Boeing met ahead of schedule the requirements for this six-year period of performance that began in October 2004, demonstrating the company’s continued success in fulfilling its industrial cooperation commitments.

Boeing has identified more than 100 potential projects with more than 45 Danish companies and institutions to introduce new defense and aerospace technologies into Denmark. These opportunities would extend beyond traditional aerospace to other research and technology collaboration projects to significantly accelerate growth across a large cross-section of Danish industries.

Terma A/S provides Boeing with Harpoon missile simulators, while Danish Aerotech A/S is under contract with Boeing to deliver the Aluminum Launch Support Structure for ship-based deployment of the Harpoon.

The Harpoon weapon system provides accurate long-range guidance for both land-strike and anti-ship missions. The Harpoon Block II is produced at Boeing facilities in St. Charles, Missouri, and Boeing has delivered more than 7,100 Harpoon missiles to the United States and 28 allied partners, including the Royal Danish Navy.
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Boeing continues to bring industrial benefits to Danish firms through a second seven-year period of performance tied to Harpoon follow-on support for the Royal Danish Navy. The company also supports DECA’s efforts to develop Danish industry through a .6 million industrial cooperation program for Denmark’s portion of the NATO Airborne Warning and Control System.

However, Saturday’s planned launch of Japan’s first navigation satellite is expected to solve the problem, at least partly, as the so-called quasi-zenith satellite would spend significant time above Japan.

The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency has been preparing to launch Michibiki (a name that means “guidance” in Japanese) to cover the blind spots left by the 30 U.S. navigation satellites that are the foundation of the existing GPS system. This would enable people using GPS locator-equipped cell phones and car navigation systems in this country to receive more accurate information.

It is now common to see people searching for the shortest route to their destination on car navigation systems or cell phones equipped with GPS locators, which calculate their location after receiving signals from multiple navigation satellites.

However, there are places where locators cannot calculate their locations accurately at certain times as signals sent from navigation satellites are sometimes interrupted by mountains and buildings.

From an altitude of about 40,000 kilometers, Michibiki will send signals interchangeable with those of the GPS satellites to locators.

A navigation satellite transmits a stream of data on its location and the time, which is measured by an atomic clock. The receiver notes the difference between the time the data was sent by the satellite and the time it was received. Using this information, it can calculate its own distance from the satellite, and then determine its own location.

Radio waves travel at 300,000 kilometers per second, so an error of 0.000001 second in time results in an error of 300 meters in distance. To accurately determine its location, a locator needs to receive signals from at least four navigation satellites simultaneously.

Currently, 30 U.S. navigation satellites are covering the entire Earth. Sometimes eight to 11 navigation satellites fly near Japan, but in mountainous areas or cities crowded with buildings, there are still times when it is difficult for GPS locators to receive signals from four satellites at the same time.

Michibiki would be helpful in such cases because signals from quasi-zenith satellites are unlikely to be interrupted by obstacles.

Currently, in some urban areas, about 10 percent of the time it is difficult for locators to calculate their locations accurately, but Michibiki would eliminate such gaps and enable locators to work accurately around-the-clock.

Michibiki also would help locators to correct errors in calculating their location.

The speed of radio waves is affected by atmospheric conditions, but the quasi-zenith satellite will send signals that order locators to adjust their calculations according to changes in the atmosphere.

Current cell phones and car navigation systems will not be able to directly receive signals from Michibiki. It will be necessary to develop receivers or software compatible with the signals the new satellite sends out.

In the future, Michibiki is also expected to be used for many other purposes, including controlling airplanes, detecting tsunami in their early stages, helping drivers avoid traffic jams and directing large automated agricultural machines as they move through fields.

The GPS system was developed by the United States and was initially used only for military purposes. China, India, Russia and the European Union are developing and improving their own global navigation satellite systems.

About 10 years from now, space above Asia is expected to be crowded with navigation satellites. There will always be about 20 satellites flying over the continent, JAXA said. Countries have begun discussing how to share their navigation satellites at the United Nations.

Michibiki’s orbit takes it above Japan for about eight hours each day, so two more quasi-zenith satellites are needed to cover Japan for 24 hours.

Koji Terada, manager of the Michibiki project at JAXA, said: “Michibiki’s activities will determine whether the government decides to launch two more satellites. What we must do now is make sure Michibiki’s technology tests will succeed.”

