CNN reported that Rolls-Royce has said it has developed the “world’s fastest all-electric aircraft.” The “Spirit of Innovation” aircraft reportedly “attained a maximum speed of 387.4 mph (623km/h) in flight.” The aircraft “flew 300 mph over 9.32 miles in Wiltshire at the UK Ministry of Defence’s military aircraft testing site, which is 182 mph quicker

Aviation Week reports that Lockheed Martin “has completed final assembly of the X-59 Low Boom Supersonic Demonstrator in Palmdale, California, and is preparing to ship the experimental aircraft to Fort Worth for structural testing.” Full Story (Aviation Week)

Spaceflight Now reports that Rocket Lab “launched two small BlackSky optical Earth-imaging satellites Wednesday from New Zealand, the first of three straight Electron rocket flights for the U.S. remote sensing company.” For the third time, Rocket Lab was able to retrieve “the launch vehicle’s first stage booster.” Full Story (Spaceflight Now)

Aerospace America reports that the answer to whether “enough research and space tourism dollars will flow through the market to keep more than one” private space station has not yet been reached. While Axiom Space believes it has a strong case for a profitable private space station, Axiom Space Senior Vice President for Government Affairs Mary

The Daily Mail (UK) reports that the Royal Air Force “has set a new Guinness World Record after completing the first ever flight using a fully synthetic aircraft fuel.” The flight “took place on November 2, with Group Captain Peter Hackett taking an Ikarus C42 aircraft on a short flight around Cotswold Airport near Cirencester, Gloucestershire.” The

Aviation Week reports that three African carriers “announced orders for new aircraft at Dubai Airshow on Tuesday, demonstrating confidence in the region’s potential for air-traffic growth.” Air Tanzania “announced an order for one Boeing 787-7, one 767-300F and two 737 MAXs”; Ibom Air ordered 10 A220s; and AfriJet ordered three ATR 72-600s. Full Story (Aviation Week)

The Washington Post reports that the International Space Station “faced a menacing threat” Monday from “thousands of pieces of debris, scattered when Russia fired a missile that destroyed a dead satellite.” Mission control in Houston “had to wake the astronauts to inform them that they needed to evacuate the Space Station and take shelter inside their spacecraft.”

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 16, 2021 – Reston, Va., and Las Vegas – The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) and the ASCEND global community dedicated to building humanity’s off-world future issued the following statement: “We learned of the Russian Federation ASAT Test in the midst of the 2021 ASCEND event, where many of

Aviation Week  reported that Airbus forecasted that some “39,000 new airliners will be needed worldwide over the next 20 years.” Airbus “believes there will be demand by 2040 for around 29,700 small aircraft like the Airbus A220, A320 family or Boeing 737 MAX, and for about 5,300 medium-sized aircraft like the Airbus A321XLR, A330neo or

KTNV-TV Las Vegas reports that 2021 ASCEND is focusing on making space flight available to all. Emcee Kari Byron “hosted a panel on citizen astronauts and believes they are pioneers in what’s possible in space.” AIAA Executive Director Dan Dumbacher said, “Where we are today with space is similar to where the commercial airline industry was

Aviation International News reports that The Boeing Company displayed its new 777X at the Dubai Airshow Sunday. The 777-9, “the larger of the two planned 777X variants, landed on November 9 at Dubai World Central following a 15-hour nonstop journey from Seattle’s Boeing Field.” The trip was the 777X’s first international flight “and the longest to

The AP reported that Space X “expanded its constellation of low Earth orbit satellites on Saturday with the launch of 53 Starlink satellites from Florida.” The satellites were deployed via a Falcon 9 rocket launched from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station at 7:19 a.m. EST. Full Story (Associated Press)

November 13, 2021 – Reston, Va. – ASCEND, the interdisciplinary community on the planet dedicated to building humanity’s off-world future faster, mourns the passing of Citizen Astronaut Glen de Vries. ASCEND is powered by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA). AIAA Executive Director Dan Dumbacher made the following statement: “We are shocked and

Space News reports that Astroscale “signed an agreement with the government of New Zealand Nov. 10 to study advanced concepts for orbital debris removal.” The agreement “broadly covers cooperation on space safety and sustainability, with an initial project examining approaches for a single servicing spacecraft to remove up to three debris objects on a single

CNBC reports, “Cutting-edge technologies and geopolitics are set to feature in military deals at this year’s Dubai Air Show. And some weapons sales – or lack thereof – are major sticking points for both the U.S. and its Gulf allies, in particular the United Arab Emirates. Fighter jet fleet upgrades and new counter-UAS (unmanned aerial

The New York Times reports that the International Space Station (ISS) on Wednesday “was forced to maneuver itself to avoid a piece of debris spawned by a Chinese antisatellite weapon test in 2007.” NASA and Roscosmos worked together to fire the ISS’ thrusters, raising its altitude by nearly a mile. Full Story (New York Times)

