Business Insider reports that SpaceX plans to launch seven Dragon missions – including six Crew Dragon missions and one Cargo Dragon mission – to space over the next 14 months. Due to mission overlap, SpaceX Crew Mission Management Director Benji Reed said at a press conference that “every time there’s a Dragon launch, there’ll be two

Space News reports that the US Transportation Command “has signed an agreement with SpaceX and XArc to study the use of space launch vehicles to transport supplies in an emergency.” Transportation Command Commander Army Gen. Stephen Lyons, who announced the cooperative research and development agreement Wednesday, said, “Think about moving the equivalent of a C-17 payload

Reuters reports that British Airways’ (BA) “last jumbo jets bade farewell to London on Thursday but cloud and driving rain prevented a rare synchronised dual take off for the ‘Queen of the Skies’ which brought long-haul flights to the masses.” BA’s “predecessor BOAC introduced the 747 on the London-New York route in 1971, and at its

Aerospace America reports that on Wednesday, Boom Supersonic unveiled its XB-1 demonstrator aircraft. The “carbon fiber demonstrator plane is one-third the size of the planned 65-passenger Overture airliners the company intends to eventually build. With a cruising speed of Mach 2.2, the flight time from Washington, D.C., to Paris would be cut in half to four

FlightGlobal reports that Bombardier’s Learjet 75 Liberty “has entered service, a milestone coming 15 months after the Montreal-based company launched the updated variant.” The Liberty “has six seats – two fewer than a typical 75 layout – including two ‘executives suites’ in front and four club seats aft. The jet’s cabin measures 6m (19ft 10in) long,

In continuing coverage, Spaceflight Now reports that SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 rocket, carrying 60 Starlink satellites, at 7:29 a.m. EDT Tuesday. Two-and-a-half minutes after the rocket lifted off, “the first stage booster shut down and jettisoned to begin a descent toward SpaceX’s drone ship positioned in the Atlantic Ocean around 400 miles (630 kilometers) northeast of

Bloomberg reports that Hyundai Motor Group “is stepping up its pursuit of flying cars, planning a full lineup of aerial vehicles that it envisages zigzagging city skies within a decade.” The company “is developing models that will carry five or six people within metropolitan areas and a bigger version to fly between cities, Jaiwon Shin, head

Spaceflight Now provides live coverage of the launch of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Kennedy Space Center. The rocket lifted off at 7:31 a.m. EDT Tuesday, carrying 60 Starlink satellites. Full Story (Spaceflight Now)

Bloomberg reported that Ryanair Holdings “is reported to be in talks to purchase between 150 and 200 Boeing Co. 737 Max aircraft, in a deal that would boost confidence in the grounded jet as it prepares for a return to service.” Ryanair “is discussing a mix of Max 200s, the version it has already ordered,

Spaceflight Now reported that at 9:43 p.m. EDT Friday, SpaceX aborted the launch of a Falcon 9 rocket carrying a GPS satellite for the US Space Force. The rocket “was just two seconds from launching…when an automated abort halted the countdown.” SpaceX CEO Elon Musk “tweeted that the Falcon 9 launch was aborted after an ‘unexpected

CBS News reports that the launch of a Northrop Grumman Antares “rocket carrying a Cygnus space station cargo ship was aborted less than three minutes before liftoff from Virginia’s Eastern Shore Thursday evening.” The Antares “abort was triggered on computer command at the T-minus two-minute 40-second mark, apparently due to trouble with ground equipment.” The “upgraded

Aviation International News reports that in early September, The Boeing Company completed flight trials of its ecoDemonstrator. The trials “evaluated the effectiveness of noise-mitigating fairings attached to the 787-10’s Safran landing gear. Further noise testing involved the use of 200 small microphones attached to the left side of the aircraft’s fuselage and 1,000 more listening devices

Spaceflight Now reports that SpaceX plans to launch 60 Starlink atop a Falcon 9 rocket Thursday at 9:17 a.m. EDT. SpaceX also plans to launch a Falcon 9 rocket carrying a Lockheed Martin-built GPS 3 SV04 navigation satellite Friday, during a 15-minute window that opens at 9:43 p.m. EDT. Full Story (Spaceflight Now)

The Seattle Times reports that The Boeing Company leadership will meet virtually Thursday morning “to formally make a decision on consolidating 787 Dreamliner production in a single location, according to several people with knowledge of the plans.” Boeing’s “choice of North Charleston, S.C., is all but sealed, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing unnamed sources, though

Bloomberg reports that “a three-year French investigation into a near-catastrophic Airbus SE A380 engine blowout over Greenland found hidden weaknesses in the structure of a widely used metal alloy, with safety implications for plane equipment worldwide.” Microscopic “cracks beneath the surface of a titanium alloy caused one engine on an Air France superjumbo to break apart

The AP reports that “a small air leak at the International Space Station finally has been traced to the Russian side, following a middle-of-the-night search by astronauts.” NASA “said Tuesday that the two Russians and one American on board were awakened late Monday to hurriedly seal hatches between compartments and search for the ongoing leak, which

