Daily Business Report: Aug. 10, 2023
Storied research platform ‘FLIP’ is retired
By Robert Monroe
The Floating Instrument Platform (FLIP) was one of the most innovative oceanographic research tools ever invented. Over the course of its service life spanning more than 50 years, the baseball bat-shaped platform exemplified the ingenuity of scientists and engineers at Scripps Institution of Oceanography.
On Aug. 3, however, FLIP’s distinguished career finished its final chapter when it was towed to a dismantling and recycling facility, six years after its last research voyage and three years after reviewers determined that the costs to renovate it could not be justified.
“R/P FLIP has existed for more than half the length of the institution’s entire history,” said Scripps Oceanography Director Margaret Leinen. “It was an engineering marvel constructed during an important phase of new technology for ocean exploration following World War II. The many discoveries from FLIP help set the stage for ongoing cutting-edge science to understand our ocean.”
Photo: FLIP during a 2016 research cruise. (Photo credit: San Nguyen)
Actor William Shatner to be inducted into
San Diego Air & Space Museum Hall of Fame
Actor William Shatner will be inducted into the San Diego Air & Space Museum’s International Hall of Fame this fall for stoking the public’s interest in the cosmos by portraying Capt. James T. Kirk in the original “Star Trek” TV series and in many of the movies that followed.
The 92 year-old Shatner also was praised by the museum for briefly traveling to the edge of space in October 2021 in Jeff Bezos’ New Shepard spacecraft, making a roughly 11-minute trip that was broadcast worldwide.
“To see the blue color whip by you, and now you’re staring into blackness … everybody in the world needs to do this,” Shatner said moments after the spacecraft landed in west Texas.
Northrop Grumman completes first Next Generation
Interceptor solid rocket motor booster cases
Northrop Grumman Corporation successfully manufactured the first set of solid rocket motor cases for the Missile Defense Agency’s (MDA) Next-Generation Interceptor (NGI) program. The NGI pathfinder motors demonstrate case designs, manufacturing processes as well as allows the teams to test and conduct integration operations.
The completed cases will be filled with inert propellent and shipped to Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, where they will be integrated into an interceptor, continuing pathfinder activities and further proving out processes. Once integration is complete, the interceptor will be used for additional testing and process verification.
Viasat receives over $80 million in awards for
multi-function antennas across warfighting domains
Carlsbad-based Viasat Inc., a global communications company, it has received awards totaling over $80 million to develop Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) systems for ground, maritime, and space applications.
AESA, a type of phased array antenna that offers greater flexibility and resilience to support military platforms, is often employed when multiple beams, low probability of intercept (LPI) and jamming resistance are required.
Viasat is leveraging commercial AESA phased array antenna technology and products to meet these demanding defense requirements. The developments will allow Viasat’s existing phased array technology to be extended and adapted to support defense operational environments and mission needs, enabling scalable, and highly flexible capabilities to be achieved at previously unattainable recurring cost.
Kratos and Hypersonix partner to bring
DART AE Hypersonic System to U.S. Market
Hypersonix Launch Systems Ltd. and Kratos Defense & Security Solutions Inc. announced an agreement to provide the Hypersonix DART AE Hypersonic System within the U.S. market, integrated with Kratos’ Zeus family of solid rocket motors. Hypersonix is an Australian aerospace engineering, design and manufacturing company, specializing in hypersonic technology and scramjet engines.The DART AE is a three-meter-long, single-use, high temperature alloy, hydrogen-fueled, scramjet technology driven, autonomous, multi-mission, air-breathing hypersonic platform used to develop, demonstrate, test and evaluate hypersonic technologies and for “other” potential hypersonic applications.
With Kratos’ Zeus and “other” rocket propulsion systems, Kratos and Hypersonix aim to frequently and reliably deliver an affordable, high cadence, high availability, overall hypersonic capable system and vehicle, to the hypersonic customer community, the companies said.
New grant seeks to show how human breast
cancer tumors helps cancer cells resist treatment
The National Cancer Institute (NCI) has awarded a 5-year, $2.7 million grant to researchers at Sanford Burnham Prebys to investigate and elucidate the underlying cellular mechanisms that drive the most common form of breast cancer.
Specifically, how malignant cells with different kinds of mutations and genetics in estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) breast cancer are able to communicate with each other in the same tumor. Such diversity, or heterogeneity boosts their ability to resist treatment.
“One of the main reasons for therapeutic resistance in the clinic is that we use homogeneous experimental models to develop therapies, while in real world settings, there is a lot of heterogeneity within a cancer,” says principal investigator Svasti Haricharan,
assistant professor and co-director of the Cancer Genome and Epigenetics Program.
