FLUG REVUE update: Week ending January 4, 2004

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UPDATE
Week ending 4 January 2004

+++ Beagle 2 lost on Mars +++ EA-18G development order for Boeing +++ Chinese launch first Double Star +++ Saab to work on UCAV with Dassault +++ F-16I takes flight +++ Starsem lifts Amos 2 +++ IATA sees growth for 2004 +++ Stardust hurtles past comet +++ News in brief +++

Beagle 2 lost on Mars
Europäische Marsmission nur halb erfolgreich

On the morning of 25 December, after a journey lasting 205 days and covering 400 million km, the European Mars Express space probe fired its main engine at 03:47 CET for a 37-minute burn in order to enter an orbit around the Mars. This firing gave the probe a boost so that it could match the higher speed of the planet on its orbit around the Sun and be captured by its gravity field, quite like climbing in a spinning merry-go-round. This orbit insertion manoeuvre was a complete success.
At approximately the same time, the Beagle 2 lander, protected by a thermal shield, entered the Martian atmosphere at high velocity and was expected to have reached the surface at about 03:52 CET. However, the first attempt to communicate with Beagle 2, three hours after landing, via NASA's Mars Odyssey orbiter, did not establish radio contact, and all subsequent attempts have also failed.
In the course of the week, the orbit of Mars Express was gradually adjusted in order to prepare for its scientific mission. On 30 December at 09:00 CET, the Mars Express flight control team at ESOC prepared and executed another critical maneuver, bringing the spacecraft from an equatorial orbit into a polar orbit around Mars. All commands were transmitted to Mars Express via ESA's new Deep Space Station in New Norcia, Australia. This morning, the main engine of Mars Express was fired for four minutes to turn the spacecraft into a new direction, at a distance of 188 000 kilometers from Mars and about 160 million kilometers from Earth. On 4 January 2004, this new polar orbit will be reduced even further.
In a polar orbit, Mars Express can now start to prepare its scientific observation mission as planned, working much like an 'Earth-observation satellite' but around Mars. From the second half of January 2004, the orbiter's instruments will be able to scan the atmosphere, the surface and parts of the subsurface structure of Mars with unmatched precision. The MARSIS radar, for example, will be able to scan as far as four kilometers below the surface, looking for underground water or ice. The High Resolution Stereo Camera will take high-precision pictures of the planet and will begin a comprehensive 3D cartography of Mars. Also, several spectrometers will try to unveil the mysteries of Martian mineralogy and the atmosphere, as well as influences from the solar wind or seasonal changes.

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EA-18G development order for Boeing
Prowler-Nachfolger geht in Entwicklung

The U.S. Navy has awarded Boeing a multiyear procurement contract valued at $8.6 billion for the production of an additional 210 F/A-18 Super Hornets and a $1 billion contract for system design and development (SDD) of the EA-18G airborne electronic attack aircraft. Under the terms of the multiyear contract, the Navy will purchase 42 aircraft in each of the fiscal years 2005 through 2009. The agreement provides the Navy with the flexibility to increase the quantity of aircraft on order by as many as six aircraft per year. Deliveries for aircraft purchased in the second multiyear will begin in fiscal year 2007.
The 5-year SDD program for the EA-18G runs from FY04 until early FY09 and encompasses all laboratory, ground test, and flight tests from component level testing through full-up EA-18G weapons system performance flight-testing. “This contract will keep the lines running and keep St. Louis working,” said Sen. Christopher “Kit” Bond (R-Mo.). “This is great news for the workers and their families this holiday season. The F/A-18 Super Hornet platform continues to serve as a model procurement program, consistently producing aircraft ahead of schedule and under budget. Pound for pound and dollar for dollar, the Super Hornet is the best tactical aircraft the Navy operates.”
The EA-18G will provide the war fighter with abundant operational flexibility. It can carry up to five ALQ-99 jamming pods and will typically add two AIM-120 self-defense missiles and two AGM-88 High Speed Anti-Radiation (HARM) missiles. “While developing the EA-18G concept and configuration, our design team maintained as much of the inherent growth capacity in the F/A-18F as possible,” Lockard said. “The result will be a platform designed to take advantage of the latest airborne electronic attack and networking technologies, enabling significant improvements in threat suppression.”

