The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency's (DARPA) Orbital Express program is gearing up for a critical design review (CDR) this winter, in anticipation of a six- to 12-month on-orbit demonstration to begin in fiscal year 2006. The $100 million program is an Advanced Technology Demonstration (ATD) aimed at developing architectures and technologies for refueling, upgrading, and reconfiguring spacecraft while they are in orbit.
Despite a 10 percent growth in its defense businesses, Raytheon Co. reported a net loss of $434 million for the first quarter of fiscal 2002, compared with a loss of $124 million a year ago at this time. In an April 18 conference call with analysts and investors, company officials said the loss was due to a $360 million write-off for goodwill related to the sale of its Aircraft Integration Systems unit to L-3 Communications Corp. in March. The company also recorded a $211 million after-tax loss on the transaction.
NASA officials said April 18 that the agency is shutting down the X-38 experimental vehicle program, which could have led to the development of a crew return vehicle (CRV) for emergency escape from the International Space Station. "The X-38 program has been given direction to shut down," Fred Gregory, NASA's associate administrator for human space flight, told reporters after testifying before the House Science space subcommittee.
PRAGUE - Czech weapons procurement officials are scheduled to hold talks next month with Bush Administration officials about a Czech proposal to buy $210 million worth of combat equipment for its air force's L-159 fleet and planned new Gripen fighters.
The Department of Defense notified Congress April 17 of a possible $2.1 billion sale of 16 AH-64D Apache attack helicopters to Kuwait. "The proposed sale will upgrade the Kuwaiti anti-armor day/night missile capability, provide for the defense of vital installations and provide close air support for the military ground forces," according to the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA), which is the Pentagon agency responsible for managing foreign military sales.
With a new air mobility study already underway, Air Force Gen. John Handy, the commander-in-chief (CINC) of Transportation Command (TRANSCOM) and commander of Air Mobility Command, predicts that there will be a clear need for more airlift.
Czech weapons procurement officials are scheduled to hold talks next month with Bush Administration officials about a Czech proposal to buy $210 million worth of combat equipment for its air force's L-159 fleet and planned new Gripen fighters.
The Department of Defense notified Congress April 17 of a possible $2.1 billion sale of 16 AH-64D Apache attack helicopters to Kuwait. "The proposed sale will upgrade the Kuwaiti anti-armor day/night missile capability, provide for the defense of vital installations and provide close air support for the military ground forces," according to the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA), which is the Pentagon agency responsible for managing foreign military sales.
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency's (DARPA) Orbital Express program is gearing up for a critical design review (CDR) this winter, in anticipation of a six- to 12-month on-orbit demonstration to begin in fiscal year 2006. The $100 million program is an Advanced Technology Demonstration (ATD) aimed at developing architectures and technologies for refueling, upgrading, and reconfiguring spacecraft while they are in orbit.
SHUTTLE HOME: After a weeklong stay at the International Space Station to install and outfit a segment of the station's truss, Space Shuttle Atlantis' crew is slated to return to Earth April 19. Atlantis is scheduled to land at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, Fla., at 12:26p.m.EDT.
The U.S. Department of Defense has cleared the sale of Raytheon-built weapon-locating radars to India, the first such defense sale in a decade, officials said here. The deal was completed April 17, according to a senior Indian ministry of defense official. Eight Raytheon AN/TPQ 37 Firefinder radars will be supplied to the Indian army for $146 million under the Foreign Military Sales program, the official said.
With a new air mobility study already underway, Air Force Gen. John Handy, the commander-in-chief (CINC) of Transportation Command (TRANSCOM) and commander of Air Mobility Command, predicts that there will be a clear need for more airlift.
While the Vertical Flight Consortium awaits the resumption of V-22 testing next month, the group is working to advance the broad acceptance of rotorcraft in general, according to American Helicopter Society (AHS) Executive Director Rhett Flater. The consortium is an informal coalition - featuring participation from Bell Helicopter/Textron, Boeing, AHS, and others - aimed at advancing the cause of vertical flight technology (DAILY, April 17).
