Shuttle to land Sunday

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - The space shuttle Endeavour crew is expected to complete its mission to the International Space Station with a landing at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 1:19 p.m. EST Nov. 30. This will conclude a 16-day flight, 11 of which were spent docked to the station. (Source: NASA, 11/28/08) NASA's Stennis Space Center in Mississippi tests shuttle engines and Michoud Assembly Facility builds external tanks.

Contract: Raytheon, $13.9M

Raytheon Technical Services Co., Mass., is being awarded a $13,907,542 modification to continue transitioning the Wide-body Airborne Sensor Platform from initial operating capability to full. Work will be performed at the contractor’s facility and its subcontractor, Aeroframe Services LLC, in Lake Charles, La. The Missile Defense Agency, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 11/28/08)

USM may lease plane

HATTIESBURG, Miss. - The University of Southern Mississippi is considering leasing a Beechcraft King Air 200 for five years from the USM Foundation for some $1.9 million. No paperwork has been signed and details are still under consideration. The University of Mississippi and Mississippi State University both have airplanes. (Source: Hattiesburg American, 11/28/08)

Second runway pondered

PANAMA CITY, Fla. - The Panama City-Bay County Airport Authority set a Dec. 19 deadline to vote on a second runway at the international airport under construction. The hope is to add a 5,000-foot crosswind runway that will handle smaller aircraft and make traffic less congested on the 10,000-foot concrete runway now being built. (Source: Northwest Florida Daily News, 11/27/08)

Pratt & Whitney buys ARDE

Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne completed the acquisition of ARDE, Inc., a manufacturer of high performance spacecraft and missile propulsion components. ARDE of Carlstadt, N.J., produces pressure vessels, propellant tanks and support structures and provides integration of propulsion subassemblies. (Source: PRNewswire, 11/25/08) Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne has an operation at Stennis Space Center, Miss.

Contract: Raytheon, $6M

The Air Force is modifying a firm fixed price contract with Raytheon Co., Missile Systems Tucson, Ariz. for $6 million. This contract will upgrade two guided weapons test Set to AIM-120D capability, spares, and additional GPS. 695ARSS, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 11/25/08)

Contract: McDonnell, $96M

The Air Force is awarding a firm fixed price, cost plus fixed fee contract to McDonnell Douglas Corp., St. Louis, Mo., for $96 million to provide Small Diameter Bomb Aircraft Weapon Systems on various aircraft. 681 ARSS/PK, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 11/25/08)

Teledyne cuts workforce

MOBILE, Ala. - Teledyne Continental Motors cut 60 jobs due to the decline of the airplane engines and parts market. Twenty-five salaried employees and 35 hourly employees were laid off Thursday and Friday. The company has about 440 employees now at its Brookley Field Industrial Complex plant. (Source: Mobile Press-Register, 11/22/08)

AF delays Eglin F-35 decision

EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. - The Air Force postponed the record of decision for the initiation of the Joint Strike Fighter training school at Eglin Air Force Base. The delay will give the Air Force time to run tests on the new F-35 and explore alternative locations on the base for its bed down (Source: Northwest Florida Daily News, 11/21/08). The city of Valparaiso has been concerned over the noise of the F-35 and is suing the Air Force for additional information.

7th SFG move to Eglin begins

WASHINGTON - Air Force officials signed a record of decision that begins the process for the Army's 7th Special Forces Group to bed down at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. The group will be located west of Duke Field. The cantonment area includes operations and maintenance facilities, housing, dining facilities, and munitions storage and loading facilities. Some 5.1 million square feet of buildings and hard surfaces will be built between 2009 and 2011. (Source: Air Force News Service, 11/21/08)

Young to advise new tanker approach

WASHINGTON - Pentagon acquisition chief John Young said he and Defense Secretary Robert Gates will advise the next administration to take a two-step approach to the $35 billion tanker competition between Boeing and Northrop Grumman/EADS. Reuters reports it would hinge on the best-priced offer after bidders had shown an ability to meet stripped-down set of requirements. (Source: Reuters, 11/21/08). RADS wants to assemble the planes in Mobile, Ala., and Boeing wants to do so in Washington State.

Contract: American Security, $29.7M

American Security Programs, Inc., Dulles, Va., was awarded $29.7 million to exercise an option under a previously awarded security services contract. Work includes guard and non-guard services at NSA Orlando, Fla.; CBC Gulfport, Miss.; NAS Meridian, Miss.; NWS Charleston, S.C.; NSA Athens, Ga.; NAS Atlanta, Ga.; NSA Panama City, Fla.; NAS Whiting Field, Fla.; and NAS Kingsville, Texas. Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Southeast, Jacksonville, Fla., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 11/20/08)

INFINITY science center launches

STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. - The INFINITY Science Center broke ground Thursday on the Interstate 10 facility that's expected to draw 400,000 people a year. The center will highlight the work being done at the neighboring NASA Stennis Space Center. It will include exhibits, interactive galleries, theaters, a gift shop and cafeteria. The board is continuing a fundraising to get the final $4 million needed for the project. Opening is expected in the fall of 2010. (Source: Sun Herald, 11/21/08)

Contract: Virtual Media, $8.3M

Virtual Media Integration, Ltd., Pensacola, Fla., is being awarded an $8.3 million contract for the procurement of 5 pre-production Computed Radiography System units and up to 100 production units. The system is a portable nondestructive testing technique used for processing radiographic film. These systems will be used to inspect for defects and perform alignment measurements. Work will be performed in Pensacola. The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Lakehurst, N.J. is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 11/20/08)

Goldman named Stennis director

STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. - NASA named Arthur E. (Gene) Goldman as the new director of John C. Stennis Space Center. The promotion of Mississippi native Goldman, the center's deputy director since October 2006, is effective immediately. He replaces Bob Cabana, who left in October to become the director of Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Stennis is NASA's primary testing ground for propulsion systems. (Source: NASA, 11/20/08)

Crosslink partners with USM

HATTIESBURG, Miss. - The University of Southern Mississippi signed a lease with Missouri-based Crosslink to provide research space in the university's polymer science building. Crosslink has worked with Southern Miss polymer science researchers since 2004. Previous collaborations include a some with military applications. Crosslink and USM hold a joint patent for a corrosion-inhibiting polymer, and they are working on a "smart" aerospace composite that can alert crew of damage and initiate repair on its own. (Source: University of Southern Mississippi, 11/20/08)

J-2X hot-fire test set for 2010

STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. - The first hot-fire test of the J-2X engine that will power the Ares I is scheduled for late summer 2010 at John C. Stennis Space Center. The Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne engine recently passed a Critical Design Review in Huntsville, Ala. The CDR means the engine can proceed to full-scale fabrication and assembly in preparation for development testing. (Source: PRNewswire, 11/19/08)

EADS CASA tax breaks OKd

MOBILE, Ala. - EADS CASA North America, which plans to add 18 jobs at Mobile Regional Airport in a $6 million project, won abatements Wednesday estimated at about $390,000. The project would include a 27,000-square-foot hangar on the east side of the airport. (Source: Mobile Press-Register, 11/20/08)

EADS delivers sixth HC-144A

The U.S. Coast Guard has accepted the sixth HC-144A Ocean Sentry aircraft platform from EADS. It's among eight HC-144As ordered as part of the Coast Guard's Deepwater program. The Coast Guard plans to purchase up to 36. The HC-144A is based on EADS CASA's CN-235 transport, part of a family of twin-engine airlifters that includes the C-295 and C-212. U.S. customer support for these aircraft is provided at EADS North America's facility at Mobile Regional Airport in Alabama. (Source: EADS North America, 11/19/08)

EADS CASA eyes expansion

MOBILE, Ala. - EADS CASA, a Spanish subsidiary of the European Aeronautic Defence and Space Co., is eyeing its facility at the Mobile Regional Airport for a $5.6 million expansion. The company is scheduled to present its plan to the Mobile Industrial Development Board Wednesday. (Source: Mobile Press-Register, 11/19/08)