DTN News - BOEING NEWS: NASA Astronauts Get Advance Look at CST-100 Starliner Trainers

DTN News - BOEING NEWS: NASA Astronauts Get Advance Look at CST-100 Starliner Trainers

*Systems will prepare crews for Boeing’s first-ever commercial spaceflights to International Space Station

Source: DTN News - - This article compiled by K. V. Seth from reliable sources B0eing
(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - January 7, 2016: Two of the four NASA astronauts training to fly Boeing’s [NYSE: BA] CST-100 Starliner spacecraft recently tried some of the systems that will prepare them for flights to the International Space Station.

During a visit to Boeing, astronauts Eric Boe and Bob Behnken focused on systems used for learning to manipulate switches and display panels. Flight controllers were also able to experience devices they will use to train for flight tests and missions.

“We have been learning about the spacecraft displays through slideshows. It’s great to finally see what we are actually going to train on,” Boe said. ”The trainers look great, and this visit gives us an opportunity to meet with the Boeing engineers. We appreciate them allowing us to give input on these trainers so the devices are ready when they arrive at Johnson Space Center.”

Behnken added that the training equipment is comprehensive.

“Historically, some trainers were just a simple component that might have a very specific task,” he said. “This one has a lot of capability with multiple tasks coming together so it can execute more complicated training scenarios.”

Two of the trainers are to be delivered to NASA in the autumn of 2016. Boeing is also building an immersive, high-fidelity training system that’s to be delivered in early 2017 to Houston’s Johnson Space Center.

The CST-100 Starliner’s first crew flight test to the space station is expected in 2017 and will be Boeing’s first commercial flight transporting humans to that destination. More information about the CST-100 can be found at www.Boeing.com/cst100.

A unit of The Boeing Company, Defense, Space & Security is one of the world's largest defense, space and security businesses specializing in innovative and capabilities-driven customer solutions, and the world’s largest and most versatile manufacturer of military aircraft. Headquartered in St. Louis, Defense, Space & Security is a $31 billion business with about 50,000 employees worldwide. Follow us on Twitter: @BoeingDefense.

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Contact:

Justin Gibson
Global Services & Support
Office: +1 314-777-7863
Mobile: +1 314-708-6293
justin.l.gibson@boeing.com


*Link for This article compiled by K. V. Seth from reliable sources Boeing
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*This article is being posted from Toronto, Canada By DTN News ~ Defense-Technology News Contact:dtnnews@ymail.com 
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DTN News - CHINA SPACE NEWS: China Takes The Fight To Space

DTN News - CHINA SPACE NEWS: China Takes The Fight To Space
*The 21st-century battlefield in East Asia might not be on water or air, but in space.

Source: DTN News - - This article compiled by K. V. Seth from reliable sources By Michael Auslin
(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - April 22, 2014: The debate over U.S. military presence in Asia usually centers on traditional areas like water or air. Yet Chinese President Xi Jinping has provided evidence that military competition may be shifting from ships and planes to space. He showcased China's military priorities when last week he encouraged his country's air force to better integrate its air and space capabilities. Although not as dramatic as President John F. Kennedy's 1961 call for a U.S. mission to the Moon, the Chinese leader's desire to expand the realm of military competition are clear. Washington should prepare for crippling attacks on satellites and other communications systems before it is too late.

China's plan to militarize its space activities has been in development for years. Its space program is controlled by its military, unlike in the U.S., where military services and NASA have separate agencies and leadership. Repeated Pentagon reports in recent years on China's military activities have noted the country has built up the means of disabling foreign satellites. And technological advantages have been growing steadily.

China shocked the world in 2007 by successfully destroying one of its aging weather satellites, demonstrating an anti-satellite capability that few nations can match. That test created a cloud of debris that continues to bedevil satellites and the International Space Station. Beijing also tested what is widely believed to have been a new, mobile-launched anti-satellite missile last May.

By comparison, the Pentagon has no formal anti-satellite system under development. And at a time when America's exploration program of the Moon has ended, China's has just begun. Its "Jade Rabbit" moon rover, the first Earth vehicle to visit the lunar surface in almost 40 years, successfully landed last December. Although Jade Rabbit broke down halfway through its planned three-month mission—highlighting the complexities of sustained space programs—China's goal remains to execute a manned mission to the Moon and possibly even establish a lunar base.

