PYROTECHNIC CABLE ERROR CAUSED PROTON LOSS SAYS COMMISSION
LAUNCH FAILURE The Russian State Commission investigating September's unsuccessful Khrunichev Space Centre Proton rocket launch concluded that a damaged interstage truss pyrotechnic firing cable prevented explosive bolt activation for the vehicle's first and second stages separation. The Proton was launching JSAT's Lockheed Martin-built telecommunications JCSAT-11 satellite under the US-Russian joint venture for commercial launches, International Launch Services.
AIRBUS CLINCHES 60-PLUS ORDER FROM GRUPO MARSANS
COMMITMENT Grupo Marsans has signed a memorandum of understanding with Airbus for the purchase of 61 aircraft including 10 A350-900s, four A380s, five A330-200s and 42 A320 family aircraft, making the Spanish tourism group the first A380 customer in Spain and South America. The aircraft will be operated by Grupo Marsans' subsidiary airlines Aerolineas Argentinas and Air Comet among others in the group. This new order combines with the previous order for 12 A330-200s and will bring Grupo Marsans' total commitment with Airbus to 73 aircraft.
UK REPLACES AIR PASSENGER DUTY
DUTY The UK government plans to scrap its air passenger duty and replace it with a new per aircraft charge from November 2009. UK finance minister Alistair Darling announced the plan during his pre-budget report and said his department would now work closely with industry and stakeholders to consult on the detail of the tax. "The new per aircraft aviation duty will send an improved signal of environmental costs and ensure aviation makes a greater contribution to covering its environmental costs," says the UK Treasury.
TENIX UP FOR SALE
SELL-OFF Australia's Tenix group, the country's largest privately owned independent defence contractor, is to be offered for sale, with financial adviser UBS expected to issue information on the divestment process by the end of the month. The sale is expected to be contested by several international defence prime contractors, including BAE Systems, Lockheed Martin, Raytheon and Thales. Bids are also expected from within the Australian heavy engineering and infrastructure sectors.
HUNTER-KILLER REAPER SOARS OVER AFGHANISTAN
UNMANNED SYSTEMS The US Air Force has confirmed that it has deployed its first General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper into Afghanistan. The type, which made its first flight in that country on 25 September and had conducted 12 missions by 11 October, has been deployed in full hunter-killer configuration. Its roles to date have been limited to intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance.
Yes satellite broadcaster gets thumbs down
DISRUPTION Millions of Israeli television viewers have endured a frustrating month of "frozen" satellite-feed pictures with no end in site despite frantic efforts by the Yes satellite broadcast company to resolve the problem. Yes uses the Amos 1 and Amos 2 communications satellites owned by SpaceCom, which has declared both to be functioning normally. The interference began shortly after the 6 September Israeli air raid on Syria, which, according to US and UK press reports, was made possible by Israeli use of an electronic warfare system that "blinded" Syria's Russian-supplied air defence radar. Some reports linked the satellite TV interference to the Israeli military activity and the intelligence ships of different nations sailing in the Mediterranean. Both theories have been discounted.
Source: Flight International