Topic: Aerospace and Defense Sector

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Beyond SpaceX: Five companies seeking to change space travel

During the past 10 years, Presidents George W. Bush and Obama have directed NASA to turn the job of transporting cargo and crew to the space station over to the private sector. As that process gathers pace, here is a list of the key players.
Everyday heroes: Seven tales of American heroes

Victor Perez stopped the abduction of an 8-year-old girl. Two teenage boys rescued a couple from a burning car wreck in Florida. New Yorker Kashmir Singh goes the extra mile to help a Swiss couple. Here are seven stories of everyday American heroes who responded to trying circumstances with extraordinary grace or courage.
Leap Year: this day in the history of Feb. 29

We don’t mean to state the obvious, but Feb. 29 happens once every four years (usually) – and leap year is here again. That means a whole day's worth of news will tomorrow be added to this date's comparatively small archive.
Top 10 richest US presidents

Mitt Romney earned nearly $22 million in 2010. If elected, he would be in the Top 3 most wealthiest presidents. You may be surprised by who ranks among the Top 10 wealthiest US presidents.
Just how isolated is North Korea? 6 facts to consider

North Korea's outlook has earned it the title of the 'hermit kingdom.' The country is both cut off from the wider world and intensely focused on its neighbors.

All Content

Robert Reich
Memorial Day: the defense America needs

The best way to honor Memorial Day is to fund a rational defense budget. That means eliminating arms contracts that enrich contractors without advancing America's defense 
Nuclear sub fire doused, leaves seven with minor injuries (+video)

A fire aboard the USS Miami, docked in a Maine shipyard, was put out Thursday morning. The nuclear reactor was shutdown, and no weapons were on board.
Fire burning aboard nuclear sub USS Miami

Local news outlets are reporting that several firefighters have been injured.
SpaceX launch: private industry inspires new generation of rocketeers (+video)

SpaceX launch a reminder that NASA isn't the only game in town anymore. Aspiring engineers, rocket designers, space geeks look to 'New Space' companies to boldly go where only governments used to go.
Beyond SpaceX: Five companies seeking to change space travel

During the past 10 years, Presidents George W. Bush and Obama have directed NASA to turn the job of transporting cargo and crew to the space station over to the private sector. As that process gathers pace, here is a list of the key players.
Paralyzed woman masters mind-controlled robotic arm

Cathy Hutchinson is one of two patients undergoing a trial of the BrainGate neural interface, a system designed to transmit paralyzed patients' thoughts into commands.
Russian, French, Italian jobs hang on Sukhoi Superjet crash probe

No survivors have been found at the crash site of the Russian Sukhoi Superjet in Indonesia. A key question: Was it pilot error or equipment malfunction?
Exclusive: Cyberattacks on US natural-gas pipeline companies, evidence points to China

Those analyzing the cyberspies who are trying to infiltrate natural-gas pipeline companies have found similarities with an attack on a cybersecurity firm a year ago. At least one US government official has blamed China for that earlier attack.
Searchers find wreckage of lost Russian plane in Indonesia (+video)

The Russian-made Sukhoi Superjet-100, on a demonstration flight, had 47 people on board; early indications are that there are no survivors. The Sukhoi Superjet crashed into the side of a volcano in Indonesia.
Titanic II: Replica to make same voyage, but be made in China (+video)

Australian billionaire Clive Palmer announced today that he signed an agreement with a Chinese company to build a Titanic replica in a shipyard there.
DARPA hypersonic glider skin peeled off, says Pentagon

Darpa Hypersonic Glider: The Pentagon has explained why it aborted the DARPA hypersonic glider last year. Apparently, the unmanned craft's skin started to peel off as it reached speeds of Mach 20.
Everyday heroes: Seven tales of American heroes

Victor Perez stopped the abduction of an 8-year-old girl. Two teenage boys rescued a couple from a burning car wreck in Florida. New Yorker Kashmir Singh goes the extra mile to help a Swiss couple. Here are seven stories of everyday American heroes who responded to trying circumstances with extraordinary grace or courage.
Durable goods rise less than expected

Durable goods were expected to rise sharply after January's big decline. But February's 2.2 percent rise in durable goods disappoints.
Massive, rocket-powered, robotic craft begins delivery mission to space station

The 13-ton cargo freighter is loaded with about 7.2 tons of supplies, including food, water, clothing, experiments and fuel for the space station, according to NASA.
Global News Blog
Belfast: reluctant birthplace of the Titanic

The city tried to ignore the Titanic until recently because of guilt over its loss, but is now celebrating the shipbuilding genius of Belfast workers at the new Belfast Titanic museum.
Pentagon seeks cheap, disposable satellites to observe battlefields

The Pentagon's Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency lab plans to launch a fleet of disposable satellites to provide images for troops fighting on the ground.
From DARPA to Google, the search for sources of innovation

Regina Dugan, the head of the Pentagon's research arm, is going to Google. What her move means in the global race for innovation.
Cheetah robot sets new speed record (+video)

However, a robot in the form of a cheetah and funded by the US military doesn't run as fast as the real thing.
Terrorism & Security
UN inspectors get rare access to suspected Iran nuclear site

Tehran confirmed today that UN inspectors can visit Parchin, a military complex where a chamber for explosives tests has raised concerns about Iran nuclear weapons development.
Navy railgun fires 40-lb. bullets at Mach 7 (+video)

Navy railgun: A Navy prototype of an electromagnetic railgun marks a major step in the process of installing the weapons on Navy vessels.
Leap Year: this day in the history of Feb. 29

We don’t mean to state the obvious, but Feb. 29 happens once every four years (usually) – and leap year is here again. That means a whole day's worth of news will tomorrow be added to this date's comparatively small archive.
Top 10 richest US presidents

Mitt Romney earned nearly $22 million in 2010. If elected, he would be in the Top 3 most wealthiest presidents. You may be surprised by who ranks among the Top 10 wealthiest US presidents.
Russia says nuclear submarine fire is finally extinguished

Russian officials say the nuclear submarine fire, which began yesterday, did not cause any radiation leaks.
Just how isolated is North Korea? 6 facts to consider

North Korea's outlook has earned it the title of the 'hermit kingdom.' The country is both cut off from the wider world and intensely focused on its neighbors.
Backchannels
Iraq war: Predictions made, and results

A look back at some of the predicted US outcomes for the Iraq war, and what happened.