Boeing [NYSE: BA] announced it has received the first on-orbit signals from the third Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) built by Boeing in El Segundo for NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The satellite, GOES-P, is healthy and ready to begin thruster firings to move to its on-orbit test location.

In a bid to buy time, Boeing recently announced it is slowing C-17 production at its Long Beach final assembly plant. With the Obama Administration trying to end production of the Boeing C-17 Globemaster III advanced airlifter, the company wants to keep the line operating as long as possible with the dwindling number of firm orders already in the books. Boeing employs about 5,000 locals to build the planes and the recent decision could cause layoffs.

The Obama Administration, the Challengers, recently unveiled their proposed defense budget for the next fiscal year, which begins on October 1, 2010. Just like last year, once again they want to end production of the Boeing C-17 Globemaster III advanced airlifters, and once again, most elected officials that are speaking up, the Defenders, give the idea a strong right jab. Hanging in the balance are the jobs of about 5,000 Boeing Long Beach employees who assemble the big four engine cargo planes.

With last week’s senate passage of the 2010 defense budget, there are only two short rounds left in this match up between the Obama Administration C-17 challengers, and the Defenders of the large military airlifter. The next round, expected soon, will be the conference committee to reconcile the Senate and House versions. Then, the final round, President Obama’s signature.

It wasn't in the New York Times, or the Los Angeles Times, or on any other mainstream news source. It wasn't covered by any of the other local media outlets which typically cover Long Beach's C-17, and it was not even on the White House web site, but, nevertheless, last week there was a major blow and a near complete victory, in the C-17 budget boxing match up. At this point, the Obama administration Challengers are tottering back and forth and just about to fall to their knees in complete defeat. The cause of this impending defeat is not a crushing blow from the C-17 Defenders, but rather, a basic surrender--throwing in the towel.

This round goes to the C-17 Defenders, in a clear and decisive victory. The end of this C-17 budget boxing matchup is fast approaching. It has been widely reported that the Senate appropriations committee passed a budget bill with funding for 10 more of the big planes, but that might not be the most important blow in this match.

Southern California based Boeing subsidiary Spectrolab Inc., announced yesterday that a solar cell it manufactured has set a new world record for terrestrial concentrator solar cell efficiency--what on earth does that mean?. The cell can convert 41.6 percent of concentrated sunlight into electricity. The local team takes the record away from the Fraunhofer Institute in Germany, whose previous world record cell was able to convert 41.1%. The world record was validated by the U.S. Department of Energy National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden, Colo., which independently tested the efficiency of the Spectrolab cell.

The congress goes on vacation, Washington focus's on national healthcare, Sonia Sotomayor is confirmed as the nation's newest Supreme Court justice, the U.S. Air Force stands up a new strategic command--and, nobody's talking about the budget or the 5,000 Long Beach jobs hanging in the balance. Undaunted, Boeing makes ready for another C-17 delivery tomorrow.

This round clearly goes to the Obama Administration challengers with the U.S. Senate voting to end both the C-17 and the F-22 programs. Is the match up over? Not hardly.

The fiscal 2010 defense budget bill continues to work its way through the legislative process—with 10 additional C-17s included. Also included, however, is the veto bait second engine for the joint strike fighter, the F-35. When the senate passed their bill earlier this month, they avoided including the big three veto threat programs that the Obama Administration does not want. But, when the House passed the conference committee report, the second engine was included.

Last Thursday, the government’s new fiscal year began—with no defense budget. The C-17 Challengers, this time led by Republican Senator John Mccain, came out swinging, but the Defenders of the heavy airlift military planes, through up a good block, and the Challengers lost yet another round in this continuing budget match up. It has been reported that Mccain will try again to kill the C-17 this Tuesday.

With the end of the government's fiscal year only 8 days away, Boeing turns up the lobbying heat and the climax of the C-17 fiscal 2010 budget boxing match is approaching. As another C-17 is delivered to the European alliance, Boeing uses Facebook, YouTube, an on-line petition, and a dedicated web site, to rally its cause. A vote could come this week.

After all the excitement of two weeks ago, things have been pretty quiet in the C-17 budget boxing matchup. With the congress still on vacation, and everybody talking about healthcare, there was not much focus on the big planes and their budget. Still, there are a few interesting items to note, and then we will present a useful overview on how these planes are actually used--written by two of the USAF pilots who fly them.

The U.S. Congress is still on vacation, but--let the next round begin anyway!

Grab your seat, the C-17 budget boxing match between the Challengers and the Defenders is--shall we say--back in full swing? For those new to these pages, the Challengers are the Obama Administration, represented by the President himself, Secretary of Defense , Robert M. Gates, a few brave congressional representatives, and a host of others. The Defenders, include numerous elected officials--from U.S. Senators, to more humble folks, The Boeing Company, union leaders, and almost everybody else. Also, there are your Editors who are simply trying to make some sense of it all. The Challengers want to end production of everybody's favorite big plane--the C-17 Globemaster III heavy airlifter. The Defenders want to keep building the last large military airlifter still produced in the U.S. About 5,000 workers (and presumably, voters) assemble the big planes at Boeing's plant in Long Beach.

As the House of Representatives passes a 2010 defense budget, the porkers' howls grow louder and louder. For this installment of our Monday mornings C-17 series, we have an extra special treat for our readers--C-17 comedy!. If you are new to these pages, before reading this installment, readers might want to skip to the bottom and read a few of the related articles. This will give a good introduction to the C-17 match up and will increase the laughter of the following portions of this article.

Where do President Obama and Secretary of Defense , Robert M. Gates, really stand on the C-17? The answer is far from clear. While the administration has drawn a line on the F-22 fifth generation air superiority fighter, they are essentially silent on the C-17 heavy airlifter.