 December 5, 2008 | News for the aerospace industry |
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- Northrop CEO: Harness technology to understand climate change
In an op-ed for The Hill newspaper, Northrop Grumman Corp. CEO Ronald D. Sugar writes that existing technologies -- from satellites to submarines -- capture a treasure trove of data for understanding and combating climate change. "The missing piece is integration," he says. "If we leverage our many sensors, integrate their climate data and tailor it for practical applications, we can make this information more relevant to a larger community. We can inspire innovation, establish effective mitigation policies and sustainable practices, and create a knowledge base for economic growth." The Hill
(12/2)      
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- Key test of missile defense system set for today
For the first time in more than a year, the Pentagon today will conduct a "realistic" test of its system for knocking long-range missiles out of the sky. The test, which will take place over the Pacific, is realistic "in terms of distance involved, trajectory, speed and time frame, i.e., about 30-minute flight of threat missile," said a spokesman for the Pentagon's Missile Defense Agency, and the "target is representative of the type we would expect from a country like North Korea or Iran." This will mark the 47th test of ground-based missile defenses, and the stakes are high. "They have to have a success or the program is in deep trouble, both with Congress and the new administration," says a former chief weapons tester. Reuters
(12/4)
- Lockheed stands by $147M "tail up" fee on F-22
Lockheed Martin Corp. is defending the $147 million "tail up" clause in its F-22 contract with the Air Force, insisting that such provisions are standard industry practice. "Tail-up describes the inefficiencies that occur at the end of an aircraft production line," a company spokesman said. "Tail-up costs have occurred at the end of virtually every U.S. military aircraft production line." Pentagon acquisitions chief John Young has blasted the "punitive tail-up provision which pressures (the Office of Secretary of Defense) and Air Force leadership to purchase additional aircraft." Reuters
(12/4)
- Danzig may be out of consideration for Pentagon deputy
With the resignation of Deputy Defense Secretary Gordon England, speculation is swirling around what role -- if any -- former Navy Secretary Richard Danzig will play in Barack Obama's Pentagon. Danzig, a top Obama adviser during the campaign, was widely seen as the top pick for defense secretary, until Robert Gates agreed to remain in his current post. Experts, including Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., say Obama wants a deputy secretary who is a capable manager and has no expectations of ascending to the top job -- seemingly taking Danzig out of the running. Defense News
(12/4)
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- Boeing to announce six-month delay on 787, sources say
Boeing Co. will announce later this month that deliveries of its 787 Dreamliner will be delayed by at least another six months, The Wall Street Journal reports. That would mark the fourth such announcement for the company's advanced jet, pushing the earliest deliveries into summer 2010 -- two years behind schedule. Ripple effects are being felt throughout the company, as projects such as the updated 747 are delayed because of resources devoted to the 787. Though a Boeing spokesman refused to comment, an unnamed source told the Journal: "The real issue right now is that Boeing wants to make sure it has a believable date before going back to the customers with more bad news." The Wall Street Journal
(12/5)
- Synthetic fuels gaining altitude, FAA expert says
Mark Rumizen, the FAA's leading expert on alternative fuels, says the U.S. is finally getting international attention for its efforts to develop jet fuel from sources such as coal, weeds and algae. That research is being spurred by the Commercial Aviation Alternative Fuels Initiative, which seeks to bring airlines, fuel companies and standards bodies together to help make synthetic fuels commercially viable. Mass High Tech (Boston)
(12/5)
- De-icing fluid shortage due to strike could cause flight delays
A 99-day strike by potash mine workers in Canada could affect travelers in the U.S. this winter due to a severe shortage in a runway de-icing fluid containing potassium acetate that comes from the mines. The strike ended last month, but manufacturer Cryotech said it would be able to produce only 2 million to 3 million gallons of the fluid this winter, compared to 9 million last winter. USA TODAY
(12/5)
- DOT holds seminars on slot auction process
The Transportation Department will hold a seminar today on how to bid for airport slots as it presses ahead with its controversial auction plan. DOT officials met yesterday with about 80 airline representatives to explain how the government would determine which slots to confiscate for the sale, which is scheduled for Jan. 12. "The last thing the administration should do in its final days -- especially in light of the flagging economy -- is inconvenience passengers who have already booked flights, raise their fares, threaten jobs, and undermine the hundreds of millions in investments airlines have made in the New York-area market," said Delta Air Lines in a statement. Bloomberg Businessweek/The Associated Press
(12/4), NYTimes.com
(12/4)
- Moody's turns negative on airline outlook
Despite the sharp drop in fuel prices, Moody's Investors Service on Thursday issued a negative outlook for the global airline industry. Moody's said the "headwind" of declining demand "will limit airlines' ability to get the most out of their capacity-reduction programs," while tighter credit and liquidity pressures are "likely to constrain growth and fleet renewal initiatives." Forbes/The Associated Press
(12/4)
| Space | | |
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- NASA announces two-year delay for Mars launch
NASA says the launch of its Mars Science Laboratory, originally scheduled for September or October of next year, will now be delayed by two years. "We've determined that trying for '09 would require us to assume too much risk, more than I think is appropriate for a flagship mission like Mars Science Laboratory," said NASA Administrator Michael Griffin. The delay is expected to add $400 million to the cost of the mission, bringing the total to about $2.3 billion. The New York Times (tiered subscription model)
(12/4)
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| Homeland Security | | |
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- Port worker ID program hit with another delay
Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, says a program to secure U.S. ports "has been an abysmal failure" after Lockheed Martin Corp. accidentally deleted about 3,000 applications for port worker ID cards. The Transportation Worker Identification Credential has been beset with problems from the start, including malfunctioning printers, a lack of card readers and criticism of the intrusive background checks required of port workers. The Associated Press
(12/4)
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