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Week ending October 13, 2002
+++ Aurora: Europe's first steps to Mars, the Moon and beyond +++ Europrop International names executive team +++ Accession of EU to Eurocontrol +++ New Truss Segment added to Space Station +++ AECMA demands State assistance +++ News in brief +++
Aurora: Europe's first steps to Mars, the Moon and beyond
ESA-Forschungsstrategie
On Monday 7 October, the Aurora Board of Participants met at ESA Headquarters in Paris and approved the start of assessment studies for the first four robotic missions in the Programme. These assessments involve studies of two Flagship missions, which are major milestones to advance the scientific and technical knowledge in preparation for a human mission; and two Arrow missions, which are typically less complex and cheaper technology missions intended to reduce the risk involved in the more complex Flagship flights. The approved Flagship mission studies are: The Exo-Mars mission. The Exo-Mars mission will characterize the Martian biological environment before landings by other spacecraft or humans take place. Data from the mission will provide invaluable input to broader studies of Exobiology - the search for life beyond Earth.
The Mars Sample Return mission. A composite vehicle will carry into a Mars orbit both a descent module and an Earth re-entry vehicle. The descent module will carry to the surface of Mars a landing platform equipped with a sample collecting device and an ascent vehicle. A modest landing accuracy is expected to be sufficient for a mission bringing back the first ever sample of Martian soil.
Earth re-entry vehicle / capsule. The envisaged mission will use a small spacecraft in a highly elliptical Earth orbit. The vehicle will be propelled towards the Earth under conditions similar to those that would be experienced by an interplanetary return capsule. This mission is a necessary preparatory step for the first Mars Sample Return Mission.
Mars Aerocapture demonstrator. A small mission with the specific goal of validating technology that can slow a spacecraft and allow it to enter orbit around Mars by using friction with the planet's upper atmosphere. This will later be applied in a future Flagship mission, and eventually to the human mission elements.
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Europrop International names executive team
Management für Europrop ernannt
EPI Europrop International GmbH, the joint company formed by the four leading European aero engine companies to offer the TP400-D6 turboprop for the A400M transport aircraft, today named its executive team. Professor Guenter Kappler is appointed Managing Director, with full responsibility to manage the programme; Rob Sellick of Rolls-Royce is Technical Director; Friedrich Lederer of MTU Aero Engines is Commercial Director; Pierre Drevet of Snecma Moteurs is Operations Director, while Miguel Angel Bariego of ITP is Integrated Logistics Support (ILS) Director. EPI's shareholders are ITP, which has a 16 per cent share in the company, MTU Aero Engines, Rolls-Royce and Snecma Moteurs, which each hold 28 per cent. Europrop is registered in Germany and is overseen by a Board of Directors composed of top-level executives from its four parent companies and the EPI Managing Director. Jean-Paul Herteman of Snecma Moteurs is elected chairman of the Board of Directors. EPI has its registered headquarters in Unterschleissheim near Munich, Germany and an operational office in Villepinte near Paris, France. The TP400-D6 engine offered by EPI is a three-shaft turboprop and will have a maximum power output in
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Accession of EU to Eurocontrol
EU nun Mitglied von Eurocontrol
The Plenipotentiaries of the 31 Member States of Eurocontrol and the European Community, represented by the Vice-President of the European Commission and the President of the EU Transport Council, signed today the Protocol on the accession of the European Community to Eurocontrol at a Diplomatic Conference held at the Organisation's Headquarters in Brussels, under the Presidency of the Belgian Minister for Mobility and Transport, Mrs. Isabelle Durant. The signing of the accession Protocol was the culmination of extensive negotiations, which began two years ago when it was recognized that there was a need to ensure consistency between the working arrangements and functions of the two organizations in matters relating to European air transport. The process leading to this accession has been made possible thanks to the commitment and determination of all concerned. The accession of the European Community (EC) to Eurocontrol is a milestone in the history of European air transport. It represents a great opportunity to improve the regulatory framework of European air traffic management (ATM). This move will in fact accelerate the process for the ratification of the revised Eurocontro Convention and it will facilitate the successful implementation of the "Single Sky" initiative on a pan-European scale. Loyola de Palacio, Vice-President of the European Commission, highlighted the high importance of this adhesion: "The Community's contribution to Eurocontrol will be of first importance and will allow more synergies with this organization, on the basis of strong co-ordination between the EU member states. It will also pave the way for a smooth setting up of the European Single sky project which cannot be developed without the expertise of Eurocontrol" she explained. "I wish that today's event removes the obstacles to the ratification and the entry into force of the revised Convention of Eurocontrol, which is strongly needed by all the air transport actors" she added.
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New Truss Segment added to Space Station
Shuttle liefert neue Teile für die Raumstation
Thursday saw the addition of a new station component, the S1 (S-One) Truss. Using Canadarm2, the station's robotic arm, STS-112 Mission Specialist Sandy Magnus and NASA ISS Science Officer Peggy Whitson plucked the truss from Atlantis' payload bay and attached it to the starboard end of the S0 (S-Zero) Truss already in place on the station. Following attachment of the S1, STS-112 Mission Specialists David Wolf and Piers Sellers conducted a spacewalk to begin the activation and outfitting of the S1. The 7-hour, 1-minute excursion wrapped up at 5:22 p.m. CDT (2222 GMT) Thursday. They will perform two more spacewalks to continue activating the S1Shuttle Atlantis had closed in on the International Space Station (ISS) on Tuesday, the first full day in orbit for the six-member crew. Following a flawless launch from the Kennedy Space Center on Monday, Atlantis' five astronauts and one cosmonaut spent a couple of hours setting up shop for their planned 11-day stay in space and then went to bed.
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AECMA demands State assistance
Regierungen müssen Luft- und Raumfahrt besser unterstützen
The European aerospace industry requires European governments to create a coherent approach for its aerospace related requirements. Time is short if Europe is to maintain and develop industrial capability. Member States must be joined in the STAR 21 debate. This was the basic outcome of the Annual Convention of AECMA at which more than 300 leaders of the European aerospace industries debated the outlines of the STAR 21 Advisory Group. The report of STAR 21 (the Strategic Aerospace Review for the 21st Century) was published report in July. The Plenary Session debated how the aerospace industry and the European framework can develop in order to play a full part in securing Europe's economic and political future. The participants agreed that this can only be met if the European economic and industrial structure is capable of responding to the challenges that lie ahead. Errki Liikanen said “As the aerospace industry has consolidated at a European level, so a coherent public policy framework must also be developed at the European level. This means that Europe must overcome its remaining fragmentation to develop a coherent long-term framework for its aerospace industry”. Denis Ranque pointed out that the STAR 21 recommendations were an important step, but had to be urgently followed through concrete actions by the European Commission and the Member States. The longer-term topics should be integrated into the output of the European Convention.Back to the top of the page / Zurück zum Anfang der Seite
NEWS IN BRIEF / KURZMELDUNGEN
At the occasion of the AECMA Annual Convention, Dr Bengt Halse, President and CEO Saab AB, was elected as AECMA President for the period 2002-2003, succeeding Jean-Paul Béchat, Chairman and CEO Snecma. Mr Mike Turner, CEO BAE Systems, has been nominated as President Elect. Mr Pier Francesco Guarguaglini, Chairman of Finmeccanica SPA has been appointed as member of the Council of AECMA.+++
The Lufthansa Group has sustained the visible upward trend in passenger and cargo traffic already evident in the first half-year and further improved its traffic figures for the period January-September. In the first nine months of this year the Lufthansa Group airlines carried 33.1 million passengers. This represents a 7.7 per cent drop in passenger volume year-on-year in the wake of the terrorist attacks of 11 September, but an improvement on the first half-year, when the passenger count fell by 9.3 per cent. Despite an 8.7 per cent reduction in available capacity between January and September, sales declined by only 6.2 per cent against the previous year. As a result, capacity utilisation of the passenger fleets rose by two percentage points to a respectable 74.9 per cent, bringing the passenger load factor up to the record level achieved in 2000. Signs of recovery were also apparent in the cargo segment. From January to September Lufthansa Cargo transported two per cent less freight and mail than in the same period last year. However, this compares well with the first half, when the airline reported a year-on-year decline in cargo volume of 3.6 per cent. The cargo load factor of 66.4 per cent exceeded the figure for the first nine months of 2001 by a gratifying five percentage points. The Lufthansa Group boosted its overall load factor (passenger business and cargo) to 71.1 per cent, which corresponds to an increase of 3.4 percentage points.
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Helijet, and its code share partner Alaska Airlines, will begin twice-daily service to Whistler from Vancouver International Airport starting November 23rd. Alaska passengers from across the United States will connect to Helijet at YVR for the 28-minute flight. It is expected that Government approval will also be given, allowing Horizon Airlines to join the program, prior to flight inaugural. The Whistler route introduction is part of a new marketing partnership announced in August, that also includes Alaska Airlines adding its code to Helijet's service between Vancouver International Airport and downtown Victoria, allowing Alaska's passengers at YVR to connect directly to and from Helijet's Victoria Harbour service.
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Calling the 747 Freighter the standard in the industry, Japan Airlines (JAL) finalized the airline's first order for Boeing 747-400 Freighters. Delivery of the two airplanes is planned for 2004. The new airplanes will enter an extensive Japan Airlines 747 fleet, which currently numbers 81 747s of various models -- more than any other carrier - of which 10 are 747-200Fs. They are the 110th and 111th 747s ordered by Japan Airlines.
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Eurocopter announced the appointment of Marc Paganini as CEO of American Eurocopter. He will report to Eurocopter Subsidiaries and Participations Directorate. American Eurocopter is the Texas based unit of Eurocopter in the United States. Paganini will replace Rudy Palladina, who is returning to Canada at the end of the year to be with his family and will continue as a consultant with Eurocopter
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Schweizer Aircraft delivered the first new 300CBi to the U.K at the end of August where it received approval from the CAA in September. Since that time, orders for 9 additional CBi's have been received from customers in Australia, Canada, Ireland, and the U.S. The 300CBi, an enhanced version of the company's 300CB, features a number of improvements including a fuel injected engine, a splined main rotor driveshaft with more than double the life of the bolted hub and Schweizer's new electronic STAR system which includes a start-up overspeed limiter, automatic rotor engagement and a low rotor RPM warning device. Combined, these improvements provide simplified operating procedures, reduced operating costs and further safety advancements. The standard-equipped 300CBi includes these new features in addition to dual controls, night lights, transponder, blind encoder and comm radio. The life limits of all major dynamic components of the 300CBi are 4000 hours or more, making its total cost of ownership lower than that of any other helicopter in its class.
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NASA has awarded Boeing Space and Communications Group, Houston, a $201.5 million contract to perform payload-engineering integration, mission integration and payload operations work for the International Space Station (ISS). The new ISS Payload Integration Contract (IPIC) consolidates station payload work under a single contract that had previously been performed by Boeing under two contracts. Work under the contract will be performed at NASA's Johnson Space Center, Houston, and NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Ala.
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The U.S. Army and Northrop Grumman conducted simulant drop tests Sept. 23 that successfully demonstrated the feasibility of releasing a Bat submunition from a Hunter unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). Co-sponsored by the Army's Precision Fires Rocket and Missile Systems and Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Systems Project Office, the drops were performed at Fort Huachuca, Ariz. They pave the way for an October test series at White Sands Missile Range, N.M., that will demonstrate engagement of large moving targets by Bats released from a Hunter. Collectively, these initial rounds of tests represent the first of two planned demonstration phases. Phase 1 is intended to demonstrate operational capability of the baseline Bat from Hunter. This version of Bat, currently in production at Northrop Grumman's Land Combat Systems facility in Huntsville, is an autonomous munition that uses a combination of passive acoustic and IR sensors to seek, identify and destroy moving armored targets deep in enemy territory.
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The U.S. Navy awarded Raytheon a $36 million fixed price incentive contract for the Low Rate Initial Production (LRIP) of the Tactical Tomahawk. The contract calls for the production and delivery of 25 Tactical Tomahawk All-Up Round missiles. "This award is the direct result of the outstanding success of the first flight demonstration on Aug. 23," said Louise Francesconi, president, Raytheon Missile Systems, Tucson, Ariz. "I am proud of the progress that the joint Raytheon-U.S. Navy team has made in taking us one step closer to Fleet introduction."
