Retired Lt. Col. Robert L. Riedenauer, who flew development aircraft such as the SR-71 and U-2 while in the Air Force and later, as a Lockheed Martin test pilot, the F-117 stealth fighter, died at age 70 on April 23 at his home in Palmdale, Calif. The Associated Press reports he had fought a long battle with cancer. The City of Lancaster, Calif., inducted Riedenauer into its Aerospace Walk of Fame in 2002.
The Space Development Agency added 21 satellites to its nascent data transport network in an Oct. 15 launch, the second mission in 10-month campaign to field 154 operational spacecraft.