ABSTRACT
In the United Kingdom (UK) aerospace community, the term Foresight has come to be identified with Foresight Action and its aim to show a return on national investment. Space is becoming central to Boeing. The Marrakesh Agreement of April, 15, 1994, changed the future, especially for Europe, since it made no exception for space services and products, from a commercial framework, apart from civilian aircraft with over 100 seats, defence and non-industrial research. The laser is becoming a multi-functional tool for aerospace, covering a range of roles from micromachining and imaging to information transfer and power. Boeing's Defense and Space Group is contracted for $1.1bn to build a prototype laser on the B747 and a $5bn is estimated for seven such vehicles by 2008. The virtual design facility will be necessary to attract end users as partners. It will however also require new computing hardware such as quantum based systems.
