Strategy Page, Feb 23, 2013

choi

(1) SLBM Success Elusive.
http://strategypage.com/htmw/hticbm/articles/20130223.aspx

three consecutive paragraphs:

"test firings of production models of the U.S. Navy Trident II SLBM (Sea Launched Ballistic Missile) have never failed. There have been 143 of these missile launches, which involve an SSBN (ballistic missile carrying nuclear sub) firing one of their Trident IIs, with the nuclear warhead replaced by one of similar weight but containing sensors and communications equipment.

"The test results for the Trident while in development were equally impressive, with 87 percent successful (in 23 development tests) for the Trident I and 98 percent (49 tests) of the Trident II. The Trident I served from 1979-2005, while the Trident II entered service in 1990.

"This success is in sharp contrast to the problems Russia [for Bulava] and China [for JL-2] have had developing SLBMs.

Note: Paragraphs 1 and 2 are about production and development phases, respectively.


(2) SatPhone Salvation.
http://strategypage.com/htmw/htspace/articles/20130223.aspx
("On February 6th a Russian rocket put six Globalstar communications satellites in orbit. This means that the Globalstar satellite phone again has worldwide coverage (except at the poles and in China and part of South Africa). These are second generation satellites Globalstar is putting up, which will provide cheaper and more reliable service. Chief competitor Iridium is getting ready to start launching its second generation satellites next year. Globalstar and Iridium were two new companies that, in the 1990s, sought to bring less costly (but still expensive compared to cell phones) to a larger market. But the larger market was not there, not for calls that cost two dollars a minute (or more)")

Note:
(a) satellite phone
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satellite_phone
(a type of mobile phone that connects to orbiting satellites instead of terrestrial cell sites; provide similar functionality to terrestrial mobile telephones[:] voice, short messaging service and low-bandwidth internet access are supported through most systems)
(b) Globalstar
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Globalstar
(a joint venture of Loral Corporation and Qualcomm; formed in 1994; Public: NASDAQ)