[FPSPACE] Orbital Express test mission could resume after all

[LARRY KLAES]

Orbital Express test mission could resume after all

STEPHEN CLARK

SPACEFLIGHT NOW

Posted: July 10, 2007

Senior military leaders have decided to postpone shutting down the 
Pentagon's Orbital Express mission to give U.S. Air Force officials a chance 
to propose additional demonstrations, the mission's program manager said 
Tuesday.

Air Force Lt. Col. Fred Kennedy said he received orders late last week to 
put a hold on plans to decommission the mission's two satellites.

Orbital Express is managed by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, 
the Pentagon's primary research and development division.

The U.S. Defense Department is reviewing additional tests that could be 
added to the mission, which wrapped up three months of operations in late 
June. Earlier demonstrations included refueling, part replacements, and 
advanced rendezvous and docking techniques.

Kennedy told Spaceflight Now he expects to receive the results of the review 
Thursday. A decision on whether to extend the mission could also come 
Thursday.

The two craft were scheduled to be turned off on Saturday after separating 
to a distance of 1,000 kilometers, or about 600 miles.

Full article here:

http://www.spaceflightnow.com/news/n0707/10orbitalexpress/