January 2 News Items

Launch Alliance Faces Shrinking Pains (Source: Florida Today)
Under challenging conditions, United Launch Alliance sent nearly one rocket per month into space during its first two years of existence. Since December 2006, 21 Delta and Atlas rockets flew successfully while the joint venture between Boeing and Lockheed Martin -- previously cutthroat competitors -- worked to merge corporate cultures and consolidate operations ranging from launch processing to payroll and e-mail. "All of those had the real ability to derail that focus on getting launched successfully," said Jerry Jamison, the new company's vice president for launch operations based at the Cape Canaveral Spaceport. "That was no small feat."

The task won't get easier in 2009. Denver-based ULA plans to cut jobs and implement a new union contract while awaiting government review of its consolidation strategy and attempting to speed up some missions -- all with a packed 2009 launch manifest. Nineteen Delta 2, Delta 4 and Atlas 5 missions are planned this year, including 14 from the Cape and five from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, though some will likely slip. Click here to view the article. (1/2)

Only Seven Launches from Florida in 2008, Likely More in 2009 (Source: ERAU)
Despite a beginning-of-the-year expectation of over 20 launches, the Cape Canaveral Spaceport was the site of only seven launches in 2008, including four Space Shuttle missions (six were planned), two Delta-2 missions (one military and one NASA), and one Atlas-5 mission (commercial).

Published manifests and plans for 2009 include up to 22 missions from Florida, including six Space Shuttle missions, five Atlas-5 missions (three military, one NASA and one TBD commercial), four Delta-2 missions (three military and one NASA), and five Delta-4 missions (three military and two NOAA/NASA). Other "TBD" missions which have not yet been confirmed for 2009 include a possible Ares-1 test launch and a Falcon-9/Dragon mission. The manifest at the Cape is subject to frequent changes and rarely ends up meeting its initial targets, mainly due to technical delays with the various rockets and payloads. (1/2)

Spaceport Sales Tax Begins (Source: Las Cruces Sun-News)
New sales taxes to help pay for the construction of a state-owned spaceport took effect Thursday in Doña Ana and Sierra counties. Sales tax rates grew by 1/4 of 1 percent in cities and unincorporated areas of the counties. The change added an extra 25-cent charge to a $100 purchase. Within the city limits of Las Cruces, the sales tax rate increased from 7.125 percent to 7.375 percent, according to a sales tax schedule from the New Mexico Taxation and Revenue Department. In Truth or Consequences, the rate increased from 7.25 percent to 7.5 percent. (1/2)

Virginia Anticipates 2,000 New Sub-Related Jobs (Source: AIA)
Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine expects about 2,000 additional jobs in the Newport News area after Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding landed a piece of the Navy's $14 billion contract for eight nuclear submarines. The largest submarine procurement in U.S. history also is expected to boost the fortunes of an estimated 12,000 suppliers in 48 states. (1/2)

Defense Contracts Bolster Hawaiian Economy (Source: AIA)
An increase in military spending helped boost the state economy in Hawaii for fiscal 2007-08, even as the national economy began to dive. Procurement contracts rose 12.5% to $2.1 billion, while overall defense spending was up 1.6% statewide. (1/1)

Boeing Gets Missile-Defense Contract Extension (Source: AIA)
The U.S. Missile Defense Agency has extended its contract with Boeing for a Ground-based Midcourse Defense system. The $397.9 million contract extension awarded to Boeing's Integrated Defense Systems unit will allow continued development of GMD until June, when a long-term contract may be awarded. (1/2)

Defense Sector Outperforms S&P 500 for Ninth Consecutive Year (Source: SPADE)
Although the worst year the stock market has seen since the 1930s, aerospace and defense companies continued to outperform the broader markets, with the benchmark SPADE Defense Index (ticker: DXS) outperforming the S&P500 for the ninth consecutive year. An 8.21% surge in December saw the sector, which trailed the market most of the year, end on a positive note. Although the index finished 2008 down 38.03%, the worst it has recorded since launching in 1997, December’s gain enabled the Index to finish ahead of the S&P500 by 46 basis points. (1/2)