KENNEDY SPACE CENTER NASA is moving to change its management and procurement strategy for billions of dollars in shuttle, Station and Space Launch Initiative (SLI) contracts—including a possible full restructuring of the shuttle program—in the wake of a Rand Corp. study which found that contract management and safety reform is essential across all U.S. manned space projects.

LOS ANGELES Boeing’s new contract with the International Assn. of Machinists gives the company improvements in work rules and health care costs, but the United Aerospace Workers at the Boeing Helicopters plant in Philadelphia went on strike, for the first time in 28 years, over a different contract.

LONDON The British Royal Air Force is now ready to operationally deploy the Advanced Short Range Air-to-Air Missile, despite a prolonged gestation period. The air force’s Tornado F3 air-defense units are now beginning to explore changes in tactics given the leap in performance over AIM-9L/M Sidewinder.

TOULOUSE, FRANCE The European Space Agency is developing a satellite system architecture in cooperation with industry that could help meet the ambitious goals of its revamped science program while lowering the costs of telecom, Earth observation and other future spacecraft.

BEDFORD, ENGLAND, and MUNICH U.K. airship manufacturer Advanced Technologies Group (ATG) is hoping it can strike a deal with bankrupt German competitor Cargolifter to set up a European airship company developing vessels for the passenger transport, cargo and military surveillance roles.

LONDON The British Defense Ministry is pursuing liquidated damages over delivery delays to its Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft, threatening to further lower the temperature in its currently cool relationship with U.K. prime contractor BAE Systems.