INDUSTRY NEWS SpaceX and NASA Successfully Launch Crew-1 to ISS  — Space transportation service company SpaceX and NASA have successfully launched the first operational crew mission (Crew-1) to the International Space Station (ISS).  The SpaceX-designed Crew Dragon capsule with four astronauts aboard lifted-off atop the Falcon 9 rocket from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida.  This launch marks NASA’s first full-fledged mission of sending a crew into orbit through privately owned spacecraft. European Union to Impose Tariffs on U.S. Goods Over Boeing Dispute — European Commission Executive Vice President Valdis Dombrovkis said that the European Union will push ahead with plans to impose tariffs worth up to $4 billion (€3.37 billion) on an array of U.S. imports.  The tariffs come in retaliation to the U.S. awarding illegal state aid to the airplane manufacturer Boeing.  “The U.S. has imposed tariffs following the WTO ruling in the Airbus case.  Now, we have a WTO ruling also in our Boeing case, allowing us to impose our tariffs and that’s what we are doing,” the European Union official said. NASA Awards Contract for Engineering, Technical Support Services — NASA has selected ASRC Federal Systems Solutions of Beltsville, Maryland, to perform engineering and technical support services for Research Facilities and Engineering Support Services (RF&ESS) for the Mission Support Directorate at the agency’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California.  The contract will begin January 5, 2021, following a 60-day phase-in period, and run through January 4, 2026, if all options are exercised.  The total value, inclusive of options, is $86.4 million.  The Armstrong RF&ESS contract provides all services and materials required to support mission operations for the Dryden Aeronautical Test Range, including engineering, simulation support, and center-wide information technology services and support.  The contract encompasses development, engineering, operations, maintenance, documentation, training, customer outreach, change management, configuration control, troubleshooting, and related functions within the Mission Support Directorate at Armstrong. Back to 2020-11-18 issue of C.E. Weekly Back to Members Base Camp Back to CJHunter Home Page