Nine contractors have begun work to place a small satellite or other payload weighing about 1,000 pounds into a low Earth orbit. The project is part of the Force Application and Launch from the Continental United States, or FALCON, program. Task 1, Phase 1on the small launch vehicle includes developing conceptual designs, performance predictions, cost objectives and development and demonstration plans. Three more contractors have also begun work on the phase's Task 2, hypersonic weapon systems. This includes the common aero vehicle, the enhanced common aero vehicle and the hypersonic cruise vehicle. The CAV will be an unpowered, maneuverable, hypersonic...