Which gets to Mr. Xi's high-profile exhortation last week that he will guide his country's growing technological expertise toward making space another dimension of the battlefield. How might Beijing integrate its air and space capabilities, and to what end? This is where both American homeland security and military planners need to be concerned.

There are currently only 30 operational GPS satellites operated by the U.S. Any Chinese ability to target those satellites could potentially disrupt, if not cripple, GPS operations on which everything from weather reporting to civil aviation to smartphone apps rely. That would impose huge costs on the American economy and potentially shut down entire industries. It is the 21st century version of saturation bombing, designed to target civilians and break their will to resist.

Similarly, Mr. Xi is moving China into a position where it could deny U.S. military forces their one unquestioned global advantage: a networked battle system. The U.S. Air Force operates around 20 advanced satellite communications systems.

Targeting those and some GPS satellites could make U.S. military operations difficult, if not impossible, to undertake. It could eliminate the effectiveness of precision-guided munitions. The U.S. Congress has become so concerned about this vulnerability that it requested that the Pentagon run studies on the ability of the U.S. military to operate in communications-denied environments.

Offensive space weapons would undoubtedly be employed in conjunction with China's advanced cyber warfare capabilities. By blinding satellites while knocking down computer networks through distributed denials of service, Beijing could effectively prevent U.S. forces from operating in Asia and beyond. This is what the Chinese call "war under informationized conditions," a twist on the "joint operations" that the U.S. military touts. The potential of such an attack is not based on military branches, but on capabilities.

Consider the threat of increased space presence to some of Asia's flashpoints. Blinding some of America's spy satellites could deprive policy makers of timely intelligence on Chinese naval and air moves to threaten foreign-held territory, such as the disputed Senkaku Islands. Introducing just enough uncertainty to delay American or joint allied decision-making could give Chinese forces the margin of success necessary to present Washington with a fait accompli. It would undoubtedly be even easier to isolate and interrupt the military activities of America's smaller allies, leaving Washington with a heavier burden.

The trend is clear: President Obama may want to shrink the military and surrender America's lead in space, but China is moving in the opposite direction. Eventually, Beijing will have a lead. At that point, American policy makers will be forced on the defensive while grasping to connect the dots of seemingly disparate events in space and cyberspace. America prides itself on being the world's technological powerhouse, but that is a diminishing advantage when others have a clearer view of why they are aiming at the stars.

Mr. Auslin is a resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute and a columnist for wsj.com. He is on Twitter @michaelauslin.

*Link for This article compiled by K. V. Seth from reliable sources By Michael Auslin
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*This article is being posted from Toronto, Canada By DTN News ~ Defense-Technology News Contact:dtnnews@ymail.com 
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DTN News - DEFENSE NEWS: Boeing Phantom Eye Completes 2nd Flight

DTN News - DEFENSE NEWS: Boeing Phantom Eye Completes 2nd Flight
*High-Altitude, Long-Endurance demonstrator climbs above 8,000 feet

Source: DTN News - - This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources Boeing
(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - February 26, 2013: Boeing's [NYSE: BA] liquid hydrogen-powered Phantom Eye unmanned airborne system completed its second flight Feb. 25, demonstrating capabilities that will allow it to perform intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) missions for up to four days without refueling.

During the flight, at NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., Phantom Eye climbed above an altitude of 8,000 feet and remained aloft for 66 minutes at a cruising speed of 62 knots before landing. The aircraft exceeded what it achieved last year during its first flight when it flew at an altitude of 4,080 feet and remained aloft for 28 minutes.

"Today’s combination of geopolitical and economic issues makes Phantom Eye's capabilities, affordability and flexibility very attractive to our global customers," said Darryl Davis, Boeing Phantom Works president. "No other system holds the promise of offering on-demand, persistent ISR and communications to any region in the world, rapidly responding to natural disasters and national security issues."

Boeing is self-funding development of the environmentally responsible Phantom Eye, which generates only water as a byproduct of its propulsion system.

"This flight, in a more demanding high-altitude flight envelope, successfully demonstrated Phantom Eye's maneuverability, endurance and landing capabilities," said Drew Mallow, Phantom Eye program manager.

Following the first flight, Boeing upgraded the aircraft's software and hardware, including the landing gear. The upgrades paid off in the form of a picture-perfect landing.

