spacetoday.net: News briefs: October 27-28

Posted: Sun, Oct 28, 2001, 7:55 PM ET (0055 GMT)

Former astronaut Gene Cernan survived a helicopter accident in the Czech Republic without injury Sunday, the AP reported. Cernan was in a helicopter with Czech cosmonaut Vladimir Remek to visit the birthplace of Cernan's grandfather when the accident took place. Neither Cernan nor Remek were injured, but two other members of the helicopter crew were hospitalized.
News Corporation has withdrawn its bid to purchase Hughes Electronics, the Denver Post and AP reported Sunday. General Motors, owner of Hughes, was weighing bids from News Corporation and EchoStar, but was reportedly unable to decide between the two. Both companies were interested in Hughes primarily for its satellite broadcasting division, DirecTV, the largest direct television broadcaster in the US.
NASA's Johnson Space Center has opened a new office to research technologies for next-generation piloted spacecraft. The office is part of the Space Launch Initiative, a $4.5-billion, five-year effort headquartered at the Marshall Space Flight Center to develop the technologies needed for a next-generation reusable launch vehicle.