“The US Army’s BCTM program places a very high priority on equipping troops with advanced intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities,” said Rob McKeel, Vice President, Military & Aerospace Embedded Computing at GE Intelligent Platforms. “The ability to get accurate information to its destination as fast as possible is a fundamental requirement. These switches fulfil the Army’s requirement for expertise in ruggedization and can make a significant contribution not only to our soldiers’ effectiveness, but also their safety.”

The NETernity CP923RC-M 10-port fully managed layer 2/3 Gigabit Ethernet switch is designed to be deployed on platforms that are subject to extremes of temperature, moisture, dust/sand and vibration making it ideal for demanding applications in harsh environments.

The CP923RC-M features support for IPv6, the Internet Protocol that will be at the heart of networks of the future with its much larger addressing capability — making it ‘future proof’ – together with capabilities that greatly simplify network administration. In common with all of GE’s NETernity switches, the CP923RC-M features OpenWare(TM) switch management software enabling a switch to be easily configured for any network requirement — from the trivially simple through to the very complex. The flexible OpenWare environment provides integrated switch management services, including configuration, monitoring, switching control, addressing, and routing.

BCTM is the US Army’s principal modernization program. Its purpose is to build a versatile mix of mobile, networked BCTs that will leverage mobility, protection, and information to conduct effective operations across the spectrum of conflict. The BCT Modernization Plan is informed by the comprehensive lessons learned from more than eight years of war, focusing on the evolving needs of warfighters in a rapidly changing security environment.

The new series provides ultra-fast overcurrent protection offered in a wide range of trigger currents and voltages and reduced form factors to save valuable board space. Designated the Bourns® TBU-CA Series, the new devices are electronic current limiters (ECL) that are triggered by excessive voltage or current. Designed as an optimal circuit protection solution for industrial controls, medical electronics, automated test systems, and military and aerospace applications, the Bourns® TBU-CA Series can be used for protection on Ethernet, RS-485, HART and other ports where dangerous surge and power cross events may occur. The circuit protection device series can also be used in telecom applications and provides a barrier to surges while allowing high frequency signals such as VDSL2 to pass through without damage to the circuit.

Protecting sensitive electronics and applications from the potentially damaging effects of surges that can cause current and voltage to rise above normal operating levels, the Bourns® TBU-CA Series eliminates the need for large shunt protection devices by stopping the damaging currents from reaching protected circuits in less than one microsecond. The new circuit protection devices are low capacitance, single bi-directional high speed devices designed to protect against faults caused by short circuits, AC power cross, induction and lightning surges within rated limits. The resettable devices also feature significantly lower let-thru energy and overshoot protection, which reduces stress on the printed circuit board (PCB) for increased reliability and product life.

“Higher data rates combined with more sensitive electronics presents a real challenge for protection engineers,” said Paul Wiener, telecom market director at Bourns. “Bourns’ unique TBU™ protection technology limits the energy allowed into sensitive electronics without loading high data rate lines with capacitance. This allows designers to place high performance protection on even their highest bandwidth applications.”

The Bourns® TBU-CA Series is available in five impulse blocking voltages from 250V to 850V with minimum trip currents of 50 mA to 500 mA featuring resistance values as low as 3 ohms. Product samples, evaluation boards and sample kits are available now through Bourns’ distribution partners. As a pricing example, Bourns® TBU-CA085-500-WH is priced at ($.69 each) in (10K) quantities.

“ITT’s world-class imaging system for WorldView-3 will further expand the applications for satellite imagery in both commercial and government markets,” said Chris Young, president, ITT Geospatial Systems. “ITT has been recognized as the aerospace industry’s leading imaging payload provider for over 50 years. With further emphasis being placed on the use of commercial imaging systems to supplement national satellite capabilities, ITT’s technologies are well aligned to support not only DigitalGlobe, but government agencies as well.”

DigitalGlobe’s WorldView-3 will provide imagery that will help meet the increasing needs of the intelligence community and Department of Defense.

Jeff Kerridge, senior vice president, DigitalGlobe stated, “DigitalGlobe has been extremely pleased with the capabilities and performance of the imaging systems that ITT has provided for our current constellation. We look forward to partnering with ITT yet again to bring a highly advanced remote sensing satellite to the market.”

ITT will immediately begin work on the WorldView-3 imaging system, which will include a sensor subsystem and an optical telescope unit. ITT has an extensive heritage with DigitalGlobe-building the sensors or imaging systems for their current three-satellite constellation-QuickBird, WorldView-1 and -2.

Raytheon Missile Systems and Boeing Co. recently completed a second government-sponsored test of a tactical missile that someday could be launched by a half-dozen different aircraft, The Arizona Republic reported Monday.

