Aerospace and military: A new space communications satellite, demonstrations of the MX missile, and infrared mapping are highlighted

Aerospace and military projects made impressive and often spectacular gains in 1983, but they also had a number of snags. Flights of the U.S. Space Shuttle were delayed because of cracked fuel manifolds and faulty rocket insulation, among other things. The malfunctioning of a U.S. Air Force rocket hampered deployment of a new space-communications system. And a chief component of a military infrared avionics system is being side. stepped while the rest of the system began testing.