NASA Science Mission Directorate officials in Washington are funding three new projects selected from a pool of 25 received in response to the NASA Earth Science Technology Office’s (ESTO’s) solicitation for the In-Space Validation of Earth Science Technologies (InVEST) program element A.49 of ROSES (Research Opportunities in Space and Earth Sciences) 2017, supporting the Earth Science Division (Solicitation NNH17ZDA001N).
Boeing and U.S Air Force teams recently achieved a major KC-46 Pegasus tanker program milestone, completing all flight testing required for first delivery. This past week, the KC-46 team concluded both its Military Type Certification (MTC) testing and receiver certification testing with KC-135, F-16, and C-17 aircraft.
Astronauts on the International Space Station (ISS) have launched RemoveDEBRIS, the first satellite with space debris-removal capabilities and the largest satellite ever deployed from the ISS. RemoveDEBRIS, a low Earth orbit test bed for determining the efficacy of active debris removal (ADR) systems, is a multinational effort involving space agencies, aerospace experts, and technologies from throughout Europe, Asia, Africa, and the U.S.
U.K. Space Agency officials in Swindon, England, are partnering with Lockheed Martin in Bethesda, Md., to execute several strategic projects to support the U.K. Spaceflight Program, with a goal of building its first commercial spaceport in Scotland and achieving its first vertical space launch in the early 2020s.
Blue Origin’s New Shepard flew for the ninth time this week, completing a test of the crew capsule escape motor. This launch achieved the highest elevation that Blue Orbit has achieved during an incremental build-up of system capabilities.
Aircraft orders exceed $95 billion in value and are complemented by roughly $3 billion in aircraft engine and engine service agreement contracts announced in the first two days of the 2018 Farnborough International Airshow. “The future starts at Farnborough; our exhibition halls are full of innovation that will shape how we fly, enabling us to go further, faster, and with less environmental impact,” says Farnborough International Commercial Director Amanda Stainer.
Astronaut launches will return to U.S. soil for the first time since the space shuttle’s retirement in 2011. NASA officials have named the first U.S. astronauts who will fly on American-made, commercial spacecraft to and from the International Space Station (ISS). Space agency officials have assigned nine astronauts to crew the first test flight and mission of Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner crew capsule, developed in collaboration with Bigelow Aerospace in Las Vegas, and SpaceX’s Crew Dragon spacecraft.
The MQ-25 is the U.S. Navy’s first operational carrier-based UAS and is designed to provide a much-needed, low-cost refueling capability to aircraft like the Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornet, Boeing EA-18 Growler, and Lockheed Martin F-35C fighters.
U.S. Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM) at Offutt Air Force Base, Neb., has approved the U.S. Navy’s next-generation narrowband satellite communication (SATCOM) system for expanded operational use, paving the way for Navy and Marine Corps early-adopter commands to use the system on deployment as early as this fall, primarily in the Pacific theater.
Having successfully completed the development-testing phase, Parker Aerospace’s BACS modulates high-pressure bleed air from the engine, which is used to draw cool ambient air from outside the aircraft as it takes off. Once the outside air pressure is too low to draw in and the bleed air temperatures are cooler, the BACS will transition to use only low-pressure bleed air to pressurize the cabin.
To maximize H130 safety, Dart Aerospace Limited (Dart) has acquired supplemental type certificate (STC) approvals from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) for a newly developed emergency float system (EFS) for unexpected water landings.
Leonardo and Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa S.A. intend to collaborate on the new AgustaWestland AH-249A attack helicopter – also referred to as the AW249. PGZ’s involvement comes during the Polish Army’s continued search for 32 new helicopters under Poland’s own attack helicopter procurement program in an effort to replace aging Russian Helicopters Mi-24 military rotorcraft.
NASA officials are announcing the availability of eight disruptive NASA materials and coatings technologies ready for commercialization. NASA officials are looking for companies interested in using the organization’s high-temperature materials and coatings, including those designed to withstand high temperatures, to improve existing products or introduce new ones.