LONDON A decision is expected within the next month in the U.K.’s $1.2-billion Airborne Stand-Off Radar (Astor) competition, one that would give the winner a significant edge in meeting a similar NATO requirement. British officials would like to select a contractor before the NATO meeting in May to consider the next steps toward meeting a long-standing alliance-wide requirement for airborne ground surveillance.

PARIS and TOULOUSE, FRANCE A Franco-Russian mission to Mir may prove to be a swan song for the Russian orbital facility, but it is expected to provide invaluable experience for subsequent operation of the International Space Station (ISS), according to European space officials.

SEATTLE Kistler Aerospace Corp. is building the first K-1 reusable launch vehicle and two spaceports. A flight in early 2000 is planned. The company has raised $500 million of the $750 million it says it needs to design, develop and operate the RLV system, which is intended to deliver satellites into low-Earth orbit (AW&ST June 30, 1997, p. 53).