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Lockheed Martin has revealed its concept for a new crewed lunar lander: a single stage, fully reusable system that incorporates flight-proven technologies and systems from the NASA Orion spacecraft. In its initial configuration, the lander would deliver a crew of four and 2,000 pounds of cargo to the Moon’s surface for up to two weeks.

To enable the tests required for development work to be performed with maximum efficiency, the Zwick Roell Group (ZwickRoell) – a global supplier of materials testing machines based out of Ulm, Germany – developed a materials testing machine that can be equipped with both a temperature chamber and a high-temperature furnace.

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.

To prepare for the leap from low-Earth orbit habitation to deep space human exploration, NASA began developing a small space station or “proving ground” for placement in cislunar orbit.

By detecting and diagnosing problems earlier in manufacturing, Voltaiq and PDF Solutions can reduce the number of recalls and improve the yield of quality battery cells and packs.

Virgin Galactic’s spaceplane, SpaceShipTwo or “VSS Unity,” made its fifth powered test flight and second space flight late last week with three individuals on board. In addition to pilots Dave Mackay and Mike Masucci, Virgin Galactic’s first non-pilot passenger and the world’s first female commercial spacefarer – Beth Moses – also qualified for commercial astronaut wings from the Federal Aviation Administration.

VPT Inc. is introducing its SVPL series space-qualified, radiation-hardened point of load DC-DC converters – covering an input voltage range of 3.1 volts to 13.2 volts and offered in 6-, 9-, and 12-amp output surface-mount options – designed specifically for space applications facing harsh radiation environments while requiring low voltages and tight regulation for high-performance processors.

Software has transformed every operational asset of everything in life; artificial intelligence (AI) will have as big an impact on life, predicts Mark Roboff, vice president, aerospace and automotive at SparkCognition during the 2018 SAE Aerospace Standards Summit at LMI in McLean, Va.

United Launch Alliance (ULA) will supply launch vehicles for the Dream Chaser Cargo System. Starting in 2021, Dream Chaser – Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) Space Systems’ reusable spaceplane – will launch aboard ULA's Vulcan Centaur rockets for six NASA cargo resupply and return services to the International Space Station (ISS).

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.

While the pandemic continues, aerospace companies are rising to embrace new and emerging challenges at a time when there’s so much innovation. This innovation can be seen in the emergence of urban air mobility (UAM), the rebirth of supersonic flight, the drive towards a “zero emission” aircraft, and the continued use of autonomous drones for delivery, freight, search & rescue, and defense. There are exciting new developments in space as companies are developing products for commercial exploration and space tourism, and new ways to launch satellites. A new generation of engineering is also emerging in the defense sector and its development of not only aircraft, but also ships, tankers, and even flight trainers.

Technology transfer and collaboration continue to grow globally among mobility engineering professionals focused on aerospace and automotive applications. Cross-industry partnerships received a boost this week, as Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and Toyota Motor Corp. officials announced increased cooperation on unmanned, electrified, and automated rovers for space exploration.

The upcoming launch of the NASA ICESat-2 will be the last liftoff for the Delta II rocket, whose reliability made it a mainstay for civil, military, and commercial space customers. The medium-lift Delta II is manufactured by United Launch Alliance (ULA), a joint venture between Lockheed Martin Space Systems and Boeing Defense, Space & Security, and features main and upper-stage engines supplied by Aerojet Rocketdyne of Sacramento, Calif.

In order to help the next generation of entrepreneurs enter that market, Boulder, Colorado-based Techstars and Paris-based Starburst Aerospace have joined forces to start a new Los Angeles-based business accelerator for space technology companies.

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.

Stratolaunch Systems Corp., founded by Paul G. Allen, in Seattle, Washington, has completed the first flight of the Stratolaunch, the world’s largest all-composite aircraft, with a dual-fuselage design and wingspan greater than the length of an American football field. The Stratolaunch aircraft took flight on April 13 at 0658 PDT from the Mojave Air & Space Port in Mojave, California; achieved a maximum speed of 189 miles per hour; and flew for 2.5 hours over the Mojave Desert at altitudes up to 17,000 feet. 

Hawthorne, California-based SpaceX has test fired its Raptor rocket engine at its Rocket Development and Test Facility, in McGregor, Texas. The Raptor is designed to power the Super Heavy first stage and Starship second stage launch vehicles.

Four companies – Blue Origin, Northrop Grumman Innovation Systems, SpaceX, and United Launch Alliance (ULA) – recently submitted proposals for the U.S. Air Force's Phase 2 Launch Services Procurement (LSP) competition. Two of those companies will be awarded with up to 34 launches over a five-year period under the National Security Space Launch (NSSL) program.

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.

Statistics may point to human fallibility being the cause of almost all road accidents, but the switch to a connected robotic environment must ultimately deliver every nano-second of every day on the promise of a guaranteed near-total safety highway environment. Today’s grudging acceptance by the global public of the inevitability of deaths and injuries on the road will not continue in a driverless environment.