Cover-1010X.qxd:AA Template 9/16/10 10:59 AM Page 1 9 AEROSPACE AMERICA October 2010 OCTOBER 2010 X-51 scramsintothefuture Conversations with Werner J.A. Dahm Critical times for India’s space program APUBLICATIONOFTHEAMERICANINSTITUTEOFAERONAUTICSANDASTRONAUTICS “My uncle is a bush pilot in Alaska. When I was in 7th grade, he was flying a float plane and let me take off. I have loved flying and engineering ever since.” 2nd Lt., Sheppard AFB; Aeronautical Engineering, U.S. Air Force Academy Share the Inspiration In fascinating new videos, AIAA members recallrec the moment when aerospacerospace capturedcaptur their imagination. Share your story too, anda spread the passionon for aerospace.aerospa www.aiaa.org/MyStory 09-0124finalv4.indd 1 1/22/09 2:54:54 PM toc.OCT2010.qxd:AA Template 9/16/10 10:48 AM Page 1 October 2010 DEPARTMENTS EDITORIAL 3 A good first step. Page 4 INTERNATIONAL BEAT 4 Europe charts path to sixth-generation fighter. WASHINGTON WATCH 8 Outlasting the opposition. CONVERSATIONS 10 With Werner J.A. Dahm. AIRCRAFT UPDATE 14 Page 8 Jetliners: Bright spot in the world economy. THE VIEW FROM HERE 18 Ad astra: The future of NASA’s astronaut corps. SPACE UPDATE 22 Space launches spike upward. OUT OF THE PAST 44 CAREER OPPORTUNITIES 46 Page 22 FEATURES Page18 X-51 SCRAMS INTO THE FUTURE 26 The first flight test of the X-51A marks a milestone on the long road to achieving practical hypersonic flight. by Mark Lewis CRITICAL TIMES FOR INDIA’S SPACE PROGRAM 34 Despite a recent launch failure, India is forging ahead with plans to develop its own heavy-lift launch technology and manned spaceflight capability. by Philip Butterworth-Hayes CONTROLLING LAUNCH VEHICLE LIFE-CYCLE COSTS 40 New suborbital vehicles could bring a wealth of data from the edge of space, but tight budgets threaten NASA research in this vital region. by John W.Robinson BULLETIN AIAA Meeting Schedule B2 AIAA Courses and Training Program B4 AIAA News B5 Page 34 Meeting Program B15 Calls for Papers B21 Page 40 COVER On May 26 an X-51AWaveRider,lofted by a converted B-52,took off on a historic flight,reaching speeds greater than Mach 5.To learn about this remarkable test flight,and the scramjet engine,turn to the story on page 26. Aerospace America (ISSN 0740-722X) is published monthly, except August, by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Inc. at 1801 Alexander Bell Drive, Reston, Va. 20191-4344 [703/264-7500]. Subscription rate is 50% of dues for AIAA members (and is not deductible therefrom). Nonmember subscription price: U.S. and Canada, $163, foreign, $200. Single copies $20 each. Postmaster: Send address changes and subscription orders to address above, attention AIAA Customer Service, 703/264-7500. Periodical postage paid at Herndon, VA, and at additional mailing offices. Copyright © 2010 by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Inc., all rights reserved. The name Aerospace America is registered by the AIAA in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. 40,000 copies of this issue printed. This is Volume 48, No. 9. Engineers as Educators Workshop Co-located with the 49th AIAA Aerospace Sciences Meeting Thursday, 6 January 1930–2200 hrs Orlando, Florida When he pulls that rip cord, what is on his mind? Calculations about acceleration, speed, load capacity, and gravity? Probably not. To you, the aerospace professional, these calculations are elementary. But to the elementary student, parachuting is ‘AWESOME’ but the formulas behind it are complicated. How can you bridge that gap? Make that leap. Pull that educator rip cord within you and share with students your knowledge as an aerospace professional. AIAA will teach you to inspire students about the marvels of aerospace engineering. Share your passion in a manner students can relate to. Register now for the Engineers as Educators Workshop and you’ll walk away armed with the tools to help you plan and execute powerful experiences and excite the next generation of engineers. LEARN HOW TO: ☛ Connect your work to classroom objectives ☛ Plan memorable experiences ☛ Use simple and clear vocabulary ☛ Engage students with hands-on experiences • setting up a test fl ight line for gliders • straw rockets • parachutes • hot air balloons 10-0455 For more information contact Lisa Bacon at [email protected]. october edit.qxd:AA Template 9/14/10 1:06 PM Page 1 ® is a publication of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Elaine J. Camhi Editor-in-Chief Patricia Jefferson Associate Editor A good first step Greg Wilson Production Editor Jerry Grey, Editor-at-Large Christine Williams, Editor AIAA Bulletin On August 30, President Obama announced his plans for taking on the task of bringing some order to the unwieldy, irksome quagmire known as export