The Joint Air-to-Ground Missile, or JAGM, is expected to replace Hellfire, Maverick and TOW missiles in the U.S. military’s arsenal, the newspaper said.

The missile was successfully launched Aug. 13 from White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico, the companies said.

The JAGM employed its infrared guidance system to lock on to the target before it launched and hit a stationary battlefield tank more than 2 miles away.

The Raytheon-Boeing proposal faces competition from Lockheed Martin. The winner will supply 33,000 missiles that can be launched from the F-18 fighter, the Apache, Seahawk, Super Cobra and Arapaho helicopters and the Warrior unmanned aerial drone vehicle.

Now new date has been set. The agency was created early last year, when then-President Kgalema Motlanthe signed the National Space Agency Act into law. Its mandate is to promote the peaceful use of space, foster research in space science and communications navigation, and promote international co-operation in space-related activities.

The appointments came about seven months after the Department of Science and Technology (DST) in consultation with the National Assembly’s Portfolio Committee on Science and Technology finalised a shortlist of candidates. The board that will oversee the agency, monitor research priorities and programmes, and carry out the agency’s strategy, is made up of representatives from government services, civil society and the military.

Chairman Maurice Magugumela is from the National Nuclear Regulator. Other government representatives are Dr Robert Scholes from the CSIR; Rosey Sekese, Deputy Director General (DDG) for ICT infrastructure at the Department of Communications, and Brenda Titi, a DDG at the Department of Agriculture, Captain Mpho Mamashela of the Air Traffic Navigation Service (an agency of the Department of Transport) and Rhodes University physicist Dr Lee-Anne McKinnell.

Not given the Cabinet nod are short-listees Nomfuneko Majaja, Head of 2010 Operations at SA Airways; Francois Anderson of the CSIR and Bennett Kwanele Siziba, the latter a counter-intelligence, weapons of mass destruction counter-proliferation expert with the National Intelligence Agency and Magalies Water CEO Jacqueline Simangele Sekgobela.

Civil society representatives include EDI Holdings executive manager Leeandran Annamalai, Vincent Gore, Business Connexion’s Joy-Marie Lawrence (an expert on space and satellite law), Tsheko Ratseheko and Sage Wise MD Louisa Mogudi. Not on the board is EVI Capital Partners CEO Zola Fihlani, Potlaki Maine, consultant Themba Buthelezi, financial consultant Carla Sharp and retired engineering professor Gideon de Wet.

At wake-up, CDR Skvortsov performed the regular daily early-morning check of the aerosol filters at the Russian Elektron O2 generator which Maxim Suraev had installed on 10/19 in gaps between the BZh Liquid Unit and the oxygen outlet pipe (filter FA-K) plus hydrogen outlet pipe (filter FA-V). [The CDR again inspects the filters before bedtime tonight, currently a daily requirement per plan, with photographs to be taken if the filter packing is discolored.]

FE-6 Shannon Walker & FE-4 Doug Wheelock completed Session 1/Day 6 of the SOLO (Sodium Loading in Microgravity) experiment, i.e., low-salt diet for Wheels, high-salt for Shannon. Today’s activities involved taking measurements of body mass (BMM) with the SLAMMD (Space Linear Acceleration Mass Measurement Device), final urine sampling after the 24-hr collections, and securing their blood samples in the MELFI (Minus-Eighty Laboratory Freezer for ISS). Special diet intake & logging was not required. [SOLO is composed of two sessions of six days each. From Day 1 to 5 (included) Wheels & Shannon are ingesting special diet (for Wheels: Session 1 – Low salt diet; Session 2 – High salt diet which corresponds to normal ISS diet salt level; for Shannon: first High salt, then Low salt). SOLO Diet starts with breakfast on Day 1. Day 6 of each session is diet-free. For both diets, specially prepared meals are provided onboard. All three daily meals are logged daily on sheets stowed in the PCBA Consumable Kit in the MELFI along with control solution and cartridges for the PCBA. Body mass is measured with the SLAMMD (Space Linear Acceleration Mass Measurement Device) on Days 4 & 6. Blood samples are taken on Day 5, centrifuged & inserted in MELFI (Minus Eighty Laboratory Freezer for ISS) and also measured with the PCBA. 24-hr urine collections are performed on Day 5, with sample insertion in MELFI. Background: SOLO, a NASA/ESA-German experiment from the DLR Institute of Aerospace Medicine in Cologne/Germany, investigates the mechanisms of fluid and salt retention in the body during long-duration space flight. The hypothesis of an increased urine flow as the main cause for body mass decrease has been questioned in several recently flown missions. Data from the US SLS1/2 missions as well as the European/Russian Euromir `94 & MIR 97 missions show that urine flow and total body fluid remain unchanged when isocaloric energy intake is achieved. However, in two astronauts during these missions the renin-angiotensin system was considerably activated while plasma ANP concentrations were decreased. Calculation of daily sodium balances during a 15-day experiment of the MIR 97 mission (by subtracting sodium excretion from sodium intake) showed an astonishing result: the astronaut retained on average 50 mmol sodium daily in space compared to balanced sodium in the control experiment.]