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Chinese launch first Double Star
ESA-Beitrag für chinesischen Satelliten

On the evening of 29 December, at 20:06 CET, the Chinese National Space Administration (CNSA) successfully launched TC-1, the first of two scientific satellites known as Double Star. The spacecraft, called 'Tan Ce 1' which in Chinese means 'Explorer 1,' took off from the Chinese launch base in Xichang, in Sichuan province, on board a Long March 2C launcher. ESA has contributed to the Double Star mission by providing eight on-board scientific instruments. Double Star follows the footsteps of ESA's Cluster mission and will study closely the interaction between the solar wind and the Earth's magnetic field.
The People's Republic of China and ESA have a long history of scientific collaboration. The first co-operation agreement was signed in 1980, to facilitate the exchange of scientific information. Thirteen years later, the collaboration focused on a specific mission, ESA's Cluster, to study the Earth's magnetosphere. Then, in 1997, the CNSA invited ESA to participate in Double Star, a two-satellite mission to study the Earth's magnetic field, but from a perspective which is different from that of Cluster and complementary to it. An agreement to develop this joint mission was signed on 9 July 2001 by ESA's Director General, Antonio Rodota, and Luan Enjie, Administrator of the CNSA.
The positions and orbit of the two Double Star satellites have been carefully defined to allow the study of the magnetosphere on a larger scale than that possible with Cluster alone. An example of this co-ordinated activity is the study of the substorms producing the bright aurorae. The exact region where they form is still unclear but the simultaneous high-resolution measurements to be made by Double Star and Cluster are expected to give an answer.

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Saab to work on UCAV with Dassault
Europäische Kampfdrohnenentwicklung mit Saab

Saab is signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with French Dassault Aviation, with the aim of defining a program for developing a UCAV demonstrator (Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle). “This is an extremely important step for the development of Swedish UAV-technology. With the Gripen we have shown that we are a world leader at integrating complete aircraft systems. This in combination with cutting-edge know-how of aerospace technology makes Saab a supplier of UAV-systems for the future,” says Lennart Sindahl, Senior Vice President and General Manager at Saab Aerosystems.
The project will be conducted in an international cooperation between several nations, the two leading aviation corporations in Europe – Dassault Aviation and Saab – being the main participants. Dassault will manage the project as commissioned by the French defence materiel agency, DGA, with Saab as principal partner. The aim is to further develop the high level of expertise within Saab in the field of aerial vehicles, to the benefit of the Gripen and unmanned aerial vehicles. The purpose of the demonstrator will be to develop cutting-edge technology for the advanced UAVs of the future.
The signing of the MoU has been made possible as the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) has signed a Letter of Intent with the French DGA to take part in the project, with the intention of co-financing the UCAV project. France has already appropriated MEUR 300.

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F-16I takes flight
Erstflug der F-16I für Israel

On December 23, 2003, Lockheed Martin completed a successful first flight of the F-16I, an Advanced Block 52 F-16 variant built for Israel. The F-16 flew for 55 minutes and landed safely at the Lockheed Martin facility. The initial flight assessed basic aircraft operation including flight controls, landing gear and environmental control, cockpit and basic avionics systems. "The successful first flight of the F-16I is truly a major milestone in our continuing commitment to Israel," said John Bean, Lockheed Martin vice president for F-16 programs. "This achievement further strengthens our bond, which spans three decades through the F-16."
Israel's Peace Marble V foreign military sales program will supply the Israel Air Force (IAF) with 102 two-seat aircraft and is the largest Israeli F-16 acquisition yet. The F-16I is specially designed for Israel, and has been named "Soufa," or "Storm" in Hebrew, by the IAF. Production deliveries are scheduled through 2008. The F-16I incorporates the latest technology and capabilities in an air combat fighter, such as modern core avionics, color cockpits featuring moving maps, conformal fuel tanks and advanced electronic warfare displays. The aircraft also features the APG-68(V)9 multimode radar, Pratt and Whitney F100 Improved Performance Engine, "smart" weapons compatibility and sophisticated navigation and targeting system.