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The French minister of defense has decided to launch two UAV programs: the MultiCapteurs MultiMission (MCMM) drone for the army, and the Moyenne Altitude Longue Endurance (MALE; medium altitude long endurance) for the air force. The MCMM program calls for the supply of 80 drones, 40 of which will be ordered and funded by the 2003-2008 multiyear defense program, with initial deliveries in 2008, for battlefield data gathering, target designation and electronic warfare. Total cost of this program, including support and maintenance over 15 years, is estimated at 450 million euros. The MALE program calls for the supply of 12 aerial vehicles and related ground stations, funded under the 2003-2008 multiyear defense program, with initial deliveries in 2009. The number of aerial vehicles could be subsequently increased to as many as 24. The system is intended for intelligence-gathering missions as well as target designation and in-theater communications and data relay. The cost of the program, also including support and maintenance over 15 years, is estimated at 1.1 billion euros for 24 aerial vehicles.
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Boeing has expanded its European presence with two recent executive appointments in the region. Marlin Dailey has been appointed vice president of European Sales, Boeing Commercial Airplanes, and Daniel da Silva has been named vice president of Customer Support - Europe for Commercial Airplanes. Both positions are based at the Commercial Airplanes' European regional head office in Brussels, Belgium.
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An enemy Mig-29 has just passed through the crosshairs of a Navy F/A-18 Hornet, and the fight is on. Both pilots bank and turn to battle it out for victory in combat and ultimately air superiority. This scenario is very much a reality in today's trouble spots around the world. To help give Navy and Air Force aviators an edge, the German Air Force has provided a real-world threat platform, formidable pilots and the MiG-29 Fulcrum. Agile Archer O2 is an air combat training exercise hosted by the 125th Fighter Wing of the Florida Air National Guard at Naval Air Station Key West, Fla. The exercise brings together the German Air Force and instructors from the Navy's Fighter Weapons School (Top Gun), located at the Naval Strike and Air Warfare Center (NSAWC) in Fallon, Nev. This training provides an excellent opportunity for Navy F/A-18 pilots and Air Force F-15 pilots to train against the most probable and capable adversary either will face. It is a month-long exercise that will run until October 7, 2002. According to Navy Cmdr. Nicholas Mongillo, Top Gun's readiness officer, Agile Archer 02 required extensive planning and coordination with the Florida Air National Guard and the German Air Force. “It is a culmination of a year and a half of planning between the Air Force and Navy to bring together this type of training,” said Mongillo. Agile Archer 02 exposes Navy and Air Force aircrew to simulated air combat against the MiG-29 Fulcrum, which is the most likely aircraft that they will face in combat. The types of missions flown in this exercise are one-on-one, where one fighter jet takes on another fighter jet.
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The last H-1 upgrade program test aircraft to make a first flight took its first leap out of the nest here Oct. 4 when it flew a 1.5-hour shakedown flight. Flown by Marine Corps Maj. Steve Girard and Bell Helicopter test pilot Gregg Shimp, both members of the H-1 Integrated Test Team here, the AH-1Z, known as Z2, will begin flying temperature and cooling data points once the shakedown flights are complete. “We flew the aircraft up to 100 knots and it performed extremely well, which is a tribute to the entire crew working on the aircraft,” Girard said. With Z2 having now flown, all five production representative aircraft are actively flying test flights in support of the upgrade program. Z2's first flight followed that of Z3 because Z2 has more extensive instrumentation that required more assembly time to install.
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Raytheon will provide prime contractor TRW up to seven Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) instruments for the National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System (NPOESS). Under the contract, Raytheon will continue to design, develop, test and deliver three VIIRS flight units. The contract includes options for four additional units through 2014. The first Raytheon VIIRS instrument is scheduled for launch in 2006 on the NPOESS Preparatory Project (NPP) spacecraft.