Aviation International News reports that GE Aviation’s GE9X has been approved by the FAA, the company said Monday. The “largest commercial turbofan in the world, the GE9X powers the Boeing 777X, the new twinjet now expected to gain certification sometime in 2022.” The GE9X’s “FAR Part 33 certification involved eight test engines that completed just under

CBS News reports that NASA has pushed the launch of the Crew 1 mission from October 23 to October 31. The mission will “launch four astronauts to the International Space Station aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft,” and “will mark the first operational use of the capsule following a successful piloted test flight earlier this

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 28, 2020 – Reston, Va. – The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) is pleased to announce its Class of 2021 Associate Fellows. “I am extremely excited for and proud of each member of the Class of 2021 Associate Fellows,” said AIAA President Basil Hassan. “These individuals exemplify passion and dedication

SPACE reports that a “private cargo spacecraft will lift off from Virginia on Tuesday (Sept. 29), carrying tons of fresh supplies to the International Space Station, including scientific experiments, skincare from Estée Lauder and a brand-new space toilet.” The NG-14 mission will “deliver 7,624 lbs (3,458 kilograms) of cargo on the 14th flight for Northrop Grumman’s

Airways reported that on Friday, the FAA “confirmed that the Boeing 737 MAX will undergo flight tests next week, including one piloted by FAA Administrator and former Delta Air Lines (DL) Pilot Steve Dickson.” In a statement, the FAA said that Dickson and FAA Deputy Administrator Dan Elwell “will be in Seattle” this week “to take

Reuters reports that The Boeing Company’s grounded 737 MAX could “receive regulatory approval to resume flying in November and enter service by the end of the year, Europe’s chief aviation safety regulator said on Friday.” European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) Executive Director Patrick Ky said, “For the first time in year and a half I

Spaceflight Now reports that ULA “gave the go-ahead Thursday to continue preparations for a third try to send aloft a Delta 4-Heavy rocket and a top secret U.S. government spy satellite from Cape Canaveral early Saturday.” ULA “convened a Launch Readiness Review on Thursday morning to assess the status of launch preparations, the Delta 4-Heavy rocket,

Military reports that “during a recent exercise at Naval Air Station Point Mugu, California, the Air Force tested whether airmen at multiple locations could coordinate to execute the same MQ-9 sortie.” The “result proved that numerous airmen can operate the drone during its mission, according to Lt. Col. Brian Davis, 29th Attack Squadron commander, at Holloman

CNN reports that on Tuesday, the ISS “narrowly avoided a collision with space debris for the third time this year.” There “have been three ‘high concern potential conjunctions’ with space debris in the last two weeks alone, and the ISS has had to maneuver three times to avoid debris this year, NASA said.” NASA Administrator Jim

Bloomberg reports that NASA shifted the position of the ISS in order to avoid a “potentially catastrophic encounter with debris that would have passed within less than a mile of the orbital laboratory – a close shave in space terms.” NASA said in a statement that the debris was expected to pass by the ISS at

FlightGlobal reports that the FAA has “adopted a controversial rule aimed at modifying early Boeing 777s to reduce the risk of a centre fuel-tank explosion, having dismissed multiple objections by foreign operators of the type.” The FAA “claims the indicating system design has ‘potential for latent faults,’ with closely-bundled wiring, and poses the threat of

Reuters reports that The Boeing Company “is nearing a decision to shift more 787 Dreamliner production to South Carolina, industry sources said, a cost-cutting strategy accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic that would deplete its iconic factory north of Seattle.” Unless there is a “last-minute U-turn, Boeing is ‘all but certain’ to move the rest of 787

SlashGear reports that NASA “has released the latest update on its OSIRIS-REx mission, which involves a spacecraft that is closely orbiting” asteroid Bennu. NASA “notes in a new animated educational video that a handful of boulders found on Bennu are quite a bit brighter than the other boulders and rocks on the asteroid.” NASA’s OSIRIS-REx

ExecutiveGov reported that Rocket Lab completed a “wet dress rehearsal” at its Launch Complex 2(LC-2) in Wallops Island, Virginia. The company’s representatives said in a statement Thursday, “With this major milestone complete, the Electron launch vehicle, launch team and the LC-2 pad systems are now ready for Rocket Lab’s first launch from US soil.” Rocket Lab’s

ExecutiveGov reported that NASA said Thursday that the agency and Lockheed Martin Skunkworks have begun assembling the X-59 Quiet Supersonic Technology (QueSST) aircraft. QueSST “would collect data on how quiet the aircraft would appear to the public during flights. The aircraft features the eXternal Vision System, a forward-facing camera that uses augmented reality to provide the

SPACE reports that on Thursday, SpaceX said it was delaying the launch of 60 Starlink satellites scheduled to launch atop a Falcon 9 rocket at 2:19 p.m. Thursday. The cancellation was announced 15 minutes before the rocket was scheduled to lift off. SpaceX said on Twitter, “Standing down from today’s Starlink launch due to recovery issue;

