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Space


December 2002 Space News

  • CHINA SPACE LAUNCH VOA 30 Dec 2002-- China has successfully launched its fourth unmanned spacecraft
  • International Space Station to Expand in Power and Size in 2003 Washington File 28 Dec 2002-- The International Space Station will triple its power output and expand in both size and research capacity during 2003, according to NASA statement released on December 20.
  • NASA Cites 2002 Accomplishments in Space and on Earth Washington File 28 Dec 2002-- In a summary of its 2002 accomplishments, NASA says that it maintained an ambitious set of programs to study the earth, explore the universe, and "inspire the next generation of explorers."
  • Chinese manned vehicle progress status 2002-12-27 Beijing space science and technology information research institute The Shenzhou manned vehicle not only can cause China to become in the world 3rd to grasp the man-in-space flight technology the country, moreover can cause Chinese the manned vehicle technology to achieve or to surpass the Soviet Russian 3rd generation of manned vehicle the level.
  • Chinese development manned vehicle 2002-12-27 Beijing space science and technology information research institute Premier Zhou Enlai realistically specially spoke several principles on the Chinese development, its general idea was: Does not carry out the outer space competition with the Soviet Union and American great nation, must first do well Earth's on matter.
  • " The god boat " carries the person is just round the corner 2002-12-27 Beijing space science and technology information research institute According to the Chinese spatial technology research institute's expert introduces, started in 1992 to develop before the manned vehicle, " 863 " the high-tech astronautics domain experts once conducted several years research for this question.
  • Party's third generation leads the collective concern 2002-12-27 Beijing space science and technology information research institute General Secretary Jiang many times makes the important instruction to the project, proposed " was scrupulous about every detail, the minutes and seconds was not bad " Comrade Li Ruihuan, Hu Jintao, Wei Jianxing, Li Lanqing also makes clear instructs.
  • MISSILE DEFENSE: 'SON OF STAR WARS' RANKLES MANY Foreign Media Reactions 27 Dec 2002-- Some worried that the U.S. MD program would spark a "destabilizing arms race." / Critics claimed deployment was aimed at "placating the defense industry and reassuring public opinion" rather than eliminating a credible ICBM threat. / Others asserted MD funds could be more efficiently used against low-tech terror threats.
  • Laser aircraft arrives for test work AFPN 23 Dec 2002-- A first-of-its-kind aircraft joined the cadre of weapon systems getting tested at the Air Force Flight Test Center when the YAL-1A, or Airborne Laser, touched down here Dec. 19.
  • EDITORIAL: MISSILE DEFENSE DEPLOYMENT VOA 20 Dec 2002 -- The United States is moving to deploy defensive missiles that could intercept and destroy ballistic missiles launched against the U.S. and its friends and allies. Although this deployment will be modest at first, said President George W. Bush, it "will add to America's security and serve as a starting point for improved and expanded capabilities later, as further progress is made in researching and developing missile defense technologies."
  • Boeing Awarded Contract to Build Third Wideband Gapfiller Satellite Boeing 20 Dec 2002 -- Boeing Integrated Defense Systems, a unit of The Boeing Company [NYSE:BA], has been awarded a U.S. Air Force contract option to build a third satellite in the Wideband Gapfiller Satellite, or WGS, program.
  • CHINA U-S MISSILES VOA 19 Dec 2002-- China voices concern over the U-S decision to deploy a missile defense system.
  • Missile Defense Deployment Called Response to 21st Century Threats Washington File 18 Dec 2002-- Kadish: It will have an effect. I mean, we can't use an interceptor that doesn't fly right.
  • RUSSIA / U-S MISSILE DEFENSE VOA 18 Dec 2002 -- Russian officials have expressed concern over a U-S announcement of plans to build a limited missile defense system
  • ATK Composite Technology Supports Flight of Japan’s H-IIA Space Launch Vehicle ATK 18 Dec 2002 -- ATK (Alliant Techsystems, NYSE: ATK) said rocket motor case and advanced composite material technologies developed by its Aerospace Group supported the fourth launch of Japan’s H-IIA space launch vehicle from Tanegashima Space Center in southern Japan on Dec. 13.
  • Daily Press Briefing State Department 17 Dec 2002 -- Missile Defense
  • Transcript: Missile Defense Deployment Announcement Briefing 17 Dec 2002 -- Traditional approaches to deterrence in fact may not be adequate against these new kinds of threats, and we need a balance, a balance between offensive capabilities and defensive capabilities. And this new threat environment also requires -- or also, I think, extents to ballistic missiles and the threats from ballistic missiles that we see not only to the United State but also to our friends, to our allies and to our deployed forces abroad. So in some ways, this broader context, I think it's important to understand -- the decision today ought to be put in that context, that there are in fact a number of threats we're trying to deal with here, and missile defense is a potential and partial solution to one of those.
  • Pentagon Outlines Missile Defense Program AFPS 17 Dec 2002-- Despite a few misfires and a ground-based booster system that's back on the drawing board, the head of the U.S. Missile Defense Agency says he is confident the system "will work."
