Author: aiaaorg

AIAA Statement on Confirmation of the Honorable Sean Duffy as Secretary of Transportation

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

February 5, 2025 – Reston, Va. – The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) CEO Clay Mowry made the following statement:

“On behalf of the Institute’s nearly 30,000 professional members and nearly 100 corporate members, I would like to congratulate Sean Duffy on his confirmation as the Secretary of Transportation. As the world’s largest aerospace professional society, AIAA is committed to advancing the aerospace industry, including aviation, space transportation, and emerging technologies such as advanced air mobility. AIAA looks forward to working with Secretary Duffy and his team to ensure that our nation remains at the forefront of transportation innovation, safety, and sustainability.”

Media Contact: Rebecca Gray, [email protected], 804-397-5270 cell

About AIAA
The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) is the world’s largest aerospace technical society. With nearly 30,000 individual members from 91 countries, and 100 corporate members, AIAA brings together industry, academia, and government to advance engineering and science in aviation, space, and defense. For more information, visit aiaa.org, and follow AIAA on X/Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram.

Marines Plan to Buy More Carrier-based F-35Cs While Scaling Back VTOL Variant

Defense One reports, “The Marine Corps plans to double its buy of the carrier-borne F-35C variant and scale back its buy of the short-takeoff-vertical-landing F-35B, according to a new aviation plan from the service. The service’s total F-35 buy of 420 aircraft remains unchanged, but the service will now buy 280 F-35Bs instead of the planned 353 jets, and 140 F-35Cs instead of the planned 67 jets, according to the 2025 Marine Aviation Plan released Monday. This means the Marines will field 12 F-35B squadrons and eight F-35C squadrons. Notably, the plan also expands the size of F-35 squadrons from 10 to 12 fighters.”
Full Story (Defense One)

AIAA Statement on Confirmation of the Honorable Pete Hegseth as Secretary of Defense

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

February 5, 2025 – Reston, Va. – The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) CEO Clay Mowry made the following statement:

“On behalf of the Institute’s nearly 30,000 professional members and nearly 100 corporate members, I would like to congratulate Pete Hegseth on his confirmation as the Secretary of Defense. As the world’s largest aerospace professional society, AIAA is committed to advancing the technologies and innovations that support our warfighters and ensure the security of the United States and its allies. AIAA looks forward to working with Secretary Hegseth and his team to support policies and initiatives that foster innovation, enhance readiness, and maintain the U.S. military’s technological superiority.”

Media Contact: Rebecca Gray, [email protected], 804-397-5270 cell

About AIAA
The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) is the world’s largest aerospace technical society. With nearly 30,000 individual members from 91 countries, and 100 corporate members, AIAA brings together industry, academia, and government to advance engineering and science in aviation, space, and defense. For more information, visit aiaa.org, and follow AIAA on X/Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram.

India to Launch European Proba-3 Satellites on Dec. 5 to Create Artificial Eclipses in Space

SPACE reports, “A European mission that will use two satellites to create artificial eclipses in Earth orbit will launch early Thursday morning (Dec. 5) … The ESA’s Proba-3 formation-flying mission is scheduled to lift off atop an Indian Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) from Satish Dhawan Space Center on Thursday at 5:42 a.m. EST (1042 GMT; 4:42 p.m. local time in India).”
Full Story (SPACE)

FAA is Getting Closer to Certifying ZeroAvia’s Electric Propulsion System

Aerospace Global News reports, “ZeroAvia has moved one step closer to certification of its first commercial product, having received Certification Basis for its 600kW electric propulsion system (EPS) from the FAA – a key document outlining the applicable airworthiness regulations with which the manufacturer must comply. The G-1 Issue Paper (Stage 2) contains a formally confined agreement, designating the standards to which ZeroAvia will validate the design requirements of its EPS.”
Full Story (Aerospace Global News)

Blue Origin Set to Launch New Shepard Moon-Gravity Mission

SPACE reports, “Blue Origin is targeting Feb. 4 for the 29th launch of its New Shepard suborbital rocket, which was postponed from Jan. 28 due to weather and a technical “issue with the rocket’s avionics. But everything appears to be in order now … Liftoff of the NS-29 mission is scheduled for 11:00 a.m. ET.”
Full Story (SPACE)

AIAA Statement on Blue Origin’s Successful NS-29 Mission

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

February 4, 2025 – Reston, Va. – The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) issued the following statement from AIAA CEO Clay Mowry:

“On behalf of the 30,000 professional and student members of AIAA, we congratulate Blue Origin on its successful NS-29 mission. The rocket included 30 payloads that experienced two minutes of lunar gravity forces. We look forward to learning the results of these experiments to help us prepare for more activities on the lunar surface in the future.”

Media Contact: Rebecca Gray, [email protected], 804-397-5270 cell

About AIAA
The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) is the world’s largest aerospace technical society. With nearly 30,000 individual members from 91 countries, and 100 corporate members, AIAA brings together industry, academia, and government to advance engineering and science in aviation, space, and defense. For more information, visit aiaa.org, and follow AIAA on X/Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram.

 

Video

New Shepard Mission NS-29 Webcast
(Blue Origin; YouTube)

Pipistrel Flight-Tests NUUVA V300 Hybrid-Electric VTOL

Aerotime reports, “Pipistrel, a division of Textron eAviation, announced that its new NUUVA V300 hybrid-electric unmanned VTOL aircraft successfully completed its first flight on January 31, 2025, in Gorizia, northeastern Italy, next to the Slovenian border. The NUUVA is an unmanned aerial system (UAS) designed to carry 300 kg of cargo (the equivalent of three euro-pallets) over distances of up to 300 km.”
Full Story (Aerotime)

 

 

 

Video

Nuuva V300 makes first successful flight-test
(Pipistrel Aircraft; YouTube)

Japan’s H3 Rocket Launches Michibiki 6 Navigation Satellite

Space News reports, “Japan’s flagship H3 rocket successfully launched the Michibiki 6 navigation satellite early Sunday, enhancing the country’s regional GPS capabilities. The Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) H3 rocket lifted off at 3:30 a.m. Eastern (0830 UTC) Feb. 2 from Tanegashima Space Center. Aboard was the 1,900-kilogram Michibiki 6 satellite, also known as the Quasi-Zenith Satellite System (QZS-6), for Japan’s navigation satellite system.”
Full Story (Space News)

 

Video

Japan’s flagship H3 rocket launches Michibiki 6 aboard H3-22S (Launch at 0:45:57 mark)
(The Launch Pad; YouTube)