Neurobiology Professor Gentry Patrick named to endowed chair
Gentry Patrick, a professor of neurobiology and director of the Center for Empathy and Social Justice in Human Health at the University of California San Diego, has been named as the inaugural holder of the Kavli and Dr. William and Marisa Rastetter Chancellor’s Endowed Chair in Neurobiology.
The chair was established by biotechnology leader and philanthropist William Rastetter and his wife Marisa, to support an outstanding tenured faculty member in the UC San Diego School of Biological Sciences’ Department of Neurobiology, who also shows a commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion.
Backpack giveaway at Super Saturday event
SAN DIEGO — The county’s Child Support Services is giving away hundreds of backpacks filled with school supplies (while supplies last) to all families who attend its Super Saturday event. The community event will be held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Aug. 12 at the Department of Child Support Services central office, 3666 Kearny Villa Road. The backpacks and school supplies were made available through generous donations from Child Support staff, local businesses, community organizations, and a substantial donation from San Diego Padres pitcher Michael Wacha and his wife Sarah.
San Diego initiates new instant permit program for residential solar
SAN DIEGO — City of San Diego residents can now apply online and instantly receive permits for residential solar and battery storage projects. The city’s Development Services Department (DSD) has launched a new residential solar instant permitting process – the latest in a series of enhancements meant to help reduce the city’s permitting processing times while supporting the community-wide goal of net zero carbon emissions by 2035.
Westcore acquires industrial park in Glendale, Ariz.
SAN DIEGO — San Diego-based Westcore, an industrial real estate firm, has completed a $92.7 million forward purchase of Hatcher Industrial Park from Ryan Companies US Inc. The two-building industrial campus is in Glendale, Ariz., and further expands the Westcore’s Phoenix metropolitan area portfolio to approximately 3 million square feet.
Delnova announces first in-human demonstration
of reversal of neurotoxin muscle weakness
SAN DIEGO — DelNova Inc. is developing a rescue drug, ReViVox, to resolve side effects that may result from botulinum neurotoxin treatment. Neurotoxins, such as Botox, Dysport, Xeomin, Jeauveau and, most recently, Daxxify, are used for wrinkle reduction in facial aesthetics. Botulinum neurotoxins represent over $5 billion in revenues worldwide, yet there is no treatment to reverse potentially undesirable side effects. DelNova is poised to deliver on this unmet need with a transformative patent-protected drug candidate.
Red Earth Casino installs Quick Custom Intelligence AGI Platform
SAN DIEGO — Red Earth Casino and San Diego-based Quick Custom Intelligence jointly announced that the casino in Thermal, Calif., has begun installing the QCI AGI Platform. The QCI platform is currently being deployed throughout the property and the marketing, player development and casino operations teams will begin training soon.
Mirati Therapeutics announces proposed public offering
SAN DIEGO — Mirati Therapeutics Inc., a commercial stage biotechnology company, announced that it intends to offer and sell $250 million of shares of its common stock, and, to certain investors, pre-funded warrants to purchase shares of common stock, in an underwritten public offering. Mirati expects to grant the underwriters of the offering a 30-day option to purchase up to an additional $37.5 million of shares at the public offering price, less the underwriting discounts and commissions. The offering is subject to market and other conditions.
Mirati Therapeutics announces departure of CEO David Meek
SAN DIEGO — Mirati Therapeutics Inc. announced that David Meek will step down from his role as CEO and as a member of the board of directors. His responsibilities have been assumed by former CEO, President anf Founder Charles M. Baum, M.D., acting as interim CEO while the company conducts a search for a permanent CEO. Meek will remain as a consultant to the company through Oct. 15, 2023.
Bright Business and Wild Horse Labs launch Bright Business Accelerator
OCEANSIDE — Bright Business and Wild Horse Labs Inc. announced their partnership to deliver innovative programs for businesses. By combining Bright Business’ industry-leading provider of programs designed to help entrepreneurs avoid failure, generate traction, and manifest their purpose with Wild Horse Labs’ expertise, connections, and money in accelerating business growth, the two companies are collaborating to bring unprecedented value and support. For more information about the September – October 2023 Bright Business Accelerator, visit https://brsiness.com.
Makers and shakers Vineyard Nights at Rancho Guejito
ESCONDIDO — Join San Diego North Economic Development Corporationinvestor Rancho Guejjito Vineyard for an evening supporting local small businesses. The event starts with 35+ vendors offering various goods and services and concludes with a movie night in the vineyard featuring “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” starting at 8 pm. Fun for the whole family, including pets. Enjoy kidpreneurs, mini-golf, face painting, DIY crafts, workshops, gel tag, giveaways, live music, and more. RSVPs are requested for this free event.