  • Defense Department Briefing Transcript Washington File 17 Dec 2002-- Rumsfeld: Sure. I'd be happy to comment on both. First, I have not gone back to look at the records of other advanced development testing programs, but if one goes back and looks at things like Polaris and various others, the early days of the NRO, where there were failure after failure after failure, I think that anyone who thinks about it understands that when you're at the leading edge of technology, you expect that there are going to be -- you're going to learn and gain knowledge both by your successes and also by your failures. It's just something that's a reality in research and development and in science and technological programs. So this, as I understand it, the most recent one, J.D., was a separation issue.
  • Rumsfeld Says Missile Defense Deployment Will be "Evolutionary" Washington File 17 Dec 2002-- Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld says the limited U.S. missile defense deployment announced by President Bush on December 17 will be "evolutionary" and its capabilities will improve over time.
  • MISSILE DEFENSE OPERATIONS ANNOUNCEMENT 17 Dec 2002 -- In light of the new security environment and progress made to date in missile defense development efforts, the President has directed the Department of Defense to begin fielding initial missile defense capabilities in 2004-2005 to meet the near-term ballistic missile threat to our homeland, our deployed forces, and our friends and allies. This initial capability will build on the planned Pacific Missile Defense Testbed and serve as a starting point for fielding improved, layered missile defense capabilities later.
  • Government receives Missile Defence request from US United Kingdom Ministry of Defence 17 Dec 2002 -- Geoff Hoon: "As set out in the discussion paper published on 9 December, the Government believes that the developing ballistic missile threat is one we must take seriously. We assess that at present there is no immediate significant threat to the territory of the UK from ballistic missiles. However, intentions can change quickly, and the proliferation and development of weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missiles is continuing. We could not wait until a specific threat became clear before determining how to defend against it."
  • President Announces Progress in Missile Defense Capabilities - Statement by President George W. Bush 17 Dec 2002 -- "Today, I am pleased to announce that we will take another important step in countering these threats by beginning to field missile defense capabilities to protect the United States, as well as our friends and allies. These initial capabilities emerge from our research and development program and build on the test bed that we have been constructing. While modest, these capabilities will add to America's security and serve as a starting point for improved and expanded capabilities later, as further progress is made in researching and developing missile defense technologies and in light of changes in the threat"
  • BUSH / MISSILE DEFENSE VOA 17 Dec 2002-- President Bush has ordered deployment of a limited missile defense system.
  • Boeing Delta II Launch of NASA's ICESat/CHIPSat Postponed Boeing 17 Dec 2002 -- The Dec. 19 launch of NASA's ICESat and CHIPSat satellites aboard a Boeing [NYSE: BA] Delta II 7320-10 rocket from Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., has been postponed due to a launch vehicle hardware issue discovered during a pre-launch test.
  • Delta IV Prepares for First EELV Mission Boeing 17 Dec 2002 -- The Boeing Delta IV rocket booster that will launch the first Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle mission for the U.S. Air Force was erected on the launch pad today.
  • Lockheed Martin has 20th Straight A2100 Success with the Launch of NSS-6 Satellite Lockheed Martin 17 Dec 2002 -- The NSS-6 telecommunications satellite, designed and built by Lockheed Martin Commercial Space Systems (LMCSS) for New Skies Satellites N.V., was successfully launched today from Kourou, French Guiana.
  • Boeing Delta II to Launch Dual Missions for NASA Boeing 16 Dec 2002 -- A Boeing [NYSE: BA] Delta II rocket is in the final preparation phase at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., for its Dec. 19 launch of two scientific satellites for NASA, ICESat and CHIPSat.
  • Satellites help rescue man at sea AF Space News Service 16 Dec 2002-- A medical emergency at sea turned into a dramatic humanitarian mission for the 920th Rescue Group; providing the unit its first chance to use a new satellite-based tracking and communications system during a rescue.
  • LOCKHEED MARTIN'S ATLAS V SOLID ROCKET MOTOR COMPLETES SUCCESSFUL THIRD TEST FIRING AT AEROJET Lockheed Martin 12 Dec 2002 -- Lockheed Martin's Atlas V 500 series launch vehicle is one step closer to first launch next year with the third test firing of the solid rocket motor (SRM) built by Aerojet of Sacramento, Calif.
  • AEROJET SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETES FINAL QUALIFICATION TEST FIRING OF ATLAS V SOLID ROCKET MOTOR Lockheed Martin 11 Dec 2002 -- Aerojet today successfully completed the final qualification test firing of the full-scale, 67-foot Atlas V solid rocket motor for 95 seconds at thrust levels ranging from 285,000 to 390,000 lbf.
  • MISSILE DEFENSE TEST CONDUCTED December 11, 2002 -- The Missile Defense Agency (MDA) announced today it was not able to complete a test involving the planned intercept of a long-range ballistic missile target over the central Pacific Ocean when the exoatmospheric kill vehicle (EKV) interceptor and the booster rocket failed to separate, preventing the EKV from engaging the target warhead in space
  • Boeing Receives Order for Multiple NASA Missions Aboard Delta II Boeing 10 Dec 2002 -- The Boeing Company [NYSE:BA] will continue to boost NASA scientific missions into space through at least 2009 under a launch service order awarded to Boeing Launch Services (BLS), Inc., for as many as 19 Delta II launch vehicles to support NASA and NASA-sponsored missions.
