spacetoday.net: News briefs: January 11

Posted: Sat, Jan 12, 2002, 10:50 AM ET (1550 GMT)

Rosaviakosmos officials plan to discuss with new NASA administrator Sean O'Keefe the possibility of adding more Russian modules to the ISS, RIA Novosti reported Friday. The report said Rosaviakosmos would offer to provide "an additional Russian unit" to the station as well as a second Soyuz, which could allow six people to stay at the station at one time. What the additional Russian "unit" would be was not mentioned, but could be the Energia-SPACEHAB Enterprise module or the Boeing-Khrunichev FGB-2 module.
XCOR Aerospace conducted the seventh test flight of its EZ-Rocket rocket-powered aircraft Thursday. The flight, piloted by Dick Rutan, was covered by CNN. XCOR is using EZ-Rocket to test the rocket engines it has developed, setting the stage for later development of a manned suborbital vehicle.
Satellite manufacturer Astrium may be poised for a major managerial shakeup, Space News reported Friday afternoon. The chairman of the European firm and the director of its Earth observation and science business are expected to resign in a move prompted by shareholder dissatisfaction with the company's financial performance, according to the report. Astrium, one of the five major commercial satellite manufacturers worldwide, is 75-percent owned by the European Aeronautic, Defense, and Space Company (EADS).