The National Interest reports on the continued development of Lockheed Martin’s SR-72 uncrewed hypersonic aircraft. Referring to a digital rendering that had been presented at 2018 AIAA SciTech Forum, Lockheed Martin Vice President Jack O’Banion said, “Without the digital transformation[,] the aircraft you see there could not have been made. In fact, five years ago, it could

Space News reports that the US government’s orbital debris R&D plan is to be updated by “an interagency group within the National Science and Technology Council that deals with national security and space issues.” However, former SpaceX Vice President of Government Affairs Patricia Cooper said at 2021 ASCEND that “there are internal disagreements in the US government

CNET News reports that NASA’s Parker Solar Probe is being bombarded by space dust “at such speed that its body is constantly experiencing plasma explosions.” A team of scientists “at the University of Colorado, Boulder’s Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP) and the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory studied the severity of these impacts,”

Bloomberg reports that General Electric is to split up into three separate companies, each “focused on health care, power and aviation.” The healthcare division “will be spun off in early 2023.” GE’s “renewable energy, power equipment and digital businesses” will be combined into a separate unit “that will then be spun off in 2024.” The remaining

The AP reports that high wind “off the Florida coast has prompted SpaceX to delay the return of four space station astronauts in orbit since spring.” Due to the weather, Space X has rescheduled the departure from the International Space Station to Monday afternoon, “with a nighttime return to conclude their six-month mission.” Full Story (Associated

The Daily Mail (UK) reported that an X-61 Gremlin Air Vehicle, “an unmanned reconnaissance vehicle developed by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), has been recovered while in mid-flight for the first time, DARPA announced Friday.” In the demonstration was held last month, “two of the drones performed autonomous formation flying positions before one GAV

The AP reports NASA officials announced Monday that a “medical issue has sidelined one of four astronauts assigned to SpaceX’s upcoming flight to the International Space Station and delayed the launch.” The launch has been delayed until Saturday night at the earliest. The unnamed astronaut is affected by a “minor medical issue” unrelated to COVID-19 Full Story

Aviation Week reports that a second Boeing Airpower Teaming System (ATS), “better known as the Loyal Wingman, has commenced flight tests at Australia’s Woomera Range Complex, including the raising and lower of the undercarriage.” Both UAVs “are performing separate flight tests.” Full Story (Aviation Week)

FlightGlobal reports that Safran Chief Executive Olivier Andries warned last week that the industry’s supply chain has been weakened by the COVID-19 pandemic. Andries noted “concerns about human resources” and “tensions in raw material availability” as notable factors. The Boeing Company Chief Executive David Calhoun said, “By the second half of next year, our industry

USA Today reports that scientists “have discovered evidence of water in a galaxy roughly 12.8 billion light-years from Earth, making it one of the most distant discoveries of water in the universe.” The galaxy, SPT-311-58, was discovered in 2017 by researchers using the Atacama Large Millimeter/Submillimeter Array in Chile. The scientists from the University of Illinois

Aviation International News reports that Embraer Executive Jets CEO and President Michael Amalfitano described at Corporate Jet Investor Miami 2021 how the increase in first-time business aviation users is changing the aircraft industry’s dynamics. Amalfitano said, “When you look at that growth at the bottom, the access is growing. You have to start thinking about what

Space News reports that NASA Chief Economist Alexander MacDonald said private competition for NASA contracts is “one of the most exciting things that we’re seeing.” MacDonald said the announcement of privately designed commercial space stations to succeed the International Space Station are “very exciting from a market dynamics perspective.” Full Story (Space News)

The AP reports NASA officials announced Monday that a “medical issue has sidelined one of four astronauts assigned to SpaceX’s upcoming flight to the International Space Station and delayed the launch.” The launch has been delayed until Saturday night at the earliest. The unnamed astronaut is affected by a “minor medical issue” unrelated to COVID-19 Full Story

Air Force Times reports that The Boeing Company “has delivered the first of four KC-46A tankers to the Japan Air Self-Defense Force, marking the program’s first delivery to a customer outside the United States.” The KC-46A “made the trans-Pacific flight after departing Boeing’s facilities in Seattle, Washington, on Thursday afternoon local time, arriving at Miho Air

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE New Episode of ASCEND’s “Fast Forward” Features Bechtel’s Defense and Space Executive November 1, 2021 – Reston, Va. – ASCEND, the interdisciplinary community on the planet dedicated to building humanity’s off-world future faster, launched a new episode of “Fast Forward – Focus on Off-World Infrastructure” featuring Michael Costas, General Manager of Defense

Space News reports that the classified geostationary Earth orbit mission USSF-67 is “on track for mid-to-late 2022 launch.” USSF-67, awarded to SpaceX last year, will “fly on a Falcon Heavy rocket with an expendable center core.” Additionally, US Space Force missions USSF-44 and USSF-52 have had their launches delayed to 2022. Full Story (SpaceNews)

ExecutiveGov reported that Lockheed Martin “has announced the addition of over 300 new jobs in F-16 production and sustainment areas at the company’s location in Greenville, South Carolina by the end of next year.” Lockheed Martin “said Monday the company is seeking to fill positions including airframe and power plant mechanics, avionics technicians, engineers, supervisors,

AIAA announced today the candidates for next year’s openings on the AIAA Council of Directors. The selections were made by the AIAA Council Nominating Committee.

