, will participate in the program and contribute about 30% of the overall value of the contract.
The KIA HT21 CNC Turning Center provides traverse acceleration in the X-axis of 984 in./min. and 1,181 in./min. in the Z-axis. Turret index time is 0.1 sec./face. A wide array of optional peripheral equipment, robot systems and feeder/parts catchers are available. Kia Machine Tool America Corp., Dept. P-28, 43 Elizabeth St., Hackensack, N.J. 07601.
The European propulsion community has registered steady gains towards developing a powerplant for a high speed civil transport, but a lack of government funding could seriously slow progress in the coming year.
``How to Use Small Diameter Flux Cored Wire'' is a video that provides an introduction to producing quality welds. The 12-min. tape covers such aspects as amperage and voltage selection, electrical stickout, gun angle and travel speed. It also covers recommended wire diameters for making various size fillets when welding in horizontal, vertical and overhead positions. The Esab Group, Inc., 801 Wilson Ave., P.O. Box 517, Hanover, Pa. 17331.
Metaphase Series 2 is an enterprise-level product data management software package that can manage a company's product data and product development processes from initial concept through manufacturing. The modular software can link all areas of a company through a common, secure data repository of product and process-related information. Metaphase Series 2 is suitable for concurrent engineering. Structural Dynamics Research Corp., 2000 Eastman Drive, Milford, Ohio 45150-2789.
General Electric Aircraft Engines has completed the final two major tests in the GE90 certification program, putting the engine on track to obtain FAA certification next month.
Kaiser Aerospace and Electronics Corp. has teamed with Teledyne Continental Motors in a $70-million bid to buy the bankrupt Piper Aircraft Co. As Piper officials sought approval Nov. 14 from the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Miami for its plan to have creditors take over the company, Teledyne and Kaiser advanced their alternative.
The RTS and RTM 1760 CMOS remote terminals provide a reliable, cost-effective stand-alone interface between Mil-Std-1553B or 1760 buses and subsystems. They require little space on a circuit board and consume little power. They operate from 5-v. power supplies and feature dual redundant operation. Both have three pin-selectable modes: 1553B, 1760 or McAir.
France and the U.K., long-time Concorde partners, are promoting an intensified European technology effort that will lead to Europe's entry in a global supersonic transport program. NASA's decision to fund Phase 2 of the high-speed transport technology development program, High Speed Research (HSR2), generated fears in Europe that the Concorde partners could not maintain state of the art technology that will allow them to become an equal partner with the U.S. in a future global program.
The success of a next generation of large aircraft--if there is to be one--will be driven by their costs. The previous generation of wide-body aircraft, especially the Boeing 747, revolutionized air travel in terms of the large number of passengers that could be flown long distances.
Third Boeing 777 constructed appears in United Airlines livery sandwiched between a 747 (left) and a 767 (right) at Boeing's Everett, Wash., facility. All three aircraft are powered by versions of the Pratt&Whitney PW4000. The Pratt-powered 777 is scheduled to enter service with United in June, 1995.
ORGANIZERS SAY Indonesia Airshow 96 will be held at Jakarta's Soekarno-Hatta International Airport June 22-July 1, 1996, and feature the production prototype for the 64-68-seat N-250 to be produced by the state-owned IPTN aircraft factory. The single 50-seat prototype version of the fly-by-wire twin turboprop was rolled out Nov. 10, but the stretched model will not roll out until 1996.
Resolution of a persistent vibratory problem in the F-22 fighter's F119 powerplant has cleared the way for the propulsion program to transition out of its early diagnostic phase and into product development.
An ongoing, broad-based study of U.S. tactical aircraft electronic warfare requirements is focusing on stand-off jammer capabilities, which have become a controversial topic in Fiscal 1996 budget deliberations.
This five-axis, gantry-style robot is suited for a variety of uses, including adhesive, bonding and sealing, water-jet cutting and abrasive water-jet cutting. It has excellent positioning accuracy and repeatability for true machining flexibility. It also can accept a wide range of precision tools and fixturing equipment. The robot is simple to install and operate. It is designed for off-line programming. It uses digital servo drives and ball screw movements for fast response with zero backlash. It is fitted with Allen-Bradley 9260 controls.
TRW and the Canadian telecommunications company Teleglobe are planning a partnership that will put TRW's Odyssey personal communications system in operation by the end of 1998.
E-Systems of Dallas has promoted Alan J. Doshier to vice president/assistant general manager of its Greenville, Tex., division. He was most recently vice president-special systems.
Ten senior officials of ailing Iberia Air Lines have cut their own salaries by 15% in an attempt to get the airline's 24,000 employees to agree to the same percentage pay reduction as part of a rescue package. Juan Saez, Iberia's chief executive, told employees the company-wide pay cut being sought, part of a broader restructuring package, is ``indispensable for the viability'' of the carrier.
Engine manufacturers Pratt&Whitney and General Electric expect to use existing engines or derivatives to meet the propulsion requirements of very large commercial transports. According to officials, there are no propulsion obstacles involved. The specific engines used would depend on the aircraft's ultimate size. Current thrust requirements for potential VLCTs, which could be introduced as early as 2001 to 2005, now range from 75,000- to 120,000-lb. thrust.
Managers at Russia's Ulyanovsk Aviastar production factory plan to increase output of the Tupolev Tu-204 passenger transport, while predicting continued demand for sales of the heavyweight Antonov An-124-100 cargo aircraft. The Ulyanovsk factory, one of the world's largest aircraft production plants, has finished assembling 17 Tu-204s and plans to boost production to 35 per year following certification of the twin-engine aircraft. Russian certification of the 214-seat transport is expected before year-end.