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Starsem lifts Amos 2
Israelischer Satellit mit Soyuz gestartet

On December 28, 2003, Starsem and Arianespace orbited the Israeli communications satellite Amos 2. The 1,684th launch of a Soyuz family rocket (using the Soyuz-Fregat version) took place at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. The launcher lifted off as scheduled at 2:30 a.m. local time on December 28 (i.e. 21:30 UTC on Saturday December 27, 10:30 p.m. Paris time on December 27). Starsem, Arianespace and their Russian partners confirmed that the Fregat upper stage accurately injected the Amos 2 satellite into the targeted orbit. This was the Soyuz launcher's first geostationary transfer orbit (GTO) mission. Three successive burns of the Fregat upper stage were performed to inject the Amos 2 spacecraft on its transfer orbit 6 hours and 45 minutes after lift-off.
To comply with Israel Aircraft Industries' (IAI) requirements, Arianespace and Starsem had decided, in agreement with Israeli operator, Spacecom Ltd., that the Amos 2 spacecraft launch, initially planned by an Ariane 5, would be performed by a Soyuz launch vehicle. This decision reflects the policy set up by Arianespace and Starsem to meet customers' needs, providing enhanced flexibility based on a family of launch vehicles. The launch was also the 12th carried out by Starsem, which is responsible for international marketing of the Soyuz launcher, as well as for its operation. Starsem's shareholders are Arianespace, EADS, the Russian Aviation and Space Agency and the Samara Space Center.

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IATA sees growth for 2004
Stärkeres Wachstum für dieses Jahr prognostiziert

"In 2003, the combination of war in Iraq, ongoing security concerns and SARS has tested the mettle of the air transport industry in an unprecedented manner," said IATA Director General & CEO Giovanni Bisignani. "Painful recovery strategies, industry resilience and willingness to adapt have been essential on the road to recovery." Following the dramatic decline in airline traffic resulting from SARS in the first half of the year, passenger figures have steadily improved. Monthly growth has resumed, and IATA anticipates that overall international passenger numbers for 2003 will be only 3 to 4% lower than 2002.
"Positive growth is expected in 2004, with a bounce-back of 7 to 8% in international RPKs (passenger traffic), with Asia Pacific leading all regions," announced Bisignani. "We must not forget, however, that passenger traffic figures are still below pre-September 11 levels." International freight traffic remained strong during 2003 and is likely to record a 5% increase for the year, according to IATA.
"Our agenda for 2004 is designed to turn this positive trend into sustained growth and to help the industry repair damaged balance sheets," said Bisignani. "Airlines will continue to target increase internal cost efficiencies. Airports and air traffic services also have a key role to play. Many have understood the competitive pressures facing their airline customers and have taken strong measures to contain costs. It is critical in 2004 that all service providers set meaningful targets to improve efficiency and reduce costs." IATA has established a USD 900 million global target for savings and cost avoidance. An important area for such savings will be the ATC service providers in EUROCONTROL States. From an operational perspective, IATA will work to ensure that major capacity enhancement programs are developed, as well as increased efficiencies on international routes.
Continued improvement in safety remains an overarching goal for IATA and its member airlines. 2004 will mark the beginning of a new ambitious objective of further reducing current low worldwide accident rate by a further 25%. An on-going Six Point Program supports this commitment, focusing on airline safety audits, infrastructure safety, management and analysis of safety data, safety training, dangerous goods and cabin safety.

