April 23, 2001

April 23, 2001

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WORLD NEWS & ANALYSIS

Worries Deepen Over Dearth of Technical Talent

By WILLIAM B. SCOTT7 min

WORLD NEWS & ANALYSIS

Italy to the Rescue In Station Shortfall

By CRAIG COVAULT5 min

WORLD NEWS & ANALYSIS

X-32B Begins Jet-Borne Flight

By MICHAEL A. DORNHEIM5 min

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WORLD NEWS & ANALYSIS

Worries Deepen Over Dearth of Technical Talent

It's about engineering students wanting to be like Bill Gates, not John Glenn—an aerospace image problem that isn't going away

By WILLIAM B. SCOTT7 min

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WORLD NEWS & ANALYSIS

Italy to the Rescue In Station Shortfall

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER In a major move for the International Space Station to regain its required six-crewmember capability, the Italian Space Agency (ASI) in consultation with Alenia has signed a framework agreement with NASA to develop the crew habitation module killed earlier by U.S. budget cuts.

By CRAIG COVAULT5 min

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WORLD NEWS & ANALYSIS

X-32B Begins Jet-Borne Flight

LOS ANGELES Boeing has started operating the vertical lift system on its X-32B Joint Strike Fighter prototype, and says it is demonstrating a graceful transition between wing-borne and let-borne modes. Boeing's short takeoff/vertical landing (STOVL) design for the JSF competition is essentially the grandson of the Hawker Siddeley Harrier jump jet, with the lift nozzles hidden in cruise from radar and infrared sensors, a refined configuration, new er technology and lower pilot workload.

By MICHAEL A. DORNHEIM5 min

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WORLD NEWS & ANALYSIS

Panel Wants New V-22 Tests, Funding

WASHINGTON The Bell Boeing V-22 tiltrotor program should be restructured, have funding increased and protected, suffer a production cut and return aircraft to test flying with redesigned nacelles but without passengers, advises a blue-ribbon panel of aviation experts.

By DAVID A. FULGHUM4 min

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WORLD NEWS & ANALYSIS

Stealth Is Still Hot JSF Topic

WASHINGTON Major aerospace contractors have revealed new stealth refinements to designs for the Joint Strike Fighter competition and other combat aircraft. Innovative sensors are being touted by Lockheed Martin and sensor-subcontractor Northrop Grumman, while Pratt & Whitney is examining ways to further reduce engine signatures, including radar returns from the exhaust cavity.

By DAVID A. FULGHUM4 min

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WORLD NEWS & ANALYSIS

NASA Eyes Military Role in Aerospace Push

WASHINGTON NASA is considering a role for the U.S. military in its Space Launch Initiative (SLI), with top-level meetings planned soon on how the civilian-led launch technology effort can help the Pentagon meet its growing space-access and space-operations requirements.

By FRANK MORRING4 min

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WORLD NEWS & ANALYSIS

X-43C Test Goal: Accelerate From Mach 5 to Mach 7

EDWARDS AFB, CALIF. The three U.S. Air Force hydrocarbon-frieled scramjet engines NASA is planning to integrate into each X-43C aircraft are intended to accelerate the research vehicle from Mach 5 to Mach 7 during a 2-3-mm. engine burn, according to NASA officials.

By BRUCE A. SMITH4 min

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WORLD NEWS & ANALYSIS

Raytheon Aircraft Unveils Hawker Horizon Business Jet

WICHITA, KAN. Raytheon Aircraft Co. rolled out its new Model 4000 Hawker Horizon Apr. 17 and plans first flight late this summer, followed by FAA certification in 2003. The airplane "moves Raytheon Aircraft toward the 'heavy iron' business jet category at a super-midsize price," said Chairman/CEO Hansel Tookes.

By EDWARD H. PHILLIPS4 min

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WORLD NEWS & ANALYSIS

Western Agreements Offer Hope to Russian Industry

MOSCOW The Russian Aviation and Space Agency signed long-term cooperation pacts this month with Boeing and EADS, covering space, military and commercial aircraft and technology. The agreements amplify existing relationships, and some Russian observers think they could give struggling Russian industry a chance to escape from isolation.

By ALEXEY KOMAROV3 min

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WORLD NEWS & ANALYSIS

X-34 Cancellation Adds Drag To Orbital Sciences Corp.

Washington NASA’s cancellation of the X-34 reusable launch vehicle has added to the woes facing Orbital Sciences Corp., which is selling off subsidiaries to cover debt in the face of a disputed auditor’s warning that the company may not be able to continue as a going concern.

By Frank Morring2 min

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