con- Correspondents trols. While the executive order he issued will begin the process of enabling Robert F. Dorr, Washington Philip Butterworth-Hayes, Europe some international trade to get back on track, much of the reform will require Michael Westlake, Hong Kong congressional action. The president initiated the review of export control issues, and their im- Contributing Writers pact on foreign trade, about a year ago. His August address outlining the ad- Richard Aboulafia, James W. Canan, Marco Cáceres, Craig Covault, Philip ministration’s first steps toward reform should at least smooth out some of the Finnegan, Ed Flinn, Tom Jones, David bumps and curves U.S. corporations have encountered on the road to the Rockwell, Frank Sietzen, J.R. Wilson global marketplace, and perhaps even shorten the travel time. The first step—combining the U.S. Munitions List, under the purview of Fitzgerald Art & Design Art Direction and Design the State Department, and the Commerce Department’s Commercial Control List, which covers many dual use items—should eliminate some delays, as deci- Craig Byl, Manufacturing and Distribution sions as to where items fell were haggled over, sometimes for years. Instead, Mark Lewis, President there will be one tiered list, and “a single set of licensing policies that will apply Robert S. Dickman, Publisher to each tier of control” according to the announcement. The highest walls STEERING COMMITTEE would be built around those most sensitive items in the top tier, which would Michael B. Bragg, University of Illinois; receive the greatest scrutiny before the possible issuance of a license. A single Philip Hattis, Draper Laboratory; Mark S. set of licensing policies “will apply to each tier of control, bringing clarity and Maurice, AFOSR; Laura McGill, Raytheon; consistency across our system.” Merri Sanchez, National Aeronautics and The president also announced an executive order establishing a single Space Administration; Mary Snitch, Lock- Export Enforcement Coordination Center “to coordinate and strengthen our heed Martin; David W. Thompson, Orbital enforcement efforts—and eliminate gaps and duplication—across all relevant EDITORIAL BOARD departments and agencies.” Ned Allen, Lockheed Martin Aeronautics; Licenses will be managed by a single information technology system, Jean-Michel Contant, EADS; Eugene rather than the maze of different systems and documents currently in place. Covert, Massachusetts Institute of Technol- The address concludes with the promise of additional efforts, including ogy; L.S. “Skip” Fletcher, Texas A&M Uni- “working to create a single licensing agency”—the brass ring in the export versity; Michael Francis, United Technologies; merry-go-round. Christian Mari, Teuchos; Cam Martin, All of this represents progress in redressing some of the unintended eco- NASA Dryden; Don Richardson, Donrich Research; Douglas Yazell, Honeywell nomic harm that has resulted from efforts, beginning in the 1990s, to keep potentially damaging technology from falling into the hands of adversaries. ADVERTISING What emerged, however, was a maze of rules and regulations, compounded by National Display and Classified: agency turf wars, that made the export of almost anything with a technology Robert Silverstein, 240.498.9674 application a long, wearisome procedure. This prompted companies in other [email protected] nations to develop themselves items they once would have imported. “ITAR- West Coast Display: Greg Cruse, Free” became a marketing slogan in Europe and parts of Asia. 949.361.1870 / [email protected] Some of those markets may be lost forever; some may be recompeted if Send materials to Craig Byl, AIAA, 1801 this export control reform effort gains momentum. But a great deal of work Alexander Bell Drive, Suite 500, Reston, VA remains to be done, and a good bit of it resides in the Congress. Decisions as 20191-4344. Changes of address should be to what items will remain on the munitions list, or the top tier, and which may sent to Customer Service at the same address, be removed must be reviewed by House and Senate committees. If those com- by e-mail at [email protected], or by fax at mittees continue to consider these changes by broad category, this new push 703.264.7606. may be for naught. Send Letters to the Editor to Elaine Camhi at the same address or [email protected] So, much work remains. But these initial efforts, eagerly awaited by indus- try, coupled with the recently created President’s Export Council, led by Boeing October 2010, Vol. 48, No.9 CEO Jim McNerney and Xerox CEO Ursula Burns, are a pretty good first step. Elaine Camhi Editor-in-Chief BEATlayout1010.qxd:AA Template 9/14/10 12:25 PM Page 2 Europechartspathto sixth-generationfighter AT THE FARNBOROUGH INTERNATIONAL