CDR Skvortsov took the periodic Russian PZE-MO-3 test for physical fitness evaluation, spending an hour on the TVIS treadmill in unmotorized (manual control) mode and wearing the Kardiokassette KK-2000 belt with three chest electrodes. MO-3 was performed yesterday by FE-3 Kornienko. [The MO-3 fitness test, controlled from the RSE-Med laptop, yields ECG (electrocardiogram) readings to the KK-2000 data storage device, later downlinked via the Regul (BSR-TM) payload telemetry channel. Before the run, the KK-2000 was synchronized with the computer date/time readings. For the ECG, the crewmember rests for 5 min., then works out on the treadmill, first walking 3 min. up to 3.5 km/h, then running at a slow pace of 5-6 km/h for 2 min, at moderate pace of 6.5 km/h for 2 min, followed by the maximum pace not exceeding 10 km/h for 1 min, then walking again at gradually decreasing pace to 3.5 km/h].

The firm’s chief executive says possible applications include a remote-controlled, unmanned version of the propeller-powered aircraft – which has the potential to fly at heights of up to 10,000 feet (3048m) – being used as an “airborne missile platform”.

Speaking to the Weekend Herald, company founder Glenn Martin said major US aerospace companies Boeing, Raytheon and Rockwell Collins were also interested in the Kiwi firm’s technology.

Joint ventures were a possibility, he said.

“We’re already dealing with Rockwell Collins. We’ve got conversations going with those companies and more, in particular those conversations are being led by the US Department of Defence.”

Controversy erupted in 2006 when it was suggested products made by Auckland high-tech crystal manufacturer Rakon were finding their way into smart bomb technology made by Rockwell Collins.

Rakon’s Mt Wellington head office was targeted by peace protesters when Israel – a large-scale user of smart bomb technology – launched offensives against Lebanon and Gaza.

Mr Martin said the military applications being considered for the Jetpack would not primarily involve weapons.

The military could instead use an unmanned machine to deliver supplies – such as medicine and food – to troops in the field, he said.

But Martin Aircraft Company chief executive Richard Lauder appeared to have a different view from the company’s founder, saying the Jetpack’s ability to carry weapons was one of the applications under consideration.

“[It would be] something they [the military] can put up at about 500 to 1000 metres to look around and see if there’s any bad guys.”

Mr Lauder said Martin Aircraft did not “have any bias” against its products being used for combat military applications.

Mr Martin, contrary to his chief executive’s claims, said he would”be pretty pissed off” if the Jetpack technology he began work on inhis garage in 1981 ended upbeing used to carry weapons.

“But unless you never sell a product, how can you stop it?”

The NZ Government – through the Foundation for Research, Science and Technology (FRST) – has provided around $1 million in funding to the Jetpack project.

A spokeswoman for the foundation said it was unaware of Martin Aircraft Company’s talks with the US Department of Defence.

The foundation provided funding for specific projects, she said, and the funding received by Martin Aircraft had been for the development of the Jetpack only.

Research, Science and Technology Minister Wayne Mapp said there were no restrictions on New Zealand firms bidding for defence contracts as long as there was no breach of rules on nuclear applications, mines or cluster munitions.

Mr Martin said civilian applications for the unmanned Jetpack, such as search and rescue and disaster relief, were also a possibility. One machine could carry up to 100kg of food and clean water to disaster victims.

He said he had not lost his initial vision for his creation to be used as a recreational vehicle.

About 1600 people had expressed interest in spending $140,000 on a jet pack for personal use, he said.

The company was also considering a public listing on the NZX within the next 18 months.

Engineers will upgrade the U.S. Army’s Warfighter Modeling, Simulation, Analysis, and Integration Support program, which is used in such areas as intelligence gathering, target sensing and command-and-control. The work is being done on behalf of the Army Space and Missile Defense Command, which is located in Huntsville.