The Commerce Dept. permitted a launch-failure analysis on the Jan. 26, 1995, Hughes Apstar-2 satellite launch failure to be provided to Chinese officials without prior State or Defense Dept. review, Commerce's under secretary for Export Administration testified yesterday.
Boeing Co. yesterday began structural assembly of its X-32 Joint Strike Fighter concept demonstrator, starting assembly of the forward fuselage to be delivered to Palmdale, Calif., next April. Start of assembly began about a month ahead of schedule and less than nine months after the beginning of design work, Lynne Crisafi, director of manufacturing for Boeing Phantom Works, said in a telephone interview from St. Louis.
The U.K. Ministry of Defense plans to lease or buy four C-17 airlifters from the U.S. to meet new short-term air mobility requirements, according to the government's Strategic Defense Review, unveiled in Parliament yesterday by Defense Secretary George Robertson. The review, "Modern Forces for the Modern World," combines measures for improved combat efficiency with relatively modest economies in annual military budgets over the next few years.
TRANSTECHNOLOGY CORP., Liberty Corner, N.J., completed the acquisition of Aerospace Rivet Manufacturers Corp. (ARM), a privately held company, for $27 million in cash plus other considerations. ARM, Santa Fe Springs, Calif., makes speciality rivets and externally threaded fasteners for aerospace markets. The company reported sales of $15 million in 1997.
Members of the Senate Intelligence Committee cautioned CIA Inspector General nominee L. Britt Snider yesterday to avoid becoming too much of a policy adviser to the Director of Central Intelligence (DCI). Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Richard Shelby (R-Ala.) questioned Snider's prepared remarks that the CIA IG "ought to be someone the DCI can turn to as an objective source of information and analysis." Shelby stressed it is not the committee's intent for the CIA IG to be a policy adviser to the DCI.
Russia became the first nation to place a satellite in orbit from a submerged submarine with the launch Tuesday of a small German research satellite from a Delta IV submarine beneath the Barents Sea. A three-stage Shtil-1 rocket launched the 10-kilogram environmental research satellite "Tubsat-N," built by the Berlin Technical University, at 7:15 a.m. Moscow time (12:15 a.m. EDT). The satellite later reached orbit.
The U.S. Air Force is looking to meet a large portion of its small space launch vehicle requirement by buying new rockets instead of continuing to use Orbital Science Corp.'s Pegasus and Taurus launchers. "Our goal is to achieve small lift for research and development satellites at the lowest cost possible," Maj. Steve Buckley, chief of the Air Force's Small Lift Vehicle division, said in a telephone interview.
General Electric Co. and Harris Corp. have formed a company to provide information systems and services to airlines to monitor and analyze data. The company - GE Harris Aviation Information Solutions LLC - will be located in Melbourne, Fla., and will produce and market information network products and decision support services that allow airlines to transmit and receive information, including aircraft and engine data, cockpit data and cabin services.
Russia's next and possibly final Mir crew will leave for the 12-year- old orbital station 10 days later than planned because preparations for the Soyuz launch at Baikonur Cosmodrome have been delayed by unpaid water and electricity bills, according to the head of RSC Energia.
FIRST JOINT STANDOFF WEAPON built in the formal production program was delivered to the U.S. Navy yesterday, JSOW prime contractor Raytheon Systems Co. said yesterday. The AGM-154A had its inaugural deployment several months ago aboard the USS Nimitz, but that involved missiles left over from the test program.
ROLLS-ROYCE CANADA, Quebec, established a partnership with Gulf Aircraft Maintenance Co. (GAMCO) to open a regional service center in Abu Dhabi for the repair and heavy maintenance of Rolls-Royce large industrial gas generators. The partnership covers the joint management of the service center within the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region and Middle East in general.
The BR715 engine for the Boeing 717-200 twinjet completed its full engine fan-blade-off test, according to BMW Rolls-Royce GmbH. It said this was the last major test in preparation for international engine certification schedule for September. During the test, a single fan blade was released by an explosive device at its root at maximum fan rotational speed. The blade was held by the containment system while the engine performed a controlled rundown with no loss of structural integrity, the company said.
The U.S. Air Force will spend the next couple of days assessing the areas in which unmanned aerial vehicles can improve force protection procedures. The AF's UAV and Force Protection Battlelabs are cooperating on a two-
Honeywell Inc. said it has acquired Daimler-Benz Aerospace AG's Airport Systems, an international supplier of airport lighting products and systems, airport information management systems and project services. The deal, whose price was not announced, follows the March 10 acquisition of Hughey&Phillips, which specializes in airfield and obstruction lighting.
Jean-Luc Lechantre has been appointed manager of the training center at Le Bourget Airport, Paris, France. Al Ramsey has been appointed manager of the Houston Learning Center at Hobby Airport in Houston, Tex.
Japan's top-level Space Activities Commission (SAC) and the National Space Development Agency (NASDA) have slipped the planned launch of the HOPE-X unpiloted mini-shuttle technology demonstrator from fiscal year 2000 until fiscal 2003 in response to the tightening space budget. Launch of the ADEOS-2 Earth observation platform and the seventh H-II rocket also were postponed in actions announced July 2.
JAPAN'S NASDA picked a team of Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries (IHI) and Nissan Motors as prime contractor for development of a modified version of the J-1 launch vehicle. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) was the losing bidder. Under the teaming arrangement, IHI will be responsible for the first stage and Nissan will develop the second. Lockheed Martin played a role in the winning bid, while Boeing worked with MHI on the loser.