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Stardust hurtles past comet
Kometensonde sammelt Material ein

NASA's Stardust spacecraft has hurtled past comet Wild 2 on January 2, 2004, at approximately 2:40 a.m. EST. To protect Stardust against the blast of expected particles and rocks as it travelled approximately 300 kilometers (186 miles) from the Wild 2 nucleus, the spacecraft rotated, so it is flying in the shadow of its "Whipple Shields". The shields are named for American astronomer Dr. Fred L. Whipple. In the 1950s, he came up with the idea of shielding spacecraft from high-speed collisions with bits and pieces ejected from comets. The system includes two bumpers at the front of the spacecraft, which protect Stardust's solar panels, and another shield protecting the main spacecraft body. Each of the shields is built around composite panels designed to disperse particles as they impact. Blankets of Nextel ceramic cloth that dissipates and spreads debris augment them.
Stardust has traveled approximately 3.7 billion kilometers (approximately 2.3 billion miles) since its February 7, 1999 launch. It is closing the gap with Wild 2 at 22,000 kph (approximately 13,640 mph). The Stardust spacecraft will return to Earth in January 2006, and its sample return capsule will make a soft landing at the U.S. Air Force Utah Test and Training Range. The collected microscopic particle samples of comet and interstellar dust will be taken to the planetary material curatorial facility at NASA's Johnson Space Center, Houston, for analysis. Stardust's cometary and interstellar dust samples may help provide answers to fundamental questions about the origins of the solar system.

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NEWS IN BRIEF / KURZMELDUNGEN