Reuters reports that on Thursday, Southwest Airlines announced that it returned nearly half of the 115 Boeing 737-800 aircraft to service that it had temporarily grounded. Southwest said that the planes were grounded “to enter the correct weights of the aircraft in question into the system and reset the program.” The weight discrepancy was 75

September 17, 2020 – Reston, Va. – The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) announced the publication of “Ensuring Economically Viable Lunar Settlements,” a workshop proceedings report stemming from the space ecosystem event ASCEND. Using “NASA’s Plan for Sustained Lunar Exploration and Development” as a starting point, a panel of experts gathered at the

Aerospace America reports that Dynetics’ Human Landing System (DHLS), the concept of which “the company is refining under a $253 million NASA contract, would be a low-slung lander standing about 1.5 meters from the ground, according to an animated video of the lander that the company released online Tuesday, before executives participated in an AIAA webinar

ExecutiveGov reports that Aerion Supersonic “has awarded BAE Systems a contract to provide the flight control system for Aerion’s AS2 supersonic business jet, BAE Systems reported on Wednesday.” BAE Systems “will design, develop and integrate a fly-by-wire flight control system, including active inceptors, for the aircraft.” The “flight system will comprise active inceptors, primary flight

Air Force Times reports that the US Space Force “confirmed that its Space Based Infrared System [SBIRS] satellites were used to detect more than a dozen Iranian missiles aimed at U.S. war fighters in Iraq in January, giving Americans and their partners crucial warning.” On Tuesday, during the Air Force Association 2020: Air, Space and

Reuters reports that General Motors is exploring options for entering the aerial taxi market, “including whether to build the vehicles known colloquially as ‘flying cars,’ as part of a push by the US automaker to look for growth in related transportation markets, two people familiar with the matter said.” According to CEO Mary Barra, this would

Florida Today reports that SpaceX plans to launch a batch of Starlink satellites atop a Falcon 9 rocket Thursday. Liftoff is scheduled for no earlier than 2:17 p.m. EDT from Kennedy Space Center. Weather “is currently 60% ‘go’ for the Thursday attempt with the primary concern being rain showers and thunderstorms, according to the 45th

Bloomberg reports that Airbus “is preparing to deliver its first U.S.-made A220 jetliner to Delta Air Lines Inc. as soon as this month, underscoring the European planemaker’s growing presence on The Boeing Company’s home turf.” Airbus’ Mobile, Alabama, site has been used to make A320 for US customers since 2015, but the recent expansion of the

Spaceflight Now reported that on Friday, Astra attempted launch its small satellite launcher for the first time. However, the launch vehicle “crashed shortly after liftoff from” Pacific Spaceport Complex on Kodiak Island, Alaska. Astra “confirmed on Twitter that the flight ended during the rocket’s first stage burn, following a successful liftoff and initial climb from”

Aviation International News reported that the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) is supporting a “Federal Communications Commission (FCC) recommendation that a portion of the C-band radio frequency spectrum be reserved for drone use rather than the more heavily used L-band,” after evaluating the use of both bands, per the request of Congress. NBAA Air Traffic

Spaceflight Now reports that SpaceX is ready to build the “first prototype for the next-gen rocket’s huge first stage booster” after last week’s Starship hop test. The company will also begin testing the Raptor engine model required for orbital Starship missions. On August 31, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk said that production of the test vehicle for

Aviation International News reports that Aerion Supersonic announced that it has begun wind tunnel tests of its AS2 business jet. The tests “will subject the aircraft design to more than three times the speed of sound, Aerion said. Testing will be used to evaluate high-speed performance, loads, stability, and control at both transonic and supersonic velocities.”

Aerospace America reports that NASA “is challenging U.S. and non-U.S. companies to tell it how they would collect between 50 and 500 grams of lunar regolith (three tablespoons to 2.5 cups) and what that would cost.” NASA “will pay between $15,000 and $25,000 for the regolith, Bridenstine said.” Companies “have until Oct. 9 to submit

Space News reports that NASA’s Juno mission, which has been orbiting Jupiter since 2016, “is finalizing a proposal for an extended mission that would keep the spacecraft operating through September 2025, said Scott Bolton, principal investigator for Juno, at a Sept. 2 meeting of the Outer Planets Assessment Group online.” The spacecraft’s current mission, which “is

Air Force Times reports that Secretary of Defense Mark Esper “announced Wednesday that the Pentagon intends to conduct live trials pitting tactical aircraft controlled by artificial intelligence against human pilots in 2024.” A simulated dog fight between an AI algorithm developed by Heron Systems and a human pilot, both operating F-16s, took place on August 20,

NextGov reports that during an episode of Nextgov’s Critical Update podcast, NASA’s Chief of Staff Gabe Sherman laid out the agency’s strategies and goals for the Artemis program. Sherman said, “The strategy overall is to go back to the moon, prove out the technologies and capabilities – not to stay at the moon, but to

Aviation International News reports that The Boeing Company “has identified a new production quality issue leading to improper shimming and gap verification between certain components in the 787’s horizontal stabilizer, further slowing deliveries as it performs special inspections to address imperfections in fuