December 1999 Space News |
- INTERVIEW OF THE PRESIDENT BY CHARLIE ROSE OF 60 MINUTES II December 28, 1999 -- So my goal in this whole thing, trying to mobilize the country on biological, chemical weapons, and make sure the government is doing everything possible, is to close the gap between offense and defense.
- Few Humans Make It To the Final Frontier in 1999, As China Prepares to Join Astronaut Club By Paul Hoversten space.com 27 December 1999 -- Pike says "I'm assuming not only will we see some activity out of the Chinese but it's going to be an eventful year with the station because once it achieves permanent occupancy we will have established a toehold in space and we will not retreat from it."
- Pop-up optics expand battlefield view (AFPN) 20 Dec 1999 -- Researchers at the Air Force Research Laboratory's Space Vehicles Directorate are working on a pop-up design to deploy the telescope mirrors of a large space-based optical system known as the Ultra-Lightweight Imaging Technology Experiments program. Because of its size and precision optics, it will produce extraordinarily sharp, wide-angle -- horizon to horizon --images of objects on Earth from very high orbits.
- Pentagon revives 'Star Wars' defense in space Kyodo News Service December 20, 1999 -- One leading U.S. critic, John Pike, noted, 'We're the only ones who have anything worth shooting at -- I don't see an enemy for us in space in the foreseeable future.'
- Text: Deputy Secretary of State Talbott on NATO USIA 15 December 1999 -- Talbott acknowledged that "America's approach to these issues... has generated some controversy on both sides of the Atlantic" but saw "enough common ground" for NATO to move forward as an alliance. "Wwe must consider how missile defense -- national and collective -- fits into the equation," he said.
- DoD Halts Some Anthrax Shots Until New Plant Passes Muster American Forces Press Service 14 December 1999 -- Failure of a new anthrax vaccine production plant to pass FDA inspection has led DoD to postpone the second phase of vaccinations for at least six months.
- Air Force certifies ABL program ready for aircraft modifications (AFPN) 14 December 1999 -- As a result of this latest approval, the aircraft will fly to Wichita, Kan., in January to begin modifications that will take approximately 18 months.
- ANTHRAX VACCINE PROBLEMS Voice of America 13 December 1999 -- Pentagon officials report more problems in their effort to vaccinate all U-S military personnel against deadly anthrax germ weapons.
- Briefing on the Anthrax Vaccination and Immunization Program December 13, 1999 -- We currently have enough vaccine to continue phase one of the program, the vaccination for all those troops deploying to the high- threat areas of the Gulf and Korea. We had hoped to begin the broader phase-two vaccinations earlier next year. However, Secretary Cohen directed that phase two not start until Bioport had achieved assured production of this new vaccine. The plant has not yet begun such production, and we will not launch phase two vaccinations until we and the FDA are completely satisfied that the Bioport plant meets the highest possible safety standards. It is difficult to estimate precisely how long that this will take, but it could be in the range of six to 12 months.
- Ray Guns Warm Up in N.M. By John J. Lumpkin Albuquerque Journal Friday, December 10, 1999 -- To John Pike, an analyst with the Federation of American Scientists in Washington, D.C., the upcoming live-fire tests mean it's almost "crunch time" for the latest generation of laser weapons. "We'll find out if this generation of stuff really works," Pike said.
- New Policy Would Establish Anthrax-Shot Exemptions By Chuck Vinch, European Stars and Stripes December 9, 1999 -- The Defense Department is getting close to unveiling a new policy that will exempt troops who are getting close to retirement and separation from having to begin taking the anthrax vaccine.
- Pentagon Works To Combat Anti-Vaccine Attitudes By Chuck Vinch, European Stars and Stripes December 4, 1999 -- Pentagon officials have reached out to some of the more than 2,500 people, most of them servicemembers, who recently signed a petition against the military's mandatory anthrax vaccinations to find out why.
- DoD News Briefing: Secretary of Defense William S. Cohen December 2, 1999 -- The United States would have to have the support of our allies to have an effective system. We believe it is important that we discuss the issue with them and lay out the nature of the threat - we had a threat briefing this morning - and to explain in great detail the nature of the system that might be deployed should the President decide to go forward next year.
- NATO DEFENSE MINISTERS Voice of America 02 December 1999 -- The European allies want to be consulted about the U-S talks with the Russians about missile defense and they confronted the Defense Secretary with a variety of questions.
