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Article

Made In Space is set to make in space

2019-07-17

Once in orbit, Archinaut One will use additive manufacturing techniques – or 3D printing – to create two 32-foot beams extending out from each side of the spacecraft. As manufacturing progresses, each beam will unfurl two solar arrays that generate up to five times more power than traditional solar panels on spacecraft of similar size.

Article

Space Tango takes its next steps in orbital manufacturing

2018-11-19

Lexington, Kentucky-based Space Tango is aiming to launch an autonomous robotic orbital platform by the mid-2020s. The platform, called ST-42, is designed for scalable manufacturing in space and will leverage the unique environment of microgravity to produce high-value products across multiple industries.

Article

Is ARM the future for airborne platforms in aerospace and defense?

2018-11-21

In recent years, ARM processors have made a quiet, understated entry into the aerospace and defense market. With a well-established reputation in commercial markets for bringing high performance to low-power mobile devices, such as smartphones, tablets, and wearables, it’s no surprise that ARM’s potential was recognized in an industry where size, weight, and power (SWaP) constraints heavily influence technology selection.

Article

NASA InSight landing a success

2018-11-28

With the harrowing approach and landing complete, InSight will commence on a two-year mission to study the deep interior of Mars to learn how all celestial bodies with rocky surfaces, including Earth and the Moon, formed.

Article

Boeing completes assembly of the first 777X

2018-11-27

In a major production milestone called “final body join,” Boeing teams connected the major fuselage sections of the first 777X long-range, wide-body airliner in the company’s factory in Everett, Washington.

Article

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

Additive manufacturing is transforming mobility engineering, driving the factory of the future

2018-12-27

Two new installments in the burgeoning SAE International Podcast Series cast a spotlight on additive manufacturing, which is fueling innovation, greater efficiencies, and the future of mobility engineering. Additive manufacturing continues to advance and transform mobility engineering, as aerospace and automotive firms increasingly adopt and invest in 3D printing technologies, which are becoming more capable and cost-effective.

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.

Article

Wind River and Airbiquity partner to update autonomous and connected vehicle software through cloud-based, over-the-air technology

2019-06-04

Through this work, Wind River and Airbiquity look to enable secure and intelligent software updates and data management for these vehicles through over-the-air (OTA) programming technology. The work may also lead to similar solutions for traditional aerospace and unmanned aircraft system (UAS) industries.

Article

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries will acquire Bombardier’s regional jet program

2019-06-26

Under the definitive agreement – signed at Le Bourget during the 53rd International Paris Air Show – MHI will acquire maintenance, support, refurbishment, marketing, and sales activities for all Canadair Regional Jet (CRJ) family of aircraft.

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Can the Air Force reach a 24-hour launch window?

2019-06-13

In a “sources sought” notice titled Rapid Space Launch Initiative, the service is reaching out to American space launch companies to identify technical risks and challenges and develop demonstrations that would result in a launch within 24 hours of a “call up,” versus weeks or months.

Article

NASA highlights material and coating technology ready for commercial applications

2019-05-10

Four of these technologies – smart coatings for corrosion detection and protection, aluminum alloys for high temperature applications, particle contamination mitigation technologies, and thermal and environmental barrier coating systems – are among NASA’s most in-demand technologies and have been applied to mainstream engineering projects.

Article

Air Force facility dedicated to AI and automation opens in Pittsburgh

2019-04-30

The new Advanced Technology and Training Center (ATTC), which opened yesterday after a ribbon-cutting ceremony, will focus on breakthroughs in condition-based maintenance and the intersection of artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, and automation within that domain.

Article

Apollo Fusion will supply NASA JPL with MaSMi Hall thrusters as sole licensed manufacturer

2019-05-08

JPL transferred the license to Apollo after the company was awarded a contract to produce three engineering model MaSMi-EM thrusters for JPL’s Ascendant Sub-kW Transcelestial Electric Propulsion System (ASTRAEUS). Apollo will deliver the three MaSMi-EM thrusters to JPL this summer.

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NASA budget amendment to help send Americans to moon by 2024, then Mars

2019-05-15

An amended NASA budget for fiscal year 2020 would add $1.6 billion to a $21 billion initial budget request and fund deep space exploration, science, and technology initiatives. An acquisition approach to various projects would present significant opportunities for commercial partners and, likely, the entire aerospace supply chain.

Article

Maintainers design a $400 maintenance fixture to save the U.S. Air Force $500k per year

2019-04-30

A cowling, or engine cover, is a critical airframe component that reduces drag and directing airflow into the engine. For the E-8C JSTARS, an aircraft with four massive Pratt and Whitney JT3D-based TF33-102C turbofan engines, each set of engine cowling components can cost up to $80,000 per set. Even a slightly warped cowling renders the entire housing unsafe and unserviceable.

Article

Lockheed Martin validates heatshield for the Mars 2020 rover mission

2019-05-07

Lockheed Martin Corporation successfully completed development and testing for the heatshield that will protect NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory Mars 2020 rover during its descent to the Martian surface. After completing the flight hardware structure, Lockheed Martin tested the heatshield’s physical integrity by exposing it to ‘flight-like’ thermal conditions.

Article

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.

Article

HTX Labs adapts its VR platform for the Air Force Pilot Training Next initiative

2019-08-02

Houston-based HTX Labs, LLC was awarded with Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II funding to continue adapting its EMPACT Virtual Reality (VR) platform for the United States Air Force’s Pilot Training Next program. The U.S. Air Force intends to use EMPACT to fast-track the creation of highly immersive VR simulations to accelerate pilot training.

Article

AIA predicts flying air taxis, supersonic air travel, and space industry for 2050

2019-03-15

In the “What’s Next for Aerospace and Defense: A Vision for 2050” study, AIA, New York City-based McKinsey & Company, and other industry partners reveal a comprehensive 30-year, Industry 4.0 forecast of air travel and spaceflight based on improvements in automation and digitization, next-generation materials, alternative energy sources and storage, and increased data throughput.