The Phantom Eye demonstrator is capable of carrying a 450-pound payload while operating for up to four days at altitudes of up to 65,000 feet.

A unit of The Boeing Company, Boeing Defense, Space & Security is one of the world's largest defense, space and security businesses specializing in innovative and capabilities-driven customer solutions, and the world's largest and most versatile manufacturer of military aircraft. Headquartered in St. Louis, Boeing Defense, Space & Security is a $33 billion business with 59,433 employees worldwide. Follow us on Twitter: @BoeingDefense.

A feature story and video are online at http://www.boeing.com/Features/2013/02/bds_phantom_eye_02_26_13.html.
Related photos are available at boeing.mediaroom.com.
B-roll video of this event is available to media through the contacts below.

Contact:

Garrett Kasper
Phantom Works
Office:  314-232-0199
Mobile:  314-616-5169
garrett.d.kasper@boeing.com

Deborah VanNierop
Phantom Works
Office:  314-232-1624
Mobile:  210-454-2656
deborah.a.vannierop@boeing.com

*Link for This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources Boeing
*Speaking Image - Creation of DTN News ~ Defense Technology News 
*This article is being posted from Toronto, Canada By DTN News ~ Defense-Technology News Contact:dtnnews@ymail.com 
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DTN News - DEFENSE NEWS: Boeing Phantom Eye Completes 1st Autonomous Flight

DTN News - DEFENSE NEWS: Boeing Phantom Eye Completes 1st Autonomous Flight
>High-Altitude, Long-Endurance aircraft is designed to remain airborne for up to 4 days while reaching altitudes of 65,000 feet
Source: DTN News - - This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources Boeing
(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - June 5, 2012: Boeing's [NYSE: BA] Phantom Eye unmanned airborne system (UAS) completed its first autonomous flight June 1 at NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif.

The 28-minute flight began at 6:22 a.m. Pacific time as the liquid-hydrogen powered aircraft lifted off its launch cart. Phantom Eye climbed to an altitude of 4,080 feet and reached a cruising speed of 62 knots. After touching down, the vehicle sustained some damage when the landing gear dug into the lakebed and broke.

"This day ushers in a new era of persistent Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) where an unmanned aircraft will remain on station for days at a time providing critical information and services," said Darryl Davis, president, Boeing Phantom Works. "This flight puts Boeing on a path to accomplish another aerospace first -- the capability of four days of unrefueled, autonomous flight."

Phantom Eye is the latest in a series of Boeing-funded rapid prototyping programs, which include Phantom Ray, Echo Ranger, ScanEagle Compressed Carriage, and an associated Common Open Mission Management Command and Control (COMC2) system capable of managing all of the company's unmanned assets.

"While Phantom Eye is important for many reasons, future ISR, strike and bomber programs also will benefit from the technologies we are developing and maturing for our customers," said Davis.

The flight took place following a series of taxi tests in April that validated ground guidance, navigation and control, mission planning, pilot interface and operational procedures.

"This flight demonstrated Phantom Eye's initial handling and maneuverability capabilities," said Phantom Eye Program Manager Drew Mallow. "The team is now analyzing data from the mission and preparing for our next flight. When we fly the demonstrator again, we will enter higher and more demanding envelopes of high-altitude flight."

Phantom Eye's innovative and environmentally responsible liquid-hydrogen propulsion system will allow the aircraft to stay on station for up to four days while providing persistent monitoring over large areas at a ceiling of up to 65,000 feet, creating only water as a byproduct. The demonstrator, with its 150-foot wingspan, is capable of carrying a 450-pound payload.

The company's portfolio of UAS solutions includes the A160T Hummingbird, H-6U Unmanned Little Bird, S-100 Camcopter, Integrator, ScanEagle (which is currently in service in Canada, Australia, Poland, the Netherlands and Malaysia), Dominator, Phantom Eye and Phantom Ray.

A unit of The Boeing Company, Boeing Defense, Space & Security is one of the world's largest defense, space and security businesses specializing in innovative and capabilities-driven customer solutions, and the world's largest and most versatile manufacturer of military aircraft. Headquartered in St. Louis, Boeing Defense, Space & Security is a $32 billion business with 61,000 employees worldwide. Follow us on Twitter: @BoeingDefense.

B-roll video of this event is available to media through the contacts below.
A video feature is online at www.boeing.com/bds.

