Government/Military

Hackers in recent years have invaded computers at NASA and other agencies, swiping millions of pages of data, some of it sensitive, according to a news report. Cyber break-ins struck computers at Kennedy Space Center in Florida in April 2005, where space shuttles are launched, Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland where many satellites and...

Iran Now Has Half The Nuclear Material Required To Produce An Atomic Weapon United Nations inspectors with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) have reached an impasse in their attempts to persuade Iran that it must abandon its uranium enrichment nuclear materials production program, a new report states. Iran, while sitting on some of the...

The Falcon 9 rocket aced a static fire test that lasted almost three minutes, Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SpaceX) announced Sunday. That full mission-length firing in a vertical test stand at the SpaceX McGregor test facility in Texas lasted 178 seconds, SpaceX stated. At full power, the rocket generated 855,000 pounds of force at sea...

The Joint Direct Attack Munition Extended Range (JDAM ER) weapon performed well and completed tests for the Royal Australian Air Force, The Boeing Co. [BA] announced. Tests were performed at the Woomera Test Facility in South Australia. The testing was led by the Australian Department of Defence with support from Boeing and Boeing subsidiary Hawker...

While other nations aggressively expand their space programs, Secretary of the Air Force Michael B. Donley said the United States will be able to retain its leadership in space, according to an Air Force news service report. But he added that the amount of space junk is rising rapidly and the ability to track objects...

A key sensor for the National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System (NPOESS) passed one test, and is poised for further tests, prime contractor Northrop Grumman Corp. [NOC] announced today. The Visible Infrared Imager Radiometer Sensor (VIIRS) passed Ambient Electro-Magnetic Interference (EMI) testing performed by subcontractor Raytheon Co. [RTN]. Testing at Raytheon facilities in El Segundo,...

The Non Line-of-Sight-Launch System precision attack missile completed its first guided test flight, Raytheon Co. [RTN] announced. NLOS is a product of NetFires LLC, a joint venture of Raytheon and Lockheed Martin Corp. [LMT]. That test was conducted at White Sands Missile Range, N.M. "The PAM missile, launched from a container launch unit, used its...

The Royal Netherlands Navy test-launched two Boeing Harpoon missiles from air defense and command frigate (LCF) HMS De Zeven Provincien, The Boeing Co. [BA] announced. The exercise, which was the first LCF launch of a Harpoon, was held off the coast of Virginia Nov. 8. In the exercise scenario, a hostile ship attacked the Dutch...

A Russian Progress launched from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakstan and reached orbit, then docked with the International Space Station yesterday. The logistics ship carried vital items for the station such as two tons of fuel, food and supplies. In a special touch, the cargo ship also delivered holiday gifts to the station crew members who...

Two Japanese Patriot crews recently fired Patriot missiles in testing at Fort Bliss, Texas, Raytheon Co. [RTN] announced. The company provided operational support for the annual service practice conducted by Japan Air Self-Defense Force troops. "From Raytheon’s perspective, all visual indications and initial data readings support a successful mission," said Dan Smith, president of Raytheon...