Forest threat tool released

A Web tool that tracks threats to the nation's forests has been released by the USDA Forest Service. Called ForWarn, it's a satellite-based monitoring and assessment tool that can detect threats from fire, disease or other causes before the threat increases in severity or extent. It provides information on weekly changes in forest canopy conditions as they are impacted by insects, diseases, wildfires or extreme weather events. NASA's Stennis Space Center, Miss., worked with the Forest Service to develop the system. The prototype has successfully operated since January 2010 and uses NASA Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer satellite to track changes in vegetation. ForWarn uses a web-based map tool, the Forest Change Assessment Viewer, to provide an 8-day coast-to-coast snapshot of the landscape. The coverage area is immense. According to the U.S. Forest Service, there are some 747 million acres of forest in the United States. (Source: Tcp, 03/22/12) Website and release. Background story

SBIRS beats expectations

The first Space Based Infrared System geosynchronous earth orbit satellite is exceeding performance requirements in a series of tests. SBIRS GEO 1 was launched by an Atlas V in May 2011 from Florida. Within two months it began sharing initial data with mission partners to determine performance. Sensors are detecting targets 25 percent dimmer than requirements, and payload pointing is nine times more precise than required. SBIRS provides early missile warning capability and improves other critical mission areas. "We've been extremely pleased with the performance of this first-of-its-kind spacecraft," said Col. James Planeaux, director of the Infrared Space Systems Directorate. (Sources: Spaceflight, 03/19/12, Space War, 03/21/12) Gulf Coast note: SBIRS is an A2100 satellite-based spacecraft. Work on the A2100 core's propulsion system, which positions the spacecraft in orbit, is done at Stennis Space Center, Miss. Previous

US Airways to add flight

FORT WALTON BEACH, Fla. -- The start of daily direct flights between Northwest Florida Regional Airport and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport is still a few days away. But it's popular enough US Airways plans to add a second flight. The late afternoon flights start next week on a 50-seat regional jet. Starting July 11 the airline will add a second, morning flight. Northwest Florida Regional Airport is at Eglin Air Force Base. (Source: Northwest Florida Daily News, 03/20/12)

CSG test shows fix needed

STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. -- Testing of a vital component for the A-3 test stand did exactly what it was intended to do: it showed a problem in the chemical steam generator (CSG) that needs to be fixed. In testing at the E-2 facility, the two-inch angle-globe valves supplied with the unit were unable to stand up to operating conditions. Pieces of the seat material were "liberated" from the seat and valve stem, possibly allowing propellants to leak into the combustion chambers after minimal operational cycles, according to NASA. The procurement office is issuing a request for proposal from small businesses for 27 liquid oxygen (LOX) valves, 27 isopropyl alcohol (IPA) valves and related items. The new A-3 test stand will use nine three-module CSG units to generate superheated steam needed to create a vacuum that allows operators to test next-generation rocket engines at simulated high altitudes up to 100,000 feet. (Source: Tcp, 03/21/12) NASA solicitation; Previous related post

Robot to robot refueling tested

WASHINGTON -- The Naval Research Laboratory successfully demonstrated the robotic fluids transfer from a stationary platform to an unmanned surface vehicle in wave heights greater than three feet. The Rapid Autonomous Fuel Transfer project was able to track the motion of a Sea Fox naval vessel, emplace a magnetic refueling fitting to an on-board receptacle and complete fluids transfer. The testing was done at the Army Aberdeen Test Center wave simulator facility. Further robotic transfer tests may include land-based autonomous vehicles and unmanned aerial vehicle. (Source: NRL via Business Wire, 03/20/12) Gulf Coast note: This region is heavily involved in unmanned systems, including aerial and maritime, and is a major shipbuilding region; the NRL has an operation at Stennis Space Center, Miss.

