WASHINGTON A year after it began, a NASA/industry effort to develop a reusable space launch vehicle is not meeting its weight, cost and schedule objectives. As a result, the critical design review and the first flight for a technology demonstrator, the X-33, have been delayed.

WASHINGTON NASA’S Discovery program, aimed at exploring the solar system with low-cost spacecraft, is set to yield its first science with a flyby imaging of an asteroid and a landing on Mars within a week. The Near Earth Asteroid Rendezvous (Near) spacecraft was slated to fly within 750 mi. (1,200 km.) of the main belt asteroid 253 Mathilde on June 27, the closest approach a spacecraft has ever made to an asteroid.

ANKARA Turkey has solicited bids for a multi-billion dollar attack helicopter project from a group of seven manufacturers, including three U.S. companies, despite a prior Washington freeze on arms transfers to Ankara. Bids are due Oct. 29 for 50 attack helicopters that would be part of a planned total of 145, valued at $3.5 billion.