Contact:

Randy Jackson
Phantom Works
Office: 314-232-7906
Mobile: 314-435-7588
randy.jackson@boeing.com

Deborah VanNierop
Phantom Works
Office: 314-232-1624
Mobile: 210-454-2656
deborah.a.vannierop@boeing.com

*Link for This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources Boeing
*Speaking Image - Creation of DTN News ~ Defense Technology News 
*This article is being posted from Toronto, Canada By DTN News ~ Defense-Technology News Contact:dtnnews@ymail.com 
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DTN News - LOCKHEED MARTIN DEFENSE NEWS: NASA, Lockheed & Ball Team Complete On-Orbit Orion MPCV Navigation System Test During STS-134 Shuttle Mission

DTN News - LOCKHEED MARTIN DEFENSE NEWS: NASA, Lockheed Martin & Ball Aerospace Team Complete On-Orbit Orion MPCV Navigation System Test During STS-134 Shuttle Mission

Source: DTN News - - This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources Lockheed Martin

(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - June 1, 2011:

In an unprecedented on-orbit maneuver, Commander Mark Kelly completed the first ever Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle (MPCV)-like approach to the International Space Station at 3:24 a.m. CDT today as part of the Sensor Test for Orion Relative Navigation Risk Mitigation (STORRM). The orbital rendezvous verified the successful operation of the MPCV’s next generation docking sensor, which NASA has identified as a critical technology needed for future space exploration missions.

The NASA, Lockheed Martin [NYSE:LMT] and Ball Aerospace [NYSE: BLL] team worked closely with STS-134 Mission Specialist Andrew Feustel to successfully complete the on-orbit test of this system which will make rendezvous and docking maneuvers safer for future spacecraft. The flight test represented the first and only opportunity for in-flight collaboration of NASA’s three human spaceflight programs -- space shuttle, International Space Station and Orion MPCV.

“This flight test demonstrated the exceptional capability of the Vision Navigation Sensor (VNS) and the Docking Camera, two key components of the Orion relative navigation system,” said Catherine Boone, Ph.D., the Lockheed Martin electro-optics engineer who was working in NASA’s Mission Control Center during the re-rendezvous event. “We were able to collect about 600 gigabytes of data that will verify the design meets the high performance standards required for Orion MPCV and other future spacecraft. Follow-on testing at our Space Operations Simulation Center in Denver will also provide an opportunity to look at how we may be able to expand on that performance to make the system as powerful and accurate as possible for the dynamic environments of deep-space exploration missions.”

Jeanette Domber, Ph.D., senior payloads system engineer and Ball’s lead for STORRM, explained that unlike other navigation sensor flight experiments, which simply collected data during normal shuttle operations, the STORRM flight test leveraged America's human spaceflight assets in a true “test-like-you-fly” scenario. “This test exercised the Orion relative navigation sensors exactly as they will be flown on future human space exploration vehicles,” said Domber. “This mission provided NASA a one-of-a-kind opportunity to prove out the performance of this technology in a real spaceflight environment.”

STORRM demonstrates a robust relative navigation design that provides the required docking accuracy and range capability necessary to meet crew safety, mass, volume and power requirements for a wide variety of future NASA missions, including those into deep space. The STORRM hardware components consist of a high definition docking camera, the advanced laser-based VNS, an avionics assembly to provide power and record data, a space-certified laptop computer, and reflective docking targets that were installed on the space station during STS-131.

During the mission, STORRM’s VNS performed better than expected by providing continuous measurements from as far away as three-and-a-half miles to within six feet of the space station – three times the range capability of the current relative navigation sensor. The next generation sensor technology also provided exceptional three-dimensional images of the docking target.

As its nickname indicates, STORRM was a whirlwind project. When given the opportunity to fly and test the system on one of the last shuttle missions, the Orion STORRM team kicked into high-gear to rapidly design, build and test all the components to be ready in half the usual time required for such a system to be manifested for the shuttle flight’s payload.

“The Lockheed Martin, Ball and NASA STORRM team worked efficiently and seamlessly to accomplish this important risk mitigation test,” said Larry Price, Lockheed Martin deputy program manager for the Orion MPCV program. “It was an immense undertaking and everyone gave it their all to design a system necessary for future exploration spacecraft to conduct safe approach and docking maneuvers to other spacecraft.”

