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Aviation History
2001
2001 - 1020.PDF
SRACEFUQHT Bush's budget cuts force Boeing to axe 400 ISS-related jobs TNTERNATIONAL Space XStation (ISS) prime contractor Boeing is to slash 400 ISS-related jobs based at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center, Alabama, following US Government budget cuts. The job losses, from a total 5,000 Boeing workforce, will be divided between contractor and company employees. NASA has been ordered by die Bush Administration to shave at least $ 1 billion off the Space station budget, which by 2006 is expected to be $4 billion over the projected $25 billion. Boeing has been told to expect the habitation and propulsion modules for the ISS to be axed, in addition to other cuts. Meanwhile, the Space Shuttle Discovery landed at the Kennedy Space Center early on 21 March ending the 13-day STS 102 mission to the ISS, which included the debut of the Italian Multi purpose Logistics Module (MPLM) and the switching of Space Station crews one and two. The next Shuttle mission, in April, will attach components of the Canadian remote manipulator system to the ISS. NASA isresignedtothefactthat Russia will launch space tourist Dennis Tito to the ISS on 30 April despite the US agency's strong objections. "Space is fraught with danger and non-pro fessionals have no business being there unless they are thoroughly trained," says the agency. NASA says Tito would be "a non-professional crew member who is untrained on all critical Station systems unable to respond and assist in any contingency situa tion that may arise". Russia is determined to fly Tito - the original Mir Citizen Explorer - who has paid $20 million for his trip on the 10-day mission with two Russian cosmonauts. The mission is to replace a Soyuz TM emergency return vehicle at the ISS. Russian space agency Rosaviacosmos chief Yuri Koptev says that Tito will fly in April "irre spective of the position of our international partners ". • Atlas V close to completion ready for launch in 2002 The Atlas Vwill carry a commercial or government pay load on its first flight TIM FURNISS/LONDON LOCKHEED MARTIN is completing assembly of the first US Air Force Atlas V Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV), AV-001, in Denver, Colorado. The company says the vehicle will be launched from Pad 41 at Cape Canaveral, Florida in "the second quarter of 2002". Lockheed-led International Launch Services (ILS) says it "might have a commercial payload forthemaidenflight,oritmaybea government launch awarded via the EELV programme, but it will be for a paying customer". There are no plans for a demonstration with a dummy payload. The first officially scheduled EELV launch is to be made by a Boeing Delta rV in May 2002, carrying a US Air Force Defense Space Communications Satellite (DSCS). The Atlas V is on standby to make this flight if the Delta IV is not ready. Boeing plans to fly a commercial or company-funded demonstration launch of the Delta IV early next year, before the EELV mission (Flight International, 20- 2 6 March). The Atlas V booster comprises a common core booster (CCB), stacked with the traditional Atlas Centaur-class liquid oxygen/liquid hydrogen upper stage. The CCB is powered by an RD-180 liquid oxy gen/kerosene engine based on the Russian RD-170 powerplant. Meanwhile, the USAF EELV programme office has awarded Lockheed Martin and Boeing $75 million add-on Atlas V and Delta IV launch reservations to enable one of the companies to launch a US Navy UHF satellite in 2003. Boeing has 22 EELV commit ments and Lockheed Martin eight. Lockheed Martin emphasises that the EELV launches "are just assignments, not firm contracts for the primary choice of rocket". • NASA is adding Lockheed Martin's Athena II solid propellant satellite launchers to its National Launch Services contract, which initially included only Boeing Delta and Lockheed Martin Atlas vehicles. • SBIRS contract losers join Spectrum Astro team BOEING AND Lockheed Martin, losers in the battle to develop the US Air Force's Space- Based Infrared System (SBIRS) low early-warning satellites, have joined one of the winning teams, led by relative newcomer Spectrum Astro. SBIRS Low will be a constella tion of around 24 low Earth orbit satellites providing mid-course tracking of ballistic missiles detect ed by SBIRS High surveillance spacecraft in geosynchronous and highly elliptical orbits. Spectrum Astro/Northrop Grumman and TRW/Raytheon teams were awarded three-year, $275 million programme defini tion and risk reduction contracts in 1999. A Lockheed Martin/Boeing team was not selected. Spectrum Astro is prime con tractor for the SBIRS Low effort, with Northrop Grumman respon sible for sensor design and related ground segment. Boeing will develop sensors and algorithms, while Lockheed Martin will devel op algorithms and aspects of the ground segment. Lockheed Martin is leading the SBIRS High programme, with Northrop Grumman supplying the infrared sensors. SBIRS High will comprise four satellites in geo stationary orbit and two in highly elliptical orbits. Meanwhile, fast-growing Spec trum Astro has picked up weather and defence technology satellite contracts worth $53 million. It has been awarded a $50 million prime contract to develop, integrate and launch a space vehicle that can5 accommodate the US Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) Communications and Navigation Outage Forecasting System. The vehicle will monitor ionospheric disturbances, or scintillations, and provide real-time notification of potential degradation of satellite communications, navigation and surveillance systems. In addition, the company has won a $3 million contract to devel op a spacecraft design for the National Polar-orbiting Oper ational Environmental Satellite System Preparatory Project. The craft will be launched in 2005 to provide global change observa tions, after the NASA Earth Observing System Terra and Aqua missions. - D 32 FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL 27 March - 2 April 2001
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