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John Glenn Becomes Rocket Man Again This Week The world will watch as US astronaut John Glenn returns to space this Thursday. The 77-year old Glenn became the first American to orbit the earth during the 1960's and since has gone on to serve as a senator in the US Congress. You can check out Glenn's progress at NASA's site or at another site set up to detail the astronaut's heroics. Star Alliance Expands The Star Alliance will soon add All Nippon Airways, Japan's second largest airline, to its list of members. ANA plans to join the airline network in 1999 as the ninth member of the alliance. The Star Alliance includes Air Canada, Lufthansa, Scandinavian Airlines System, Thai Airways International, United Airlines, VARIG, Air New Zealand and Ansett Australia. Reno Air, Canadian Announce Codeshare Reno Air and Canadian Airlines will begin codesharing effective November 22. The agreement applies to Canadian's flights between San Jose and Vancouver, BC, and between San Diego and Vancouver, BC. Boeing Wins Saudi Support Contract Boeing Information was awarded a $146.4 million contract to provide maintenance for the Saudi Air Force E-3As, KE-3As, and RE-3As. The Wichita, Kansas-based Boeing subsidiary will provide support through May 2001 under the terms of the contract. Bombardier's New Continental Bombardier signed two customers for its new Continental midsize business jet the day after it was debuted at last week's NBAA Convention. Jet Connection of Frankfurt and a private operator from the United Arab Emirates both ordered one each. Both are existing Bombardier customers. Deep Space 1 Off On Journey A Boeing Delta II launched a futuristic probe toward deep space last weekend complete with a bevy of advanced technologies. Among other firsts, Deep Space 1 will be the first spacecraft to use an ion thruster to provide solar electric propulsion for its primary source of thrust. The spacecraft is the first mission in NASA's New Millennium Program, to test and validate new technologies to be used on spacecraft in the next century. The spacecraft will attempt an encounter with asteroid 1992 KD in July of next year as a final demonstration of its technologies.