March 20, 2000

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WORLD NEWS & ANALYSIS

Russian Ventures Face Tech-Transfer Gauntlet

MOSCOW KHIMKY, RUSSIA The growing use of Russian and Ukrainian rocket systems in major joint ventures with U.S. commercial, military and NASA programs is becoming a mixed bag of business success tempered by technology transfer headaches on all sides.

By CRAIG COVAULT

WORLD NEWS & ANALYSIS

Sea Launch Failure Stalls ICO Satellite Test Program

LOS ANGELES Failure of Sea Launch on its third mission will set back plans by ICO Global Communications to begin a comprehensive satellite test program as the London-based mobile communications company continues to work toward emerging from bankruptcy.

By BRUCE A. SMITH

WORLD NEWS & ANALYSIS

NASA Graded On Faster-Better-Cheaper

LOS ANGELES Heavy emphasis on cost and schedule in the application of NASA’s “faster-better-cheaper” (FBC) management philosophy has too often compromised scientific results of space science missions, according to a National Research Council (NRC) report.

By BRUCE A. SMITH

WORLD NEWS & ANALYSIS

MCO Board Probes Deeper Into Flaws

LOS ANGELES One of the “lessons learned” in the failure of Mars Climate Orbiter is the importance of establishing a fully staffed systems engineering team at the start of each space science project, according to a follow-up by the MCO Mishap Investigation Board.

By BRUCE A. SMITH

WORLD NEWS & ANALYSIS

Taurus Lofts Science Payload

Los Angeles An Orbital Sciences Corp. Taurus booster carrying a scientific payload was launched successfully from Vandenberg AFB, Calif., Mar. 12. The 1:29 a.m. PST flight from Site 576E at North Vandenberg was made about 7 min. into the 30-min. launch window.

WORLD NEWS & ANALYSIS

NH-90 Go-Ahead To Bolster European Defense Sector

PARIS Impending go-aheads for several large weapon system contracts, led by the NH-90 frigate/transport helicopter, promise to fuel new growth in the European aerospace and defense industry, and to mute U.S. criticism over Europe’s failure to modernize its armed forces.

By MICHAEL A. TAVERNA,PIERRE SPARACO

WORLD NEWS & ANALYSIS

ITU Reform Plan Proposed

Paris The International Telecommunications Union will meet next month to examine a set of recommendations aimed at reforming the organization and making it more responsive to the needs of the telecom industry. The recommendations—formulated by a panel of 27 government, industry, regulatory and operator officials at the ITU’s request—were submitted to a special internal working group tasked with studying and implementing the reform program.

By Michael A. Taverna

WORLD NEWS & ANALYSIS

Honeywell Sells TCAS Unit To L-3 Com, Thomson-SCF

PARIS The acquisition last week of Honeywell’s Traffic-alert Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) business by Thomson-CSF’s Avionics Group and L-3 Communications removes the final obstacle to the alliance between Honeywell and AlliedSignal, and creates a new player in this vital aviation safety technology.

By MICHAEL A. TAVERNA

WORLD NEWS & ANALYSIS

Cordant Snapped Up By Aluminum Producer

NEW YORK Rocket propulsion pioneer Cordant Technologies will cease operating as an independent entity soon and become part of a much larger organization, but its new parent won’t be a company dedicated to aerospace. Cordant's board of directors last week accepted an all-cash offer of $57 a share— nearly double the Mar. 13 closing price— from giant aluminum producer Alcoa.

By ANTHONY L. VELOCCI

WORLD NEWS & ANALYSIS

GAO Blasts JSF, Eases Up on F-22

WASHINGTON Progress on the Joint Strike Fighter and F-22 appear to be heading in opposite directions, according to two new studies by congressional investigators. While the auditing agency is projecting problems for JSF, it has issued an unusually benign assessment of the F-22.

By ROBERT WALL

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March 20, 2000