On 29 December 2003, a Proton launch vehicle successfully deployed the Express-AM22 satellite for the Russian Satellite Communications Company (RSCC). The Express-AM22 launch is the first in a five-satellite campaign to enhance the Russian national system capacity by the end of 2005. The launch was performed under the Federal Space Program of Russia and concluded a successful year for the Proton launch vehicle with five launches in 2003. Built by Khrunichev State Research and Production Center in Moscow, Proton is one of the premier launch systems in the world.
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The Australian Department of Defence has evaluated the industry responses to the Request for Proposals for the AIR 9000 helicopter project. The Air 9000 project will acquire an additional squadron of troop lift helicopters; upgrade/replacement the existing fleet of 36 Black Hawks; and rationalise the ADF helicopter fleet. The responses from Australian Aerospace and Sikorsky will be subject to a further process of competition. The Department has thanked AgustaWestland for its response, and has formally declined its proposal.
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NAVAIR recorded another first in naval aviation history when a P-3C Orion launched, took control of, and recovered a Fire Scout Vertical Takeoff Unmanned Aerial Vehicle during a 45-minute technical demonstration Dec. 19 at NAVAIR Webster Field in St. Inigoes, Md. The Aircraft Improvement Program (AIP) P-3C demonstrated the highest level of control, level 5, by controlling the launch and recovery of Northrop Grumman's Fire Scout, and controlling both the air vehicle and its sensor payload while airborne. The AIP aircraft took off from Patuxent River with an integrated Tactical Control System (TCS) installed that allowed the aircraft to control the airborne Fire Scout. This was a first for the Navy. The TCS developed by Raytheon Corporation and the Tactical Common Data Link (TCDL) developed by L-3 Communication Systems-West were integrated aboard the P-3C AIP aircraft by the prime systems integrator, Lockheed Martin Maritime Systems & Sensors-Tactical Systems Eagan.
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ATK has for the first time successfully ignited, terminated the burn, and then re-ignited a solid fuel rocket motor. The Variable Area Nozzle static firing test was conducted by ATK Tactical Systems at the Allegany Ballistics Laboratory in Rocket Center, W. Va. under contract with the U.S. Army. John L. Shroyer, president, ATK Tactical Systems, said the rocket motor's start-stop-start capability was developed to support the U.S. Army's objective to extend the range of next-generation anti-tank missiles. “With this test, ATK achieved a significant milestone in advanced solid propellant rocket motor technology,” said Shroyer. “The new motor provides the Army the added flexibility and improved range it requires for next- generation missile systems. We look forward to working with the Army to transition this key technology to next-generation systems that give U.S. soldiers a decisive battlefield advantage.” In addition to demonstrating the start-stop-start capability of the pintle nozzle, the test motor used ATK's less sensitive (Class 1.3) Minimum Smoke propellant. The propellant, when loaded in a composite case, significantly reduces the risk of an accidental explosion from impact or high temperature exposure, allowing for more flexible transportation and storage options.
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Lockheed Martin has been awarded a contract to build an A2100 geosynchronous satellite, marking the fifth new commercial satellite order received by its Commercial Space Systems business during 2003. Details of the contract and the spacecraft customer will be disclosed at a later date. Other contracts awarded this year include an order from EchoStar Communications Corp in September to build its next satellite for the DISH Network. The satellite, designated EchoStar X, will provide distribution of direct-to-home broadcast services across the continental United States, Alaska and Hawaii following its scheduled launch in third quarter, 2005.
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Maritime Helicopter Support Co., the joint venture company formed between Lockheed Martin Systems Integration and Sikorsky Aircraft Co., Manassas, Va., is being awarded a $417,025,926 fixed-price-incentive requirements contract for performance based logistics support for 540 Navy H-60 items in support of the SH-60B, SH-60F, HH-60H, MH-60S and MH-60R.
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A number of countries have shown keen interest in participating in India's mission to moon “Chandrayaan-I” program. The participations vary from taking part in experiments to utilization of facilities and analysis of data. Russia is a major partner in the program, with whom an MoU has already been signed. This MoU covers cooperation in space navigation system also. The latest country to express keenness in joining the program is Israel, whose Minister for Science and Technology, Mr. Eliezer Sandberg is currently on a visit to India. The Israeli delegation is having talks with ISRO authorities in Bangalore today on cooperation with India in space technology and applications. The two sides have already taken up a joint project on the study of ultra violet science and space-astrophysics. Under the already approved 386 crore rupee Chandrayaan-I project, a lunar probe will be launched by our own PSLV in a polar orbit of about 100 km altitude around the moon, from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota. This will be India's first mission to moon devoted to high resolution remote sensing of the lunar surface features and mineral composition in visible, near infrared, low and high energy X-ray regions. This will provide Indian scientists an opportunity to study scientific aspects such as origin, features and composition of the lunar surface.
