January 4, 1999

View Full Issue Table of Contents

HEADLINE NEWS

Missed Asteroid Rendezvous Cues Probe of Low-cost Missions

WASHINGTON After having to settle for a fleeting, flyby glimpse of Eros, controllers of NASA’s Near spacecraft are planning to execute a maneuver this week aimed at returning the probe to the asteroid in February 2000 for a year-long visit and an eventual hard landing attempt.

By JAMES R. ASKER6 min

HEADLINE NEWS

Broadband Services, Asiasat Stake Position Ses as Global Player

LUXEMBOURG HONG KONG Societe Europeenne des Satellites is embarking on an ambitious expansion plan to make it a global operator of geostationary telecommunications and broadcasting satellites through strategic alliances with Asian and American partners.

By MICHAEL A. TAVERNA,BRUCE DORMINEY4 min

HEADLINE NEWS

Coast Guard Scrambles for Branson Splashdown

WASHINGTON The latest attempt to circle the globe in a balloon ended Christmas Day with a ditching near Hawaii that proved a little more exciting than expected. Explosive bolts failed to fire, and the huge envelope remained attached to the the crew capsule.

By DAVID HUGHES4 min

HEADLINE NEWS

Alcatel, Matra Raise Operations Profiles

PARIS Alcatel Space and Matra Marconi Space are moving to boost their positions on the operating side of the satellite communications industry. The two firms have lagged behind their big U.S. competitors in moving into this high-margin business, which in Europe is dominated by dedicated operating firms like Eutelsat, SES and ICO (see pp. 28 and 56).

By MICHAEL A. TAVERNA4 min

HEADLINE NEWS

Delta 3 Booster Nozzle Examined

LOS ANGELES Boeing is testing the second stage extendible nozzle of the Delta 3 booster at the U.S. Air Force’s Arnold Engineering Development Center (AEDC) as part of an overall reassessment of the vehicle’s design following the first-launch failure 4 months ago.

By BRUCE A. SMITH3 min

HEADLINE NEWS

Closer India-russia Ties Alarm Pakistan

NEW DELHI Arousing alarm bells in neighboring Pakistan, India has continued its long-standing cooperation with Russia by agreeing to the broad outline of a new “strategic partnership.” The partnership, which offers assurances that neither will join alliances in conflict with the other, was agreed to following a visit by Russian Prime Minister Yevgeny M. Primakov to Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpaye here in late December.

By PUSHPINDAR SINGH3 min

HEADLINE NEWS

Motorola Moves Forward on Teledesic, Iridium Next

Washington Motorola is putting the finishing touches on a new design for the Teledesic satellite venture and could complete negotiations within weeks on a multibillion-dollar contract to build the massive constellation. “We’ve now got a design that meets their requirements,” Bary R. Bertiger, vice president and general manager of Motorola’s Satellite Communications Group, said. “It’s all coming together.”

By Joseph C. Anselmo3 min

HEADLINE NEWS

Matra Marconi, Dasa, Alenia Ok Merger

PARIS After weeks of speculation, a new giant in the satellite business has emerged with the signing of a preliminary agreement to fold the space activities of Finmeccanica and DaimlerChrysler Aerospace into Matra Marconi Space. Initial documents to that effect were signed on Dec. 23 between Finmeccanica, DaimlerChrysler Aerospace (DASA) and MMS’ two parent companies, Lagardere group and GEC Marconi Electronic Systems.

By MICHAEL A. TAVERNA3 min

HEADLINE NEWS

Factory Mishap Interrupts Shuttle Tank Production

washington An underground pipe carrying compressed air ruptured last month inside a sprawling factory where the space shuttle’s external tanks are manufactured, covering hardware in sand and dust and interrupting production. Lockheed Martin had mobilized hundreds of workers to clean up the mess in the 43-acre assembly building at its Michoud facility in New Orleans.

By Joseph C. Anselmo2 min

December 211998

January 111999

January 4, 1999

January 4, 1999

Boeing

Iraqi Sam Firings Trigger U.s. Attacks

By ROBERT WALL6 min