STORRM is an innovative technology development effort led by NASA’s Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle Project Office at NASA Johnson Space Center in partnership with NASA Langley Research Center, Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company, and Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corporation. This technology has earth-bound applications for terrain mapping, robotics, military operations and transportation, including collision avoidance systems for vehicles.

Lockheed Martin leads the Orion MPCV industry team which includes major subcontractors as well as a nationwide network of minor subcontractors and small businesses. In addition, Lockheed Martin contracts with hundreds of small and disadvantaged business suppliers across the United States through an expansive supply chain network.

Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin is a global security company that employs about 126,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services. The Corporation's 2010 sales from continuing operations were $45.8 billion. www.lockheedmartin.com/orion

Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp. supports critical missions of important national agencies such as the Department of Defense, NASA, NOAA and other U.S. government and commercial entities. The company develops and manufactures spacecraft, advanced instruments and sensors, components, data exploitation systems and RF solutions for strategic, tactical and scientific applications. For more information visit www.ballaerospace.com.

Ball Corporation is a supplier of high quality packaging for beverage, food and household products customers, and of aerospace and other technologies and services, primarily for the U.S. government. Ball Corporation and its subsidiaries employ more than 14,500 people worldwide and reported 2010 sales of more than $7.6 billion. For the latest Ball news and for other company information, please visit http://www.ball.com.

Linda Singleton 832-526-8089 or 281-283-4219 or linda.singleton@lmco.com Joan Underwood: 303-971-7398 mobile: 303-594-7073 or joan.b.underwood@lmco.com

Space Shuttle fly around video animation: http://vimeo.com/19590525 STORRM Project Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jcVF_acdB5A STORRM Photos on Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/nasampcv/ Follow STORRM on Twitter at: @NASAMPCV or on Facebook or Flickr

Orion

Lockheed Martin Statement On NASA MPCV Announcement

NASA’s designation of the Orion crew exploration vehicle as the Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle (MPCV) provides our nation with a sound solution for deep space mission capability within the currently proposed budgets. This path forward will soon enable humans to venture out into the cosmos to explore and study interplanetary destinations never before seen or touched by mankind. NASA’s commitment will ensure that our nation maintains a strong global leadership position in space exploration through a robust program designed to be safe, affordable and sustainable over the next several decades. More

Images: Orion Gallery

About Orion: The Orion crew exploration vehicle (CEV) program will provide a state-of-the-art human space flight system capable of safely transferring astronauts to and from the International Space Station (ISS), the Moon, Mars and other destinations beyond low earth orbit (LEO).

Utilizing a safe, affordable, staged approach to accomplishing these missions, the Lockheed Martin Orion Team is focused on providing NASA the capability to return to the Moon by the middle of the next decade with a low risk, high confidence program plan.

The Lockheed Martin Orion team -- Lockheed Martin, United Space Alliance, Aerojet, ATK, Honeywell and Hamilton Sundstrand -- brings to bear the nation's premier human space flight and exploration expertise in the development of NASA's next generation crew transportation system. Our collective expertise spanning five decades in large-scale systems integration, planetary exploration, human space flight systems and operations, launch vehicles, military aircraft, and autonomous flight systems provides a critical foundation for NASA's vision for space exploration. NASA will fly out the remaining Space Shuttle missions through 2010 as it completes the International Space Station and other missions that will utilize the Space Shuttle. Then an exciting new chapter in space exploration will begin as the Orion crew exploration vehicle begins its missions to the International Space Station and ventures forth to return human explorers to the moon with a bold new mission of exploration as we prepare for human missions to Mars. Our state-of-the-art capsule concept provides a solution that is highly extensible for those future missions. This 21st century spacecraft design:

• Focuses first and foremost on crew safety and spacecraft survivability
• Provides safe ascent abort with no black zones
• Enables safe abort opportunities during all mission phases
• Provides the crossrange needed for nominal recovery on land
• Benefits from a premier industry team that over the past fifty years has partnered with NASA to design, develop and successfully return the only deep space capsule missions since the Apollo era.

Orion Information

Orion Photos

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Orion Videos

	NASA Video: Orion Project Video
	Test of the ACM of the LAS
	Orion Alternate Missions

Orion Additional Information

Orion Fact Sheet

Orion Project Milestones

*Link for This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources

Lockheed Martin

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*This article is being posted from Toronto, Canada By DTN News ~ Defense-Technology News

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