The AP  reports that NASA “is debating whether to try to fix a jammed solar panel on its newly launched Lucy spacecraft, en route to explore an unprecedented number of asteroids.” The problem “has not affected Lucy’s outbound flight” thus far. Full Story (Associated Press)

Aviation Today reports that Volocopter “is exhibiting a scaled version of its VoloCity eVTOL at Fiumicino Airport this week as part of a new partnership with Atlantia and Aeroporti di Roma that seeks to bring electric air taxi operations to Italy in the next 2-3 years.” Full Story (Aviation Today)

The Hill reports that ZeroAvia announced Wednesday “plans to carry out the first commercial hydrogen-electric flights between Rotterdam and London in 2024.” ZeroAvia is “partnering with airport company Royal Schiphol Group, Rotterdam The Hague Innovation Airport Foundation and Rotterdam the Hague Airport to make the commercial flights possible.” Full Story (The Hill)

The Daily Mail (UK) reports NASA announced Monday that the Hubble Space Telescope went into “safe mode” after experiencing “‘synchronization issues with internal spacecraft communications.” NASA tweeted, “Science observations have been temporarily suspended while the team investigates the issue…The instruments remain in good health.” Full Story (Daily Mail)

ExecutiveGov reports that the US Air Force “recently completed the first-ever operational test mission of its new Boeing F-15EX Eagle II fighter aircraft at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada.” The F-15EX “features a new digital fly-by-wire control technology signaling a departure from its predecessor’s standard hydro-mechanical system” and the Eagle Passive Active Warning Survivability

Space News reports that United Launch Alliance “is targeting a Nov. 22 liftoff for the U.S. Space Force STP-3 mission aboard an Atlas 5 rocket.” The Atlas 5 551 “will fly with five solid rocket boosters and launch two satellites directly to geosynchronous orbit.” The two satellites are the STPSat-6 carrying “NASA’s Laser Communications Relay Demonstration

Aviation Week reports that Roscosmos Director General Dimitry Rogozin said Monday that SpaceX has been cleared to fly cosmonauts on Crew Dragon after SpaceX conducted four crewed spaceflights with the Crew Dragon spacecraft. Full Story (Aviation International News)

Aviation International News reports that Helipass “is in talks with its network of around 120 helicopter operators to encourage them to transition to electric aircraft.” Helipass “seeks to provide a user-friendly booking platform for customers and also software that operators can use to handle payments, fleet planning, and passenger records.” Full Story (Aviation International News)

SPACE reported NASA and aerospace experts “discussed how the U.S. stacks up against other nations when it comes to developing new nuclear propulsion technology” at a House of Representatives hearing last week. NASA Budget and Finance Senior Advisor Bhavya Lal said, “Strategic competitors including China are aggressively investing in a wide range of space technologies,

The Daily Mail (UK) reported that passengers arriving at Heathrow could take air taxis from the airport “to cities in the south of England for the price of an Uber in just four years’ time.” An air taxi could take passengers from Heathrow to London’s Canary Wharf “in just 13 minutes for around £50 per passenger. A

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 22, 2021 – Reston, Va. – Astronauts from the three different commercial space experiences that occurred in 2021 will appear on stage together in Las Vegas on Monday, 15 November, during 2021 ASCEND. ASCEND is the interdisciplinary community focused on building humanity’s off-world future faster, powered by AIAA. Confirmed speakers include:

Space News reports that NASA issued a request for information Wednesday “seeking information from industry on their ability to transport astronauts” to and from the International Space Station. NASA Commercial Crew Program Manager Steve Stich “said NASA was starting to consider its plans for acquiring additional commercial crew flights, given that both SpaceX was nearing

FlightGlobal reports that airlines are increasing the amount of flights and destinations it is offering as the industry begins to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting slowdown in travel. Analysts “still suspect the industry will not fully recover for several years – possibly not until 2023 – and a second wave of Covid-19 infections

SPACE reports that the next NASA space station launch, which is set for Halloween, “will put four more astronauts into space on a SpaceX rocket. The Crew-3 launch is scheduled for Sunday, Oct. 31 at 2:21 a.m. EDT (0721 GMT), using a Falcon 9 rocket. The launch will take place at Launch Complex 39A at

CBS News reports on the US Navy’s new MQ-25 Stingray UAV and its use to refuel fighter jets in mid-flight, keeping carriers out of the range of enemy anti-ship weapons. Full Story (CBS News)

The Daily Mail (UK) reports that NASA has released audio from the Perseverance rover. Perseverance has been recording the “eerie sounds of Mars” since the probe’s arrival in February, making it the first craft to record sound on Mars. Full Story (Daily Mail)