Government/Military

Much Larger, Further Contracts Will Be Required To Buy Russian Flights Until Orion Flies In 2015 NASA took a first step into a world even its administrator doesn’t embrace, inking an initial contract to have the Russians lift American astronauts to space instead of their traveling on U.S. space shuttles. For half a decade, the...

NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) awarded a $1.09 billion contract to Lockheed Martin Corp. [LMT] to produce Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites (GOES-R), NASA announced. Lockheed Martin Space Systems Co. of Denver will supply two satellites under the basic portion of the contract, with two possible options, each for one additional satellite,...

The United States must replace and upgrade its nuclear warheads or risk seeing the U.S. nuclear deterrent deteriorate and fail, according to Gen. Kevin Chilton, commander of the strategic command. "I need reliable delivery programs" such as missiles, Chilton said before the Nuclear Deterrence Summit. But as well, "I need reliable weapons," he said. Multiple...

Spacecraft Can’t Be Prepared Before Window In 2009 Closes Testing and hardware work can’t be completed in time to launch the Mars Science Laboratory as planned in a window of opportunity next year, meaning the spacecraft can’t be launched until the next window opens in 2011, NASA officials announced. NASA had hoped to launch during...

Mission Delayed Seven Months By Glitch Space Shuttle Atlantis will lunch May 12 on the STS-125 Mission to repair the Hubble Space Telescope, NASA announced. The final servicing mission to Hubble was delayed in September when a data handling unit on the telescope failed, and a replacement unit had to be provided. Since then, engineers...

The Multiple Kill Vehicle-L (MKV-L) ballistic missile interceptor system that can take out multiple enemy warheads passed a test recently, the Missile Defense Agency announced. Multiple warheads are a major challenge. Russia in May test-launched its new RS-24 intercontinental ballistic missile that boasts multiple warheads, with Russian leaders claiming those MIRV assets can outwit U.S....

Space Shuttle Endeavour may get a piggyback ride tomorrow on a specially modified Boeing 747 jumbo jet, which will take Endeavour back to Kennedy Space Center, NASA announced. The transfer will occur then if weather improves sufficiently. Endeavour now is at Dryden Flight Research Center, a NASA facility at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif. After...

Terrorist insurgents in Iraq have scores of surface-to-air missiles (SAMs), a new report shows. In more than two years since October 2006, at least 121 SAMs have been discovered in raids on illicit weapons caches, according to a new report from the Federation of American Scientists. That threat exists despite a million dollar buyback program...

The National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System (NPOESS) advanced in successful compatibility testing for the NPOESS Preparatory Project (NPP). Raytheon Co. [RTN] announced. Raytheon, Northrop Grumman Corp. [NOC] and the NPOESS Integrated Program Office conducted the work. The NASA-led spacecraft compatibility testing exercise was a significant achievement in paving the way for a successful NPP...

NASA Deputy Administrator Shana Dale resigned from NASA effective Jan. 17, three days before President Bush leaves office and Barack Obama enters the White House. She has served as NASA’s second-in-command since November 2005. "It has been an honor for me to work with those who support America’s space program," Dale said. "It is a...