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The Los Angeles Regional Technology Alliance Corporation is currently seeking bids for the preparation of its monthly journal, the TechnoManifesto. San Bernardion -based Kelly Space & Technology, Inc. is in buiness to make commercial access to space affordable and routine via its resuable Eclipse launch system. " The patented KST Eclipse tow-launch technique represents a major step forward in teh advancement of relable low-cosst access to space," said tis inventor Micheal Kelly, who is also president and chief executive officer of KST. " it's the most efficient means of luanch that has yet been devised." The KST Eclipse tow-launch technique will enable teelcommunications companies to deliver their satelltiesinto space econimcally, which will enhance the public's ability to communicate by cell phone worldwide and access and even bigger Internet. Ultimately, KST's approach could lead to the general public being able to travel in space. Under the Eclipse lauch concept, KST will use a boeing 747 to tow the Eclipse launch vehicle form a convetional runway to the launch altitude the Eclipse rocket engine is ignited, the tow line is released, and the Eclipse climbs to the designated payload separtaion altitue of about 400,000 feet. Following ejection from the eclipse vehicle, the upper stages are ignited to deliver the payload to the specified destination. The Eclipse vehicle then descends as a glider and lands using either remote piloting capability or its automatic landing system. Kelly and former TRW colleague Michael Gallo, KST executive vice-president and chief operation officer, founded the company four years ago to commercially privide the lowest coast, most relable, fastes response access to space without dependence upon government subsidy.Last fall KST was awarded and $89 million contract with Motorola Inc. to launch 20 communication satellites into orgbit for the Iridium satellite-based, gobal personal communications system, which Motorola is developing at its Satellite Communication (SATCOM) facility in Chandler, Ariz. KST's Eclipse flights will be launched on an as-needed basis to replenish the Iridium constellation, with the earliest KST launch ste for 1999. The KST Eclipse family of reusable launch vehicles uses almost enitrely flight-proven, off-the-shelf hardware requiring no technological breakthroughs or advancements in the state-of-the-art. This approach minmizes developement expense and risk. The technology is conservative, safe and time-tested. The Eclise tow-lauch approach, coupled with vehicle reusability, offers significant advantages, including: launch prices at 40 to 60- percent of the competition;operational flexibility to enable launch form virtually any coastal region around the world; and streamlined horizntal payload and launch vehicle integration capability, which reduces launch processign time from months to days, and eventually to hours. Because the Eclipse vehicles are tow-launched and horizontally-integrated, the massive ground infrastructure-typical of the current pad-launched systems-also is avoided, signifcantly reducing development and operations costs. Since last fall, KST has been conducting groudn and flight test of the Eclipse tow-launch apprache using U.S. Air force-supplied QF-106 and C-141A aircraft at Edwards Air Force Base, in cooperation with NASA's Drydent Flight Research Center and the USAF Flight Test Center. The USAF Air Combat Command is providing two QF-106 aircraft under a Phase II small Buness Innovation Research contract, which was awared to KST in July 1996, to support demonstration flight testing of the Eclipse launch concept. In summer 1995, KST was awared a Phase I SBIR contract with the U.S. Air Force/Phillips Laboratory, located at Kirtland AFB, New Mexico, to determine the feasbility of using a surplus QF-106 aircraft as a scaled verson of the Eclispe Astroliner. Last summer, KST applied for and recieved a $110,000 matching grant from teh state, which was facilitated through the Los Angeles Regional Technology Alliance. The state grant is funding activities required to facilitate suborbital launches of payloads from the existing weapons bay of a QF-106 aircraft. This would include incorporation of an instrumented payload and rokcet motor into the baby of one of the KST's QF-106 aircraft. A captive carry flight test will be flown early next year. For more information on KST, call (909) 382-2010. The KST Web site is : http://www.kellyspace.com
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