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Lugano is to remain in the SWISS route network. Services to and from the airport in Southern Switzerland will be operated by the carrier's Avro RJ85/100 and Saab 2000 aircraft from January 2004 using a special visual flight rules procedure which complies with the airport's new approach regulations. The new arrangement is one of several considered by SWISS during a two-month grace period granted by the Swiss Federal Office for Civil Aviation for the company to modify its existing approach procedures. In imposing its new approach regulations for Lugano Airport with effect from November 1, 2003, the Swiss Federal Office for Civil Aviation (FOCA) granted SWISS a two-month extension to its existing operations to and from the airport, during which the carrier was asked to devise new operating arrangements that would enable it to continue to serve the airport while complying with the FOCA's new regulations. The visual flight rules procedure now selected will permit SWISS to continue to serve Lugano with flights operated by its own aircraft.
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One hundred years after the Wright Brothers flew 120 feet, a Delta II rocket placed a Global Positioning System satellite into orbit from Cape Canaveral Dec. 21. A team consisting of people from the 1st Space Launch Squadron, the Space and Missile Systems Center, Lockheed and Boeing launched the 49th GPS. “The launch represents another milestone for the Delta II/GPS launch team,” said Lt. Col. Brad Broemmel, 1st SLS commander. “This is the 302nd launch of the Delta rocket in our nation's space program. This mission brings a new capability to the fight -- an enhanced antenna panel will increase the power output of the navigation signal, making it less susceptible to interference.” The newest GPS continues to help the people on the battlefield determine precise location and position information 24 hours a day, regardless of weather conditions, officials said.
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Airbus has signed a contract with the Russian aircraft manufacturer Sokol Aircraft Production Plant, where Kaskol Group is the major shareholder, and based in Nizhny Novgorod, for the production of aircraft components, making Sokol a supplier for the Western European aircraft manufacturer. This contract also marks the continuous implementation of the extensive co-operation program between Airbus and the Russian aviation industry as defined in the agreement between EADS and Rosaviakosmos, signed in July 2001. The contract for the supply of aircraft components was signed by Airbus and Sokol in the presence of Russian Deputy Prime Minister Boris Alyoshin, Airbus Chief Operating Officer Dr. Gustav Humbert, Kaskol Group President Sergei Nedoroslev and Irkut Corporation President Alexei Fedorov. The ceremony was also attended by representatives of Russian Aerospace Agency Rosaviakosmos and numerous guests.
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On December 24, 2003, the Federal Aviation Administration granted Cessna Aircraft Company a provisional type certificate for the model 680 Citation Sovereign. Cessna anticipates full type certification on this all-new model in the first quarter of 2004. Cessna's flight-testing has resulted in dramatic upgrades to the Sovereign's performance. The Sovereign features a top speed of Mach 0.80, a maximum non-stop range of 3040 nautical miles, and the shortest take-off capabilities in its class, 3694 feet. The total cabin volume is 620-cubic-feet, and it offers operating costs equivalent to or better than current production traditional midsize jets. The Citation Sovereign was one of four new Citation models announced at the 1998 NBAA Convention. First customer deliveries are expected in mid-2004.
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Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) has received a production contract for 25 T-50 Golden Eagle supersonic advanced jet trainers. The T-50 is being developed by KAI with the assistance of Lockheed Martin as its principal subcontractor. The contract was awarded by the Republic of Korea Defense Procurement Agency on Dec. 19, for the Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF). The contract covers the aircraft, alternate mission equipment, integrated logistics support elements and production start-up costs. The aircraft will be built at KAI's modern aircraft production facilities at Sacheon, South Korea. The first production T-50 will be delivered in late 2005.
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The UK Ministry of Defence has awarded the £140 million contract to design, manufacture and assemble the Paveway IV Precision Guided Bomb (PGB) to Raytheon Systems Ltd (RSL). Production of Paveway IV will create and sustain up to 200 jobs at RSL's Glenrothes plant in Scotland and at subcontractor bases - Thales in Basingstoke, Portsmouth Aviation Technology in Portsmouth, and MBM Technologies in Brighton. Under the Contract, RSL will provide the RAF's bomber fleet with the world's most advanced precision bomb. Equipped with the latest Global Positioning System guidance technology, Paveway IV will be highly accurate and able to operate in all weather conditions. Paveway IV will give the UK an enhanced ability to conduct 24-hour precision attacks against a wide range of targets and incorporates a sophisticated fail-safe fuze mechanism, engineered to minimise the risk of collateral damage.
