April 8, 1985

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Space Technology

Nasa Will Test Grazing-incidence Mirrors as Astronomy Study Aid

Washington—National Aeronautics and Space Administration will test grazing-incidence mirrors for short wavelength astronomy at Marshall Space Flight Center’s X-ray test tunnel in May. Perkin-Elmer’s Space Science Div. and Litton’s Itek Optical Systems are fabricating the mirrors under the center’s Technology Mirror Assembly (TMA) program.

By Jay C. Lowndes8 min

MISSILE ENGINEERING

Army Doubles Missile Defense Fund Bid to Support Sdi Effort

Huntsville, Ala.—Army Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) organization is requesting $1.297 billion in Fiscal 1986, more than doubling the $575.8 million appropriated in Fiscal 1985, to fund research programs as part of the Strategic Defense Initiative.

By Eugene Kozicharow8 min

AIR TRANSPORT

Airline Demand for Pilots Spurs Lowered Requirements

Washington—Continued demand for pilots by the airlines—estimated at about 6,000 in 1985—is leading to lower age and flight time required of applicants and could result in a shortage of well-qualified pilots for airlines attempting to expand operations later this year.

By David M. North7 min

Air Transport

American Shifting 767 Orders to Extended-range Version

New York—American Airlines is negotiating with Boeing Commercial Airplane Co. to convert some of its remaining orders for Boeing 767-200 aircraft to the extended-range version. Robert L. Crandall, chairman and president of American and AMR Corp., its parent company, told the Society of Airline Analysts that American would use one 767-200ER on the route between Chicago and Manchester, England, for which the airline is seeking authority.

By Carole A. Shifrin6 min

WHITE HOUSE POSITION

Aeronautics Policy Stresses Transport, Transatmospheric Work

Washington—A new White House national aeronautics policy issued last week will place priority on technology that would support development of an entirely new generation of subsonic transports, a Mach 3 transpacific supersonic transport and a transatmospheric vehicle that could operate in both air and space for strategic reconnaissance or other missions.

By Craig Covault6 min

Space Technology

China Offering Space Launch Services to International Users

Fucino, Italy—People’s Republic of China is offering space launch services on three versions of Long March launchers, and the country has begun disseminating basic information on the vehicles to potential international users. Largest of the three is the CZ-3 booster, which has a liftoff mass of 202 metric tons (445,333 lb.) and was used to place a 925-lb. Chinese communications satellite in geosynchronous orbit in April, 1984.

By Jeffrey M. Lenorovitz5 min

April 11985

April 151985

April 8, 1985

April 8, 1985