Blue Angels back home

PENSACOLA, Fla. -- The Navy's Blue Angels flight demonstration team is back in Pensacola after 12 weeks of training in El Centro, Calif. The team's practice sessions are open to the public. Regular practice takes place most Tuesdays and Wednesday through November. (Source: Pensacola News Journal, 03/19/12)

NASA: E-4 a "great opportunity"

STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. -- A NASA official says an under-utilized test stand at Stennis Space Center is a "great opportunity" for a company interested in a partnership with NASA. The federal agency since November has been gauging industry interest in the E-4 Test Facility, which consists of a high-bay work area, control room space, personnel offices and concrete test cells. It also has road and barge canal access and utilities. The E-4 Test Facility can also be expanded to meet future requirements. "This is a great opportunity for a commercial company to explore partnership possibilities with NASA," said Stennis Engineering and Test Directorate Associate Director John Stealey. Projects conducted at the E-4 Test Facility also will have the ability to access Stennis onsite amenities and support capabilities, including cafeteria, medical clinic, laboratory, component, information technology, institutional and other services. (Source: NASA/SSC, 03/19/12) Previous

Contract: L-3, $21.2M

L-3 Communications Vertex Aerospace LLC, Madison, Miss., is being awarded a $21,209,470 modification to a previously awarded an indefinite-delivery requirements contract for logistics services support of 119 TH-57B/TH-57C aircraft. Services to be provided include repair and/or overhaul of aircraft, engines, avionics, and related components. Work will be performed at Naval Air Station Whiting Field, Milton, Fla., and is expected to be completed in September 2012. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 03/15/12)

Bases off limits for exercise

PENSACOLA, Fla. -- About 90 percent of workers at Naval Air Station Pensacola will stay home next week as the base enacts tight security measures as part of a nationwide naval preparedness exercise. The base's commanding officer said access to most base facilities will be unavailable from noon Thursday until noon Saturday of next week due to Exercise Solid Curtain/Citadel Shield. Naval Air Station Whiting Field in Milton will also be participating. (Source: Pensacola News Journal, 03/15/12)

NRL opens robotic lab

WASHINGTON -- The Naval Research Laboratory held a ribbon cutting for its Laboratory for Autonomous Systems Research, which will focus on autonomous systems research for the Navy and Marine Corps. The lab will bring together scientists and engineers from diverse backgrounds. The one-of-a-kind lab has specialized facilities to support research in intelligent autonomy, sensor systems, power and energy systems, human-system interaction, networking and communications and platforms. It has multiple bays providing environments from desert to littoral and more. (Source: Business Wire, 03/16/12) Gulf Coast note: The NRL has a lab at Stennis Space Center, Miss.; unmanned systems are built in Moss Point, Miss.; there are multiple UAV-related activities in the region; a lab in Pensacola, Fla., does research on artificial intelligence and human-machine interaction.

It's official: Rocketdyne for sale

Pratt and Whitney Rocketdyne is officially up for sale by its parent company, United Technologies. On Thursday, Rocketdyne's parent company, Hartford, Conn.-based United Technologies, announced it was selling the company to help finance its $16.5-billion purchase of aerospace supplier Goodrich Corp. Rocketdyne was first formed by North American Aviation. North American later merged with Rockwell International, which became part of Boeing. In 2005, Boeing sold Rocketdyne to United Technologies Corp. (Source: Los Angeles Times, 03/15/12) Previous: Shareholders OK merger; UT eyeing sale. Gulf Coast note: Pratt and Whitney Rocketdyne assembles and tests engines at Stennis Space Center; Goodrich has an operation in Foley, Ala.

Material for booster tested

Booster test at MSFC. NASA/MSFC photo

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. -- A sub-scale solid rocket motor designed to mimic NASA's Space Launch System booster design successfully was tested Wednesday at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center. The 20-second firing tested new insulation materials on the 24-inch-diameter, 109-inch-long motor. The motor is a scaled down, low-cost replica of the solid rocket motors that will boost SLS off the launch pad. ATK of Brigham City, Utah, is the prime contractor for the booster. (Source: NASA, 03/14/12, Huntsville Times, 03/15/12) Gulf Coast note: Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans builds the Orion crew capsule for the SLS and Stennis Space Center, Miss., will test the RS-25 and J-2X engines for the SLS.

