Area Congress leaders
urge Clinton to locate research site in
state
NASA/Ames could get flying
observatory
By Katherine Corcoran
San Jose Mercury News
8/9/96
On page 4B of today's SJMN (at least in the peninsula
edition) is an article
on the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy
(SOFIA). This program
will house a bigger (2.5 meter) version of the Kuiper
Observatory (which
I think was in a modified 707) in a modified 747 at altitudes
of 41,000
to 45,000 feet.
The article describes efforts by Anna Eshoo
and other members of California's
congressional delegation to steer the program
to one of the two local competitors,
both of which plan to headquarter the
observatory at NASA/Ames and Moffett
Federal Airfield.
Two local
competitors (Lockheed-Martin and United Airlines) are trying to
win this program
as are two other competitors (Raytheon, including its recently
acquired
subsidiary E-Systems, and a team composed of Northrop Grumman and
Hughes
Aircraft).
The article raises the issue of NASA's research planes being
consolidated
at Dryden, but does not resolve the contradiction between the plans
of the
competitors and NASA's potential consolidation at Dryden.
``It will help secure the future of NASA/Ames at Moffett
Field,''
Eshoo's aide said. ``There are a lot of questions about whether
research
aircraft will continue to be at Moffett Field . . . and whether
NASA/Ames can
survive as just an information and technology center.'
But
William Berry, Ames' director of space research, said the center's scientific
programs are safe, with or without SOFIA...
The article states that the
congressional delegation wrote a letter estimating
the project would bring $800
million to the local economy over the next
20 years.
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