March 2, 1998

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HEADLINE NEWS

First Production V-22 Meets Major Milestone

RIDLEY PARK, PA. Workers here joined the major fuselage assemblies of the first production V-22 last week, effectively bringing to a close a 17-year period of uncertainty over whether the Osprey would ever enter production. Mating of the fuselage sections took about 10 min. with workers using air-cushioned build platforms and an overhead crane to move the fuselage’s three main subassemblies into the proper position for initial joining.

By STANLEY W. KANDEBO5 min

HEADLINE NEWS

Cape Shortcomings Threaten Existing Commercial Launch Ops

CAPE CANAVERAL The existing U.S. commercial launch industry, led by Boeing and Lockheed Martin, threatens to be overwhelmed—or even driven out of the commercial launch business—by upstart low-cost competitors unless the government and the two aerospace giants move to retool the federal space launch site infrastructure, senior space managers warn.

By CRAIG COVAULT5 min

HEADLINE NEWS

Second Attitude Control System Planned for Ariane Flight 503

PARIS Ariane 5 program managers have decided to install a second attitude control system (ACS) on flight 503 in order to correct a roll torque problem that caused flight 502 to inject a dummy payload into an incorrect orbit. The next launch will be the second and final qualification mission for the heavy-lift booster.

By MICHAEL A. TAVERNA4 min

HEADLINE NEWS

F-22 Faces More Delays; Operational Testing on Track

NEW YORK The F-22 Raptor initial operational test and evaluation, scheduled to begin in August 2002, should remain on schedule despite manufacturing problems that will delay delivery of several test aircraft by up to five months. Four F-22 flight test aircraft Nos. 40034006, will be delivered late—as will aircraft 3999 and 4000, which will be the static test article and fatigue test article, respectively.

By STANLEY W. KANDEBO4 min

HEADLINE NEWS

Japanese H-2 Failure Ruins Satcom Research Mission

CAPE CANAVERAL TOKYO A $375-million Japanese research spacecraft important to future Japanese commercial communications and relay satellite development is in a useless orbit following the malfunction of the LE-5A second stage of its H-2 booster.

By CRAIG COVAULT,EIICHIRO SEKIGAWA3 min

SPACE TECHNOLOGY

France Expands Balloon Program

PARIS New developments in the stratospheric balloon program run by CNES French space agency and CNRS French national scientific research center promise to improve scientists’ understanding of the dynamics and chemistry of the upper atmosphere, and in particular the mechanisms at work in the destruction of the ozone layer.

By MICHAEL A. TAVERNA8 min

February 231998

March 91998

March 2, 1998

March 2, 1998