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On 23 December, Boeing confirmed that Korean Air Lines (KAL) -- the national carrier of South Korea -- signed a definitive agreement to purchase nine Boeing 777-200ER (Extended Range) jetliners. This order is worth approximately $1.5 billion based on average listed price. This agreement brings Boeing Commercial Airplanes' 2003 order total to 234 airplanes and doubles KAL's existing fleet of 777-200ER airplanes. Delivery of the airplanes, to be powered by Pratt & Whitney PW4090 engines, will begin in 2005.
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The Boeing 777-300ER passenger airplane has completed its Extended Operations (ETOPS) certification tests, demonstrating the superior reliability of the airplane and its two General Electric engines. Two 777-300ER (extended range) airplanes made 38 flights totaling 267 flight hours during testing. The flights included various system checks and simulated malfunctions to ensure the airplane's systems work in the long-range environment. During eight separate tests one of the 777-300ER's two GE90-115B engines was turned off so the airplane flew on just one engine. The longest such test lasted six hours, 29 minutes -- the longest engine-out demonstration flight ever in support of ETOPS certification.
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The B-2 Spirit reached full operational capability status, Lt. Gen. Bruce Carlson announced Dec. 17 during a ceremony here. The event was marked by the Spirit of Missouri's re-enactment of its first delivery here 10 years ago. “The B-2 Spirit is combat-proven. It's now officially fully operational,” said Carlson, 8th Air Force commander. “It does everything we wanted it to -- and then some.” The capability status is the ultimate milestone in the development of any new weapon system, signifying fulfillment of the original requirements for the equipment, officials said. “As we've heard, during the 10-year journey to fully operational capability status, the B-2 Spirit flew and fought in three major theater conflicts,” Carlson said.
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Textron Inc. announced that it expects no financial impact resulting from NetJets' recent cancellation of 50 Cessna Citation CJ3 aircraft. With an industry-leading business jet backlog, Cessna expects the canceled order, which applied to jets slated for delivery in the late 2005-2008 timeframe, to be reallocated to existing customer orders. "Market reception for the CJ3 has been tremendous and we are on track to begin delivery in the fourth quarter of next year," said Cessna CEO Jack Pelton. "Our current backlog for the CJ3 will allow us to fill out the planned CJ3 production schedule well into 2007."
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On 19 December, two new Turbomeca buildings were inaugurated at Tarnos (Landes) by Michèle Alliot-Marie, French Minister of Defense, in the presence of Jean-Paul Béchat, chairman and CEO of Snecma, and Emeric d'Arcimoles, chairman and CEO of Turbomeca, a Snecma group company. The new premises consist of one building with an area of 6,000 m2, intended for logistics relating to the Global Support Package (MCO in French) signed in 2001 with the DGA (state organization responsible for armament programs) for a period of 10 years. This contract guarantees the availability of 1,900 helicopter engines used by the French state and enables a better control of maintenance costs.
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A U.S. Air Force/Lockheed Martin team has successfully completed on-orbit checkout and testing of the Defense Satellite Communications System (DSCS) spacecraft launched on Aug. 29, 2003 from Cape Canaveral Air Station, Fla. aboard a Delta IV rocket. The satellite, the last of 14 DSCS III spacecraft built by Lockheed Martin, has now begun its controlled drift to its operational location. Designated DSCS III B6, the satellite is a super high-frequency (SHF) communications spacecraft that features Service Life Enhancement Program (SLEP) upgrades designed to provide improved and uninterrupted secure voice and high data rate communications to its Department of Defense users coordinated by the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA). Additional SLEP upgrades on B6 will provide increased downlink power and improved connectivity to its antennas. This satellite joins the 13 other DSCS satellites on-orbit, including DSCS A3, which was launched successfully on March 10, 2003, and is operational. The very first DSCS III spacecraft was launched on Oct. 30, 1982 aboard a Titan 34D launch vehicle from Cape Canaveral and is currently used for testing. Air Force Space Command, Schriever Air Force Base, Colo., operates the DSCS constellation for the Department of Defense.
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NASA has extended a primary contract for the International Space Station for On-Orbit Acceptance and Vehicle Sustaining services to The Boeing Company of Houston. Work under the contract extension will provide delivery, on-orbit acceptance, sustaining engineering and postproduction support for hardware and software of the U.S. segment of the Station, and for common hardware and software provided to the International Partners and Participants. The work also will include providing management of the majority of Space Station subsystems and specialty engineering disciplines such as materials, electrical parts, environments and electromagnetic effects. The basic period of the cost-plus-award-fee contract extension is two years and nine months with an estimated value as much as $1 billion. Four six-month options are available and, if fully exercised, could bring the total contract value to $1.62 billion. Work on the contract will be performed at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla., NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala., as well as in other locations inside and outside of the United States.
