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News ofJuly 1998 |
July 31
- NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center issues a research announcement for Pathfinder vehicles in order to demonstrate advanced space transportation technologies on behalf of the Future-X program.
- NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center announces it has completed a series of tests on an air-breathing rocket engine through all operating phases of an orbital launcher on behalf of the Advanced Space Transportation Program.
- Lockheed Martin Astronautics successfully conducts a 10-sec. firing test of a RD-180 engine on a prototype Atlas 3A stage at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center test facilities.
- The first wing assembly of NASA‘s X-34 hypersonic demonstrator has completed qualification tests and has been shipped to prime contractor, Orbital Sciences Corp., for integration on a test fuselage.
- NASA’s Kennedy Space Center exercizes two options on an existing contract with International Launch Services (ILS) for the launches of the TDRS-I and J satellites on Atlas 2A vehicles in December 2001 and June 2002.
| PHOTO GALLERY: ARIANE 503 STACKED IN KOUROU | ||
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European Space Agency‘s third Ariane 5 launcher has been stacked in Kourou in late June. The Core Cryogenic Stage (EPC) was erected in the Launcher Integration Building (BIL) on June 18 and the second Solid Booster Stage was tranferred to BIL on June 19. EAP/EPC mating was completed on June 24. The launcher was cocooned on June 26. Launch campaign resumption is scheduled on August 18 for a launch targeted in October. (Latest schedule) Photos © ESA/CNES/Arianespace. |
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- The U.S. Ballistic Missile Defense Organization (BMDO) selects an architecture based on commercial motors provided by Alliant Techsystems and United Technologies for the National Missile Defense’s Ground Based Interceptor.
- Boeing plans to invest $250 million to refurbish Cape Canaveral‘s SLC-37 Saturn 1/1B launch pad for its new Delta 4 launch vehicles.
- Scaled Composites performs the first test flight of its Proteus high altitude aircraft which is proposed as carrier aircarft for a small air-launched space kaunch vehicle.
- Kistler Aerospace incorporates Spaceport Woomera, a wholly owned subsidiary in charge of building a commercial spaceport for its K-1 reusable launch vehicles within Australia’s Woomera Rocket Range, Southern Australia.
- Bechtel National Inc. was awarded a $27 million contract by U.S. Defense Special Weapons Agency to destroy 46 RS-22 (SS-24 "Scalpel") ICBM silos and 5 control centers in Ukraine.
| PHOTO GALLERY: DELTA 3 AWAITS MAIDEN LAUNCH | ||
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Boeing‘s first Delta 3 vehicle sits on its launch pad at Cape Canaveral‘s SLC-17B awaiting clearance for first flight. The vehicle was stacked in early June for a launch due in July. Failed tests on pyrotechnic components have caused the launch to slip twice. (Latest schedule) Photos © Boeing. |
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- July 22
- Consolidation of European space transportation begins as Aerospatiale will take over 51% of Matra Marconi Space on January 1, 1999, as part of its merger with Matra Hautes Technologies.
- The maiden flight of Sea Launch‘s Zenit 3SL has been postponed to the first quarter of 1999 to allow modifications of its payload, Panamsat‘s Galaxy 11.
- NASDA successfully conducts the first of three ground firing tests of the SRB-A strap-on booster under development for the H-2A launcher.
- Iran conducts the first test-flight of its Shahab 3 missile, a local version of North Korea’s No Dong 2 MRBM. The 1,300/1,500-km range missile was destroyed about 100 seconds into flight.
- Scaled Composites has begun the manufacturing of structural parts of the Roton reusable launch vehicle on behalf of Rotary Rocket Co.
| For additional information regarding launch vehicles, payloads and space industry, refer to |
| THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE INDUSTRY REPORT |
| A biweekly newsletter jointly published by |
| Launchspace Publications and Takyon International. |
- Boeing Rocketdyne has contracted with Praxair for the delivery of cryogenic propellant, liquid nitrogen and gaseous helium to support ground testing of the Delta 4’s RS-68 main engine.
- Pakistan announces it has completed assembly of its Abdali IRBM, possibly a local version of a North Korean missile.
- Arianespace has awarded a contract to Kayser-Threde for the development of MaqSat 3, a dummy satellite to be flown on Ariane 5’s third qualification flight on October 13.
- Sea Launch‘s Assembly & Command Ship (ACS) arrives at the company’s Homeport in Long Beach, Calif. after a 31-day journey from Saint-Petersburg, Russia. It carries two Zenit 3SL vehicles.
- Arianespace unveils an agreement signed in April with Antrix Corp., the commercial arm of the Indian Space Resarch Organisation, for the joint marketing of piggyback launches on Ariane 5 and PSLV launchers.