1st Detect Awarded U.S. Patent for Novel Mass Spectrometer Design

1^st Detect Corporation, a subsidiary of Astrotech Corporation (ASTC), announced today that the United States Patent Office ("USPTO") has allowed the issuance of a key patent for the company's unique ion trap used for chemical analysis and detection. "We are extremely pleased that the USPTO has allowed this patent. This patent is an important component of our intellectual property portfolio as it allows 1^st Detect to enhance the performance of miniaturized mass spectrometers without an increase in size or cost," said Thomas B Pickens III, Chairman and CEO of 1^st Detect. "The patent clearly validates our technology, while both demonstrating and protecting the progress we have made in the development of the 1^st Detect mass spectrometer."

airBaltic Signs Firm Order for up to 20 CSeries Airliners

• Latvian airline transitions to an all-Bombardier fleet with the addition of CS300 jetliners to its existing fleet of Q400 NextGen aircraft
• A video is available at http://youtu.be/KNh-L8ZKAEM

Bombardier Aerospace announced today that airBaltic has signed a firm purchase agreement to acquire 10 all-new Bombardier CS300 airliners. The Riga, Latvia-based airline also has purchase rights on a further 10 CS300 aircraft. The purchase agreement represents the conversion to firm orders of a Letter of Intent (LOI), announced at the Farnborough Air Show on July 10, 2012. The LOI also included the purchase rights on the 10 additional CS300 aircraft.

AeroVironment, Inc. Announces Fiscal 2013 Second Quarter Results

AeroVironment, Inc. (AVAV) today reported financial results for its second quarter ending October 27, 2012.

"Strong second quarter performance, including a 30 percent increase in year-over-year diluted earnings per share to $0.39, resulted from continued demand for our market-leading solutions, favorable product mix and our focus on cost management. Revenue of $80 million included a majority, but not all of the international small UAS orders that had been working through the export administrative process," said Tim Conver, AeroVironment chairman and chief executive officer. "Because of contracting delays on key programs, revenue in our second half will be more heavily weighted to our fourth quarter, historically the highest revenue quarter of our year.

Loral to Sell Space Systems/Loral to MDA in a Transaction That Delivers More Than US$1 Billion of Pre-Tax Value to Loral

Loral Space & Communications Inc. (LORL) today announced its entry into a definitive agreement with MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates Ltd. (MDA.TO) related to the sale of Loral's wholly-owned subsidiary, Space Systems/Loral (SS/L). The transaction provides for Loral to receive consideration from MDA of US$875 million and cash dividends and other payments from SS/L which are expected to be in excess of US$135 million under a formula described below.