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A team of engineers at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif, successfully tested a new ion propulsion engine design, one of several candidate propulsion technologies under study by NASA's Project Prometheus. The event marked the first performance test of the Nuclear Electric Xenon Ion System (NEXIS) engine at the high-efficiency, high-power, and high-thrust operating conditions needed for use in large-scale nuclear electric propulsion applications. The NEXIS engine was powered using commercial electrical power. Ion engines used on NASA's proposed Jupiter Icy Moons Orbiter (JIMO) will draw power from an onboard nuclear reactor. The ion engines, or electric thrusters, would propel the orbiter around three of the icy moons orbiting Jupiter, Ganymede, Callisto and Europa, to conduct extensive, close-range examinations and to determine their potential for sustaining life.
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NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) has extended a contract to a Boeing-led team to study development of a deep space exploration vehicle for the proposed Jupiter Icy Moons Orbiter (JIMO) mission, scheduled to launch no earlier than 2011. JIMO could be the first space science mission in NASA's Project Prometheus, the Nuclear Systems Program, part of the space agency's initiative to develop space nuclear power and electric propulsion technologies with the potential to revolutionize space exploration. The space agency exercised an option, through July 2004, to provide an additional $5 million for further conceptual design activities. NASA had previously awarded Boeing and two other contractor teams $6 million for trade studies that ran through fall 2003.
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The latest meeting of the Sky & Space Intergroup of the European Parliament discussed the initiative of Security Research by the European Commission, and revealed the wide consensus among the Intergroup members and industry representatives. Guest speaker Erkki Liikanen, Commissioner for Enterprise, called for enthusiastic efforts of all stakeholders, and underlined that Europe cannot afford to fall behind its competitors. At a gathering of the Sky & Space Intergroup of the European Parliament on 17th December in Strasbourg, France, Erkki Liikanen addressed the Commission's Communication on the EU defence equipment policy, which was published in March. Participants of the meeting, which was chaired by Gilles Savary MEP, included parliamentarians as well as industry representatives. Mr Liikanen said: “There is no coherent European approach to security-related research today. Securing a competitive technological and industrial base is essential for a European security and defence identity and therefore for achieving the objectives of a Common and Foreign Security Policy (CFSP).
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Air Berlin is now the second largest German airline after Lufthansa. It carried 9,6 million passengers in 2003, a big boost over 2002, when 6,7 million passengers were counted. Turnover rose vrom 696 to 894 million Euro. Half of the tickets were sold to individuals, the rest though block bookings by tour operators. The passenger boost was mostly due to the success of the City Shuttle services from eight German airports to London etc. In this respect, Air Berlin claims to be the largest German low-cost carrier and number 3 in Europe. One big business area is Mallorca, where Air Berlin caried 2,9 million passengers. Air Berlin serves 42 destinations throughout Europa and North Africe from 18 German airpors. 44 aircraft are in operation, and the personell number rose by 500 to 2160.
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Honda Motor Co., Ltd. announced the development of its compact, lightweight, fuel-efficient, low-emissions HF118 Turbofan Engine for the HondaJet-Honda's experimental business jet. Honda used its proprietary computational fluid dynamics software to optimize airflow within the compact engine, maximizing performance. The engine's simple, high-performance combustion chamber keeps emission levels low enough to meet the requirements of anticipated standards for compact jets. On the basis of electronic control technology originally developed for automotive applications, Honda has created the first ultra-compact Full Authority Digital Electronic Control (FADEC) system for this class of engine, which provides superior engine operation and reliability without variable mechanisms. Development of this engine began in 1999, and it has been submitted to comprehensive testing, including required tests such as the 150-hour endurance test. The engine has now logged more than 110 hours of flight-testing on other manufacturers' aircraft, confirming its reliability. Its new experimental compact business jet equipped with Honda-developed HF118 jet engines, successfully completed the initial flight test in December at Piedmont Triad Airport in North Carolina.
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