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Lockheed Martin, the U.S. Air Force and the Italian Air Force have conducted joint tests as part of the U.S. Air Force's planned C-130J defensive systems upgrade program. The C-130J airlifter is produced by Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company, a business area of Lockheed Martin Corporation. "The C-130J offers the most advanced defensive systems capabilities in the world," said Ross Reynolds, vice president C-130J program. "The enhanced ability to avoid radar and surface-to-air missiles enables the C-130J to conduct its mission even in a hostile war zone." The radar warning receivers (RWR) being installed on the U.S. C-130Js are critical to the aircraft's ability to defend itself in a war zone. The RWR alerts crews that the aircraft is being painted by hostile radar. Recent trials were conducted to ensure that the aircraft's new upgraded software functions with the RWR, and other elements of the defensive systems upgrades, to new U.S. Air Force specifications.
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Indústria Aeronáutica Neiva, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Embraer, presented today a version of its crop-duster aircraft EMB 202 Ipanema equipped with an engine powered by alcohol. The objective of the Company is to give a boost to agricultural aviation, as studies indicate a new cost/benefit ratio in items such as operational cost, potency and consumption with alcohol-powered aircraft. The project is being developed in partnership with CTA (Centro Tecnológico Aeroespacial, the Brazilian certification authority based in São José dos Campos, SP) and has the technical support of both Lycoming and Hartzell, manufacturers of the engine and propeller group, respectively. “Confirming the market acceptance and the validity of the concept, we expect to obtain certification for both aircraft and engine in 18 months,” said Neiva's CEO Paulo Urbanavicius.
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U.S. aircraft patrolling the Southern No-fly Zone over Iraq struck air defense sites in response to Iraqi provocations. U.S. Central Command officials announced that U.S. aircraft dropped precision-guided bombs on an air defense radar site near al Basrah. Other coalition forces struck a surface-to- air missile site near Tallil. They said battle-damage assessment continues. This is the fourth time this month coalition forces have hit targets in Iraq. Operation Southern Watch aircraft struck sites on Oct. 1 and Oct. 3. Operation Northern Watch aircraft struck Oct. 9.
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The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Affordable Moving Surface Target Engagement (AMSTE) has for the first time demonstrated the ability to perform multiple, simultaneous precision engagements of moving surface targets using modified Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAM). DARPA also demonstrated for the first time the ability to engage a single moving target with a modified Joint Stand-Off Weapon (JSOW). These precision-guided weapons were used very effectively against fixed targets in Operation Enduring Freedom. The techniques demonstrated will permit inventory weapons like the JDAM and JSOW to be employed in a new role to precisely engage moving surface threats. On September 30, an F-14 launched the two AMSTE-configured, inert, 2000-pound JDAM weapons at two different targets within a convoy moving at 18 mph across the range at Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division, China Lake, Calif. The two weapons were launched from 20,000 feet, at a range of approximately six nautical miles. The targets were tracked using two stand-off airborne ground moving target indicator (GMTI) radars, one a Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System (JSTARS) radar and one a surrogate for a Joint Strike Fighter radar. The sensor data was networked between the two aircraft and fused in the AMSTE tracking software to provide continuous, precise geolocation updates on the designated targets.
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Rolls-Royce and Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation celebrated the delivery of the1,000th Tay engine for the 500th Gulfstream IV business jet -- an event that underscores the two companies' long-standing association and success in the corporate aircraft market. Speaking at the ceremony at the Rolls-Royce facility in Derby, UK, Bill Boisture, President, Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation, said: "Gulfstream congratulates everyone at Rolls-Royce who worked with us to design the Tay engine and all those who have since been involved in manufacturing and delivering these outstanding engines. Thanks to our 44-year partnership, the Gulfstream IV-SP is the best selling long-range, large-cabin business jet aircraft available today."
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Bankupt Fairchild Dornier is still attracting interest for its 728 regional jet programme. According to reports, Russian conglomerate Basic Elements togethere with the Irkut plant plan an offer. Also in the running is a Swiss investment company. Financing details for both possible bids are not known, so that the whole thing seem dubous.
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The three AS 352U2 Cougars of the German Luftwaffe, used for VIP flights in Berlin, have achieved the 5000 flight hour mark after five years in service (ie. 300 hours per helicopter per year or so).
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