  • LOCKHEED MARTIN INTEGRATES SPACE UNITS BASED IN DENVER, SUNNYVALE Lockheed Martin 09 Dec 2002 -- Lockheed Martin announced today a significant step in a three-year effort to fully integrate the programmatic and functional capabilities of its Space Systems Company's operations based in Sunnyvale, Calif., and Denver, Colo., and, in turn, enhance their competitive posture.
  • Integrated Flight Test 10 Scheduled 09 Dec 2002 -- The Missile Defense Agency (MDA) will conduct a developmental flight test to include the planned intercept of a long-range ballistic missile target in support of the Ground-Based Midcourse Defense (GMD) system developmental test program on Dec. 11, 2002. The planned flight test launch window is scheduled for 3:01 a.m. to 7:01 a.m. EST. This will be the first GMD intercept test that will involve the launch of the interceptor missile at night. The preceding four flight tests were successes, which has allowed MDA to assume greater risk by accelerating flight test objectives by as much as two years while flying against a more difficult target complex
  • SHUTTLE LANDING VOA 07 Dec 2002 -- The U-S space shuttle Endeavour has finally returned to Earth, after an unprecedented three-day landing delay. It has brought back U-S and Russian space station crew members, who had spent six months in orbit
  • Sea Launch Stands Behind the Reliability of the Block DM Boeing 06 Dec 2002 -- In response to several inquiries and considerable press speculation, Jim Maser, president of the Sea Launch Company, LLC, today reiterated the company's confidence in using the Block DM-SL upper stage as part of the successful Sea Launch system.
  • ATK Successfully Tests New Solid Rocket Motor for Orbital’s Ground-Based Missile Defense System Booster ATK 05 Dec 2002 -- ATK (Alliant Techsystems, NYSE: ATK) has successfully tested a new Orion solid rocket motor that will serve as the first stage of the interceptor booster Orbital Sciences Corporation (NYSE: ORB) is developing for the U.S. Ground-based Missile Defense System (GMDS).
  • Rosetta – Masterpiece of Technology with a Cosmic Message EADS 05 Dec 2002 --Approximately four weeks before launch of the European comet probe Rosetta, the final preparations are underway at the launch site Kourou, French-Guyana.
  • ILS SUCCESSFULLY LAUNCHES NASA SATELLITE; FINAL VEHICLE IN FLAWLESS ATLAS IIA SERIES Lockheed Martin 05 Dec 2002 -- An Atlas IIA rocket placed a NASA satellite into orbit tonight, continuing a winning streak of 63 successful Atlas launches for builder Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) and International Launch Services (ILS).
  • ORBITAL'S MISSILE DEFENSE BOOSTER SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETES PRE-LAUNCH OPERATIONAL MILESTONE Orbital Sciences Corp. 05 Dec 2002 -- Orbital Sciences Corporation (NYSE: ORB) announced today the successful test firing of the rocket motor that will serve as the first stage of the interceptor booster the company is developing for the U.S. Ground-based Missile Defense (GMD) system under a contract from The Boeing Company.
  • Boeing-Built NASA Tracking and Data Relay Satellite Successfully Launched Boeing 04 Dec 2002 -- TDRS-J, the third Boeing-built replenishment spacecraft for NASA's Tracking and Data Relay Satellite fleet, was successfully launched tonight from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla.
  • LOCKHEED MARTIN-BUILT NIMIQ 2 SATELLITE SHIPPED TO BAIKONUR FOR LATE DECEMBER LAUNCH Lockheed Martin 02 Dec 2002 -- The Nimiq 2 telecommunications satellite, designed and built by Lockheed Martin Commercial Space Systems (LMCSS) for Telesat Canada was shipped last week from production facilities in Sunnyvale, Calif. to Baikonur, Kazakhstan, where it will be readied for a late December launch aboard a Proton M/Breeze M booster provided by International Launch Services.
  • LOCKHEED MARTIN'S EAST AND WEST COAST LAUNCH SITES ARE FULL Lockheed Martin 02 Dec 2002 -- Five Lockheed Martin-built launch vehicles - three Atlases and two Titans - are in launch facilities on the East and West coasts and are making progress toward planned launch dates over the next five months. All five vehicles are different configurations including the Atlas IIA, Atlas III, Atlas V, Titan IV B and Titan II.
  • ORBITAL SUCCESSFULLY LAUNCHES TARGET VEHICLE FOR MDA Orbital Sciences Corp. 02 Dec 2002 -- Orbital Sciences Corporation (NYSE: ORB) announced today that it successfully launched the suborbital rocket that served as the target vehicle for the recent test of the U.S. Missile Defense Agency's (MDA) Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense (Aegis BMD) Program. The launch of Orbital's Target Test Vehicle (TTV) originated from the island of Kauai, Hawaii on November 21.



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