Abmd70.108
net.columbia
utzoo!decvax!duke!bmd70!jcp
Tue Jan 5 22:44:00 1982
Aviation Week 12/28/81
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A V I A T I O N W E E K A N D S P A C E T E C H N O L O G Y
A R T I C L E S U M M A R Y
December 28, 1981 Vol 115, #26
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Galileo Reinstated in NASA Budget
NASA officials have expressed relief as the Administra-
tion reinstated funding for the Galileo Jupiter orbiter/probe
mission in the Fiscal 1983 budget, saving the US Planetary pro-
gram for the 1980s and continuing some 1200 jobs at the Jet Pro-
pulsion Laboratory.
The Centuar cyrogenic upper stage has been cancelled
from the program however, necessitating use of the Boeing Iner-
tial Upper Stage system, which will increase flight time by 24-30
months, resulting in a 1989-1990 arrival of the spacecraft at Ju-
piter. The probability of the Centaur stage being reinstated is
small, although the Defense Dept. has expressed some interest in
it.
The International Solar Polar mission, a joint effort
with the European Space Agence would also be affected by the Cen-
taur cut, but without increasing trip time significantly
The Venus Orbiting Imaging Radar mission has been can-
celled as part of the package which reinstated Galileo. The ear-
lier Office of Management and Budget decision to cancel Galileo
was reversed in a meeting between top NASA officials, OMB direc-
tor David Stockman, and White House Chief of Staff James Baker.
Major reasons for the shift were the loss of 1200 jobs at JPL, as
well as the loss of international prestige and scientific return
from planetary exploration.
The shift away from Centaur will force NASA to fly
lower performance/lower cost missions to the planets in the fu-
ture, awaiting increased shuttle capabilities, such as in-orbit
assembly/platform operations.
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Europeans continue Solar Polar plans
The European Space Agency is proceeding with plans to
launch a solar polar observation spacecraft, despite NASA cancel-
lation of its half of a two spacecraft effort. The Europeans are
now seeking to move the launch data up, and to insure that
remaining American committments to the mission will be met, in-
cluding launch using the Space Shuttle, tracking and data ser-
vices for the mission, and power generators for the spacecraft.
Launch in 1985 is now being considered, a delay from the 1984
date originally planned, but not as bad as the 1986 date current-
ly envisioned.
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Fourth Ariane Launched
The fourth Ariane test launcher was successfully fired
from Kourou space center on December 20th, into a geostationary
transfer orbit. The main payload was the Marecs A maritime com-
munications satellite, and after the launch the Ariane was de-
clared operational.
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Israel requests F-18
Israel has formally requested authority to purchase up
to 150 McDonnel Douglas F-18A or Northrup F-18L fighters as part
of an effort to secure an all-weather/night fighter force.
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NORAD modernization contracts out
Ford Aerospace and Martin Marietta have been let com-
petitive one-year definition contracts for the Space Operations
Center Phase IV upgrade. One firm will be selected as the prime
contractor for modernizing the Cheyanne, Wyoming NORAD complex at
the end of the one year period.
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Composite Wing Studied
McDonnell Douglas has been granted a NASA contract to
study critical joint structures in wings using composite materi-
als. This is a preliminary phase of a NASA effort to define a
commercial aircraft wing using composite materials. The contract
was for $990,100.
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Summary prepared by J. C. Pistritto (ARPA jcp@brl)
(UUCP duke!bmd70!jcp)
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