While the Vertical Flight Consortium awaits the resumption of V-22 testing next month, the group is working to advance the broad acceptance of rotorcraft in general, according to American Helicopter Society (AHS) Executive Director Rhett Flater. The consortium is an informal coalition - featuring participation from Bell Helicopter/Textron, Boeing, AHS, and others - aimed at advancing the cause of vertical flight technology (DAILY, April 17).
Despite a 10 percent growth in its defense businesses, Raytheon Co. reported a net loss of $434 million for the first quarter of fiscal 2002, compared with a loss of $124 million a year ago at this time. In an April 18 conference call with analysts and investors, company officials said the loss was due to a $360 million write-off for goodwill related to the sale of its Aircraft Integration Systems unit to L-3 Communications Corp. in March. The company also recorded a $211 million after-tax loss on the transaction.
NASA officials said April 18 that the agency is shutting down the X-38 experimental vehicle program, which could have led to the development of a crew return vehicle (CRV) for emergency escape from the International Space Station. "The X-38 program has been given direction to shut down," Fred Gregory, NASA's associate administrator for human space flight, told reporters after testifying before the House Science space subcommittee.
NASA has selected four experiments to receive $450,000 each to conduct four-month feasibility studies, leading to possible launch as NASA Explorer Program missions. NASA will select two of the missions early next year for full development as medium-class Explorer, or MIDEX, flights. The selected missions will be launched in 2007 and 2008. The candidates are:
CONVERSION APPROVED: Pemco Aviation Group of Birmingham, Ala., has received FAA approval to convert Boeing 737-300 aircraft from passenger to cargo configurations, the company announced April 18. The FAA approved the Supplemental Type Certificate, making Pemco World Air Services, the company's commercial facility in Dothan, Ala., the only company approved by the FAA to perform the conversions, the company said. Modification of a 737-300 will begin immediately at that facility, according to Pemco.
FALCON CONTRACT: Northrop Grumman Corp. will provide engineering services and technical support for the F-16's fire control radar under a $487 million Air Force contract. The work will cover the U.S. Air Force and 16 other air forces through Foreign Military Sales, according to the company.
India's indigenous Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) program, already six years behind schedule, will be delayed further by complications with the LCA's second technology demonstrator, TD2. A senior defense scientist working on the LCA project told The DAILY that there are problems with the TD2's flight software, which is not complete.
Beginning as early as June of 2003, the Defense Department will boost the signal of Global Positioning System (GPS) satellites by 10 decibels, according to John Stenbit, the assistant secretary of defense for command, control and communications. The signal boost, which would be for satellites not yet launched, will help counter attempts to jam the GPS signals, a source of increasing concern for the U.S. military as forces have become more dependent on GPS.
The Boeing Co. posted a $1.25 billion net loss for the first quarter of fiscal year 2002 due to acquisition-related charges and accounting adjustments. In an April 17 conference call with investors and analysts, company officials reported first-quarter revenues of about $13.8 billion, as compared with about $13.3 billion a year ago at this time. Net earnings for the quarter totaled $578 million, as compared with $1.2 billion in the first quarter of FY 01.
Following several months of speculation, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld announced April 17 that a new combatant command will be created to defend the United States and help civil and local agencies respond to domestic threats and crises. Northern Command, or NORTHCOM, will be the first command to have unified responsibility for the defense of the U.S., Rumsfeld told reporters at an April 17 Pentagon briefing to announce the new command structure.
Majority Whip Tom DeLay (R-Texas) blasted NASA Administrator Sean O'Keefe during his first appearance before a House Appropriations subcommittee April 17, calling O'Keefe's human spaceflight plans "timid and anemic," and criticizing his handling of the X-38 Crew Return Vehicle (CRV) program.
