October 22, 1984

View Full Issue Table of Contents

Shuttle Earth Imagery Spurs Censorship Debate

Johnson Space Center—National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s handling of shuttle Mission 41-G Earth science photography, some of it over the Soviet Union, is creating debate in NASA over whether its charter for free and open data dissemination is being eroded by excessive influence from the political and Defense/intelligence communities.

By Craig Covault7 min

AIR TRANSPORT

British Expand Skyhook Launch System Uses

London—British Aerospace is developing its SkyHook launch and retrieval system, originally devised as a method of allowing small ships to operate Harrier vertical-takeoff-and-landing fighters, into a comprehensive operating system for use on a variety of platforms on both land and sea.

By David A. Brown7 min

BUSINESS FLYING

Starship 1 Dominates Beech Research Programs

Atlanta—Beech Aircraft is evaluating a number of potential research and development projects for initiation in 1985, including a turbofan-powered Starship, a high-technology 6-8-passenger aircraft and a military version of the 1900 commuter aircraft.

By David M. North5 min

Space Technology

Shuttle’s Reentry Path Passes Directly Over Central U. S.

Johnson Space Center—Reentry of the shuttle orbiter Challenger to a Kennedy Space Center landing Oct. 13 was the first manned spacecraft reentry flown directly over the central U. S. and Canada and demonstrated improved reentry communications coverage provided by the tracking and data relay satellite.

Viewpoint

Republicans on Defense

Republicans look to the future with confidence that we have the will, the weapons and the technology to preserve America as the land of the free and the home of the brave. We stand united with President Reagan in his hope that American scientists and engineers can produce the technology and the hardware to make nuclear war obsolete.

October 151984

October 291984

October 22, 1984

October 22, 1984

Spindle Failure Cited in S-76 Helicopter Crash in Scotland

Engineers Facing Challenges in Design of Space Station

By Michael Feazel8 min