Contract: Raytheon, $7M

Raytheon Co., Tucson, Ariz., is being awarded a $6,973,286 firm-fixed-price and cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for 18 range safety systems with jammer compatibility for Low Rate Initial Production 3, Reliability Assessment Program and initial operational flight tests. The location of the performance is Tucson. Work is expected to be completed Feb. 15, 2014. AAC/EBJM, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 03/15/12)

Military council re-established

The Mississippi Military Communities Council has been re-established by Gov. Phil Bryant. The commission will advise Bryant and staff on legislative issues that could impact Mississippi's bases as well as "promote Mississippi's military missions at the national level" and develop growth opportunities. The Pentagon is tightening its belt and two new Base Realignment and Closure rounds are expected. (Source: Sun Herald, 03/14/12) South Mississippi has military aviation activities at Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi, Gulfport International Airport and Camp Shelby near Hattiesburg. South Mississippi is also home to a Naval Construction Battalion Center in Gulfport and has a large Navy presence at NASA's Stennis Space Center.

Direct Air suspends flights

GULFPORT, Miss. -- Direct Air, which said last month that it will provide three non-stop flights a week beginning June 15 between Gulfport and Lakeland, Fla., suspended operations for two months. The Myrtle Beach, S.C.-based air carrier is working through contract issues with a fuel provider, officials said. (Source: Sun Herald, 03/13/12) The sudden suspension caused some problems in other airports already served by the carrier. (Source: Myrtle Beach online, 03/14/12) Previous

F-35 takes to air again

EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- An F-35 jet had a successful second flight Tuesday, a week after a flight was aborted because of a fuel leak. U.S. Marine Corps Maj. Joseph Bachmann flew the 93-minute local orientation flight in aircraft AF-13, a conventional takeoff and landing variant. The F-35 Integrated Training Center at Eglin is scheduled to train about 100 F-35 pilots and 2,200 maintainers annually. (Sources: Star-Telegram, BayNet, 03/13/12) Previous

Abort engine hot-fired

CANOGA PARK, Calif. -- Pratt and Whitney Rocketdyne completed mission-duration hot-fire tests on a launch abort engine on Friday, March 9. The engine is in support of Boeing's CST-100 spacecraft being developed for NASA's Commercial Crew Development Round 2. Boeing's Crew Space Transportation system is a reusable, capsule-shaped spacecraft designed to take up to seven people or a combination of people and cargo to low Earth orbit, including the International Space Station. The abort propulsion system is designed to push the crew capsule to safety if an abort becomes necessary during launch or ascent. (Source: PRNewswire, 03/13/12) The CST-100 is compatible with the Atlas V, Delta IV and Falcon 9 launch vehicles. Gulf Coast note: NASA's Stennis Space Center, Miss., tests RS-68 engines for United Launch Alliance's Delta IV, and also has a Pratt and Whitney Rocketdyne operation.

Jacobs awarded contract option

Jacobs Engineering Group Inc. announced Tuesday that it's been awarded its first option year by NASA for its Manufacturing Support and Facility Operations Contract at the Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans. The option year has a potential value of $137 million. MAF, capable of manufacturing large aerospace structures at a single location, has played a key role in the design, assembly and manufacture of the Space Shuttle external tank and continues to support the development and manufacture of hardware for future spaceflight programs. (Source: PRNewswire, 03/13/12)

Building named for Hurlburt pilot

FORT RUCKER, Ala. -- The Air Force's 23rd Flying Training Squadron named its new consolidated operations center after a Hurlburt Field, Fla., airman. The building was named after Maj. Randell Voas, a CV-22 Osprey pilot who died April 9, 2010, near Kandahar, Afghanistan, in a crash during a combat operation. Voas, stationed at Hurlburt at the time of the crash, had been a pilot instructor for the 23rd at Fort Rucker, which trains helicopter pilots for special operations, combat search and rescue and more. All Air Force helicopter pilots start rotary wing training with the 23rd. (Source: Northwest Florida Daily News, 03/12/12)

Shareholders OK merger

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Goodrich Corp. announced that shareholders today approved the proposed merger with United Technologies Corp. More than 98 percent of votes were cast in favor of the transaction, or some 75 percent of the outstanding shares of Goodrich common stock as of February 6, 2012. Upon completion of the merger, Goodrich will become a wholly owned subsidiary of United Technologies. (Source: Goodrich via PRNewswire, 03/13/12) Gulf Coast note: UT owns Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne, which has an operation at Stennis Space Center, Miss.; Goodrich operates the Alabama Service Center in Foley, Ala.