KENNEDY SPACE CENTER NASA’s decision to delay the launch of shuttle Mission 79 to Mir by six weeks from late July to mid-September because of solid rocket motor problems will have a ripple effect on shuttle and Mir operations extending well into 1997.

NEW YORK Some lawmakers want to enact legislation that could deal a serious blow to the consolidation of the U.S. aerospace/defense industry. And this is only one of the possible repercussions if an amendment to the House version of the Fiscal 1997 defense appropriations bill (H.R. 3160) were to become law.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER The U.S. Defense Mapping Agency (DMA) and NASA have begun cooperative development of a large imaging radar system planned for launch on the space shuttle to obtain the most complete and accurate topographic map of the world ever compiled.

CAPE CANAVERAL A new U. S. Air Force/Rockwell Navstar Global Positioning System navigation spacecraft launched here July 15 is being positioned specifically to aid U.S. and NATO forces in Bosnia as well as U.S. forces in southwest Asia. The mission launched here at 8:50 p.m. by a McDonnell Douglas Delta 2 7925 booster is the second USAF launch to begin replacement of older spacecraft in the original GPS constellation.

WASHINGTON Sabotaged or not, TWA Flight 800 raises security issues because it evokes powerful memories of Pan Am 103, Oklahoma City and the recent terrorist bombing in Saudi Arabia. One of the foremost issues before federal officials in the climate of apprehension about terrorism is the next generation of passenger screening technologies.