Secure ventures

Companies with interests in homeland security are becoming the hottest ticket for support from venture capital. London-based Venture Business Research says that security-related companies have attracted US$4.5 billion in venture capital and private equity investment so far this year, up 34% on the same period in 2006. It adds that the sector is now vying with the clean-energy sector, which has attracted $5.2 billion this year, as the most popular destination for venture capital worldwide.

Energized

The British government has selected defence contractor QinetiQ in Hampshire, UK, to run a body that will coordinate research into energy flow in materials. The Ministry of Defence contract to the UK Energetics Consortium, as the new outfit is called, is expected to be worth £10 million (US$20 million) over three years. The ministry says that it needs the consortium to help it garner knowledge about energetics from universities, companies and government laboratories.

Boeing boost

NASA has awarded a US$515-million contract to Boeing to build part of the rocket that will be the space agency's main astronaut launcher once the space shuttle is withdrawn from service in 2010. Boeing will build the upper stage of the Ares I rocket, which will carry astronauts to the International Space Station and, perhaps, to the Moon. Alliant Techsystems of Edina, Minnesota, has already won a larger contract to build the rocket's lower stage.