All aerospace news – Page 1819
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USA threatens to stop Russian launches
Russia has reacted defiantly to a threat by the USA to restrict Russian commercial launches of US-built satellites. The Clinton Administration has warned Moscow to crack down on exports supporting Iran's military capability or four commercial satellite launches planned this year will be cancelled. The move would mean the loss ...
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ESA takes flexible approach
Julian Moxon/PARIS The European Space Agency (ESA) is embarking on a more flexible system for programme funding designed to speed up the process of directing money to programmes where it is most needed. There will be no major change, however, to the system of "just returns", under which ...
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Safest approaches are those flown...
Safest approaches are those flown at 3¼ angle- David Lonsdale's letter (Flight International, 23 December, 1998-5 January, 1999, P48) makes the very valid point that the safest approaches flown in a swept-wing transport are those that are close to a 3¼ angle, and the reply from SAS (Flight International, 6-12 ...
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India's GSLV may get Arianespace work
India could gain commercial satellite launcher business for its planned Geostationary Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) as a result of the decision to equip its booster with an Ariane-compatible satellite adapter. Under an agreement between the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and Arianespace last year, the GSLV could launch subcontracted ...
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Japan's Mars probe faces long wait
A propellant shortage will force a delay in Japan's $80 million Nozomi Mars probe reaching its target until towards the end of 2003, four years late. Launched last July, the Nozomi used more propellant than planned during a burn on 21 December to correct a deviation during a gravity-assist ...
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Asiasat stake
Luxembourg-based Société Européenne des Satellites (SES) has acquired a 34.13% stake in Hong Kong-based Asiasat in a $372 million deal that will give SES a hold in the Asia Pacific market. The deal came as Cable and Wireless and Hutchinson Whampoa left Asiasat. Cable and Wireless will use the cash ...
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Components plant
Snecma Services, the French engine maker's after-market arm, and the USA's Praxair Surface Technologies are negotiating to set up an aircraft engine component repair centre in France. Initially, it will provide compressor component repair services for CFM56, and later the General Electric GE90 powerplant. Praxair provides metallic and ceramic coatings ...
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SIA abandons plan to buy stake in China Airlines
Andrzej Jeziorski/SINGAPORE Singapore Airlines (SIA) has abandoned plans to buy a stake in Taiwan-based China Airlines (CAL), ending proposals for a strategic tie-up, including codesharing, frequent flyer links and lounge sharing. In August 1998, SIA announced a memorandum of understanding with CAL, covering a wide-ranging alliance, with SIA ...
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Software problems delay WAAS implementation
The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has delayed initial fielding of the Raytheon Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS) by at least 14 months because of software development problems. The WAAS was to have entered service in July 1999, but the FAA says this has been pushed back to September ...
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Niche accidents
David Learmount/LONDON Despite a worldwide campaign to reduce it, controlled flight into terrain (CFIT) increased in 1998 for the second year running, both among jet and non-jet flights, confirming the reversal of a previously favourable trend. There were five jet CFIT accidents and eight involving propeller-driven commercial aircraft. This ...
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Dynamic explorers
Tim Furniss/LONDON Three small NASA spacecraft will explore the earth's dynamic systems early in the new millennium. One of the satellites, called Volcanic Ash Mission (Volcam), will demonstrate the operational and scientific applications of monitoring volcanic clouds and small atmospheric particles, known as aerosols, from a geostationary orbit. Volcanic clouds ...
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Bond Helicopters sells Rotortech arm
Bond Helicopters has sold the composite and structural repair arm of its Rotortech engineering subsidiary to manpower and aircraft maintenance provider IAP, to concentrate on its offshore and onshore helicopter business. "We have split the company in two. We have moved the component repair and overhaul business from the ...
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Orenda wraps up Turkish deal
Canada's Orenda Recip has clinched its first original equipment manufacturer contract after a multimillion dollar deal with Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI). Orenda will supply and install its OE-600 V-8 piston engine for a multimission aircraft, under development at TAI's Ankara, Turkey-based factory. "The agreement is expected to result in ...
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Ex-Cathay executives try to save PAL
Andrzej Jeziorski/SINGAPORE Four senior executives at Cathay Pacific Airways have quit to form a new management consultancy that will try to save struggling Philippine Airlines from collapse. The executives are Peter Foster, formerly Cathay's general manager for Taiwan and the Philippines, who will become chief company adviser; Michael ...
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NASA's Mars Polar Lander is launched successfully
Boeing launched NASA's Mars Polar Lander (MPL) aboard a Delta II booster from Cape Canaveral on 3 January. Its sister craft, the Mars Climate Orbiter (MCO), was launched last month. The MCO will enter orbit in September, while the MPL is scheduled to touch down close the Martian south ...
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Orbital Sciences breaks record with $2.5 billion orderbook
Orbital Sciences (OSC) is claiming a record $2.5 billion-worth of new orders in 1998 for space and ground infrastructure systems product lines. Just over half the contracts were for Pegasus, Taurus and suborbital rocket launches and $475 million for sensors, electronics and satellite ground systems. The latest figures bring ...
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Another PanAmSat craft malfunctions
PanAmSat's space woes continue despite the successful launch of the PAS 6B satellite on 22 December. Yet another satellite in its fleet has malfunctioned. Two of the 24 Ku-band antennas on PanAmSat 8, a Space Systems Loral-built FS-1300 spacecraft launched last November, are not aligned properly, restricting coverage over ...
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Long wait in orbit for Russia's Zarya and US Unity
Russia's Zarya control module and the USA's smaller Node 1 Unity are pictured linked together in orbit by the crew of the Space Shuttle STS88 Endeavour, which completed the first International Space Station assembly mission during December. The Russian-built Service Module is scheduled to be added to the Zarya-Unity ...
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Bring back Loran C
US Federal Aviation Administrator Jane Garvey says the global positioning system (GPS) "-is probably going to be the primary means" of navigation within the USA, requiring "some form of backup system" - which might be Loran C. The FAA has commissioned the John Hopkins University to report on the risks ...
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Debonair extends AB Airlines link with Boeing 737 lease
Debonair has expanded its co-operation with fellow UK low fare airline AB Airlines and boosted its fleet capacity with a nine-month deal to lease a 139-seat Boeing 737-300. The London Luton-based carrier will use the aircraft to supplement its fleet of 12 smaller British Aerospace 146s, initially to increase ...