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The NASA Chief Historian helps us look at some events from the past, anniversaries coming up, and what the future holds for NASA. Also, the International Trade Commission rules for Bombardier and against Boeing, more information about the pilot in the fatal Icon A5 crash, Putin wants a supersonic civilian airliner, and a look at big aerospace and defense deals in 2017.
Guest
Bill Barry, NASA Chief Historian.
Dr. William P. Barry is the NASA Chief Historian. We talk with Bill about the upcoming 60th anniversary of NASA on October 1, 2018, the 60th anniversary of the first U.S. satellite, and the 50th anniversary of the Apollo missions. Bill gives us some insights into the tragic Apollo 1 accident, known simply as “The Fire.”
Bill also tells us about the Space Launch System, the James Webb Space Telescope, and the emerging role of commercial space companies like Boeing and SpaceX. We touch on the change of the NASA administrator, and even jobs available at NASA through USAjobs.
Bill has been NASA’s Chief Historian since 2010. He began work at NASA in 2001 after retiring from a 22-year career in the US Air Force. Bill worked in NASA’s international relations office for several years, and served as the NASA European Representative at the United States Embassy in Paris before being appointed NASA Chief Historian. A graduate, with honors, of the United States Air Force Academy, Bill also holds a Masters Degree from Stanford University and a Doctorate from Oxford University.
This excellent article by Andy Chaikin appeared in the Dec 2016/Jan 2017 edition of Air&Space Smithsonian. See also Apollo-1 (204) and The Accident, taken from the Report of Apollo 204 Review Board.
Find more at the NASA History Program Office webpage, and follow NASA History on Twitter and Facebook.
Aviation News
100- to 150-Seat Large Civil Aircraft from Canada Do Not Injure U.S. Industry, Says USITC
The United States International Trade Commission is “an independent, quasi-judicial Federal agency with broad investigative responsibilities on matters of trade.” The USITC issued this statement on January 26, 2018:
“The United States International Trade Commission (USITC) today determined that a U.S. industry is not materially injured or threatened with material injury by reason of imports of 100- to 150-seat large civil aircraft from Canada that the U.S. Department of Commerce… has determined are subsidized and sold at less than fair value. As a result of the USITC’s negative determinations, no antidumping or countervailing duty orders will be issued.”
The Commission’s final report will be published by March 2, 2018, can be accessed on the USITC website.
Roy Halladay Autopsy Findings Catch Industry by Surprise
Former baseball star Roy Halladay died following the crash of his Icon A5 in shallow water last November. An autopsy revealed that Halladay did not immediately die of the impact – a contributing cause of death was drowning. He also had “enough mood-altering drugs in his system to confirm he shouldn’t have been driving a car, much less flying an airplane.”
Russia’s Concorde: Putin proposes supersonic civilian aircraft based on its Tu-160 bomber
Vladimir Putin wants to build a civilian version of the Tupolev Tu-160 supersonic nuclear bomber as a supersonic passenger jet for wealthy customers. The United Aircraft Corporation has told Putin that designers already have a supersonic civilian airliner project.
Global aerospace and defense deals insights: Q4 2017
Pricewaterhouse Coopers reports that the global aerospace and defense industry saw $72 billion worth of deals in 2017. This betters the previous record of $67 billion set in 2015, and represents a whopping 79% increase over 2016. Nine deals with announced value greater than $1 billion accounted for 86% of the total value this year. Global Aerospace and Defense Deals Insights Year-End 2017 [PDF].
The largest deals from 2017:
United Technologies’ $30 billion acquisition of Rockwell Collins tops the list, followed by Northrop Grumman’s $9 billion acquisition of Orbital ATK, Safran’s $8 billion acquisition of Zodiac Aerospace, and Thales’ $5 billion acquisition of Gemalto.
Airline Story of the Week
Southwest Airlines rescues 62 stray dogs, cats from Puerto Rico
Sixty-two dogs and cats were rescued from hurricane-battered Puerto Rico, courtesy of Southwest Airlines.
Mentioned
The Aviators Season Seven.
AirSpace Podcast from the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum.
NP Simulations, the UK flight simulator company based in London.
How Three High Schoolers Won EAA’s Founder’s Innovation Prize
See the Remora Systems website to learn more.
EAA’s Founder’s Innovation Prize (presented by Airbus)
Submissions will be accepted through June 1, 2018. Five finalists will be chosen to pitch their ideas in front of a panel of expert judges.
Interjet images by aviation photographer Paul Filmer:
Interjet at IAH in 2015. Photo by Paul Filmer.
Interjet at Toluca. Mexico. Photo by Paul Filmer.
Kiwi airline exec breaks record for world circumnavigation on commercial airlines
Andrew Fisher made a 52-hour, 34-minute journey from Shanghai to Auckland to Buenos Aires to Amsterdam and back to Shanghai. The old record was 55 hours.
Your ADS-B Questions Answered: Get the Facts Here
Did the airlines get an exemption from the 2020 ADS-B requirement, or not…
Rocket Lab’s ‘Humanity Star’ is New Zealand first satellite and the Humanity Star website.
No Passport or Ticket: How a Woman Evaded Airport Security and Flew to London
Credit
Intro music courtesy Brother Love from his Album Of The Year CD. Outtro by Bruno Misonne from The Sound of Flaps.