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Northrop Grumman tests, qualifies Orion launch abort motor for flight in cold conditions

2018-12-14

Northrop Grumman Corp. (NYSE:NOC), NASA, and Lockheed Martin engineers brought the Orion spacecraft one step closer to its first flight atop NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS), and enabling humans to explore the moon, Mars, and other deep space destinations beyond low-Earth orbit (LEO). The team achieved a milestone in the program with a ground firing test of the abort motor for NASA’s Orion spacecraft launch abort system (LAS), designed to enhance spaceflight safety for astronauts, at Northrop Grumman’s facility in Promontory, Utah.

Article

AVIO software developers leverage AdaCore GNAT Pro Assurance for ESA Vega C launch vehicle

2019-01-16

Software engineers engaged in the construction and development of space launchers and solid and liquid propulsion systems for space travel at AVIO – a global aerospace company with five facilities in Italy, France, and French Guyana – are leveraging the GNAT Pro Assurance and GNATemulator from AdaCore, a provider of software development and verification tools, with headquarters in Paris and New York to develop and expedite testing of safety-critical, on-board software for the Vega C launcher.

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Blue Origin aims for crewed New Shepard launch in 2019

2019-01-29

Kent, Washington-based Blue Origin successfully completed the tenth launch of its suborbital launch vehicle New Shepard. The New Shepard is designed to be a crewed, space tourism vehicle, and although the launch was unmanned, statements made during Blue Origin’s launch broadcast suggest that the company has its first crewed launch test flight targeted for the end of this year.

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Orion launch abort system passes full-stress flight test

2019-07-09

The system is designed to lift the crew module off the launch vehicle’s engine stack in case of an emergency and steer it away from danger. According to NASA coverage, engineers have confirmed that the LAS can “outrun a speeding rocket.”

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Lockheed Martin’s “non-operational” Space Fence detects Indian anti-satellite operations while still in test mode

2019-05-30

When India’s MICROSAT-R was scheduled to pass through the surveillance fence, Space Fence’s gallium nitride-powered S-band ground-based radars detected multiple objects within proximity of each other and issued an automatic “breakup alert.”

Article

Northrop Grumman acquires Orbital ATK, adds solid rocket motors to space portfolio

2018-06-26

Northrop Grumman Corp. has acquired Orbital ATK Inc., one of only two leading U.S. manufacturers of solid rocket motors (SRMs), in exchange for $7.8 billion in cash and assumption of $1.4 billion in debt. Officials have finalized the acquisition and formed Northrop Grumman Innovation Systems, the company’s fourth business sector, to enable greater expansion into the space market.

Article

Late Paul Allen’s Stratolaunch company cancels launch vehicle projects

2019-01-21

Months after founder Paul G. Allen’s death, Seattle-based Stratolaunch Systems Corporation will abandon several launch vehicle projects. The news comes days after a brief social media update on the massive Stratolaunch composite aircraft’s latest high-speed taxi test at the Mojave Air and Space Port in Mojave, California.

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Lockheed Martin and Arconic Collaborate on 3D printing and advanced aerospace materials

2018-08-09

Together, the companies will develop customized lightweight material systems and advanced manufacturing processes, such as metal additive manufacturing – also known as 3D printing – to advance current and next-generation aerospace and defense solutions, including new structures and systems not currently in existence.

Article

A new expanding NASA aeroshell could mean larger planetary payloads

2018-09-18

On Sept. 12, NASA will conduct the first test flight of its latest heatshield, the Adaptable Deployable Entry Placement Technology (ADEPT) mechanically deployable semi-rigid aeroshell entry system.

Article

Collins Aerospace will provide avionics and synthetic vision for the supersonic X-59 QueSST

2019-01-31

The X-59 utilizes a long and slender airframe to achieve supersonic speeds without causing a high decibel sonic boom. The unconventional design precludes the use of a forward-looking window or viewport. Collins Aerospace is providing a dual multi-spectral enhanced vision system to give pilots a forward view of the airspace.

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NASA spacecraft reaches furthest target in history

2019-01-03

NASA's New Horizons spacecraft flew past Ultima Thule in the early hours of New Year's Day, ushering in the era of exploration from the enigmatic Kuiper Belt, a region of primordial objects that holds keys to understanding the origins of the solar system.

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Canada’s RADARSAT constellation satellites receive thermal blankets, ready for launch

2018-10-29

The three satellites, now tucked in and awaiting launch on a single SpaceX Falcon 9 launch vehicle, will launch together and introduce a more robust, flexible C-band synthetic aperture radar (SAR) system that can be maintained at lower cost and provide greater near-real time data delivery.

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Airbus Aerial harnesses satellites, UAS, helicopters, data analytics, and AI to support hurricane recovery efforts

2018-10-18

As the third strongest storm in the U.S. was striking the East Coast, Airbus Aerial technology was providing around-the-clock support analyzing the impact and aftermath of Hurricane Michael. Airbus Aerial uses a unique combination of satellites, manned aircraft and rotorcraft, and unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) together with data analytics technology and an artificial intelligence (AI), or machine learning, platform to help organizations supporting recovery efforts better understand and react to the storm as it rolled across the southeastern U.S. into the Gulf of Mexico.

Article

Lidar technology strengthens current approaches to ADAS

2019-05-13

Lidar technologies provide immediate and accurate free-space detection and excellent object detection and localization. As a result, a driver-assistance system designed with a high-performance, forward-looking lidar (FLL) sensor would greatly improve vehicle performance and safety. The third installment of this multipart series provides practical insight into the use of lidar technology as the cornerstone of a real-world advanced driver-assistance system.

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Jeff Bezos lays out Blue Origin’s moon shot, debuts lunar lander

2019-05-13

According to the presentation, the cargo variant of the Blue Moon lander can carry 3.6 metric tons to the lunar surface. Another lander variant could potentially stretch to be capable of carrying a 6.5-metric-ton, human-rated ascent stage.

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German LiDAR specialist Ibeo Automotive Systems chooses Detroit as the home for its U.S. subsidiary

2019-07-31

The new entity – established in the apex of the U.S. automotive will give Ibeo Automotive Systems the ability to expand its business segment into the growing U.S. automated and connected vehicle market.

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Raytheon, DARPA push forward with hypersonic weapon design

2019-08-02

The team completed a successful baseline design review that establishes the technical approach for a critical design review, which moves the system a step closer to development and use.

Article

Uhnder and Spartan to partner on hi-rez radar

2022-02-28

New partnership will combine Spartan’s sensor software with Uhnder’s digital radar technology to create next-gen perception solutions to advance automated mobility.

Article

Imaging radar is the next big thing

2022-01-24

The sensor technology is designed to bridge some of the gap between current-generation radar and lidar – while retaining the traditional advantages of RF-based sensors.

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Stratolaunch composite air-launch aircraft pulls the wheels up during latest taxi test

2019-01-17

Seattle-based Stratolaunch Systems Corporation is fast approaching the first flight of its Stratolaunch aircraft. According to a brief social media post, the aircraft – the largest in the world in terms of wingspan – reached a speed of 136 miles per hour during a high-speed taxi test at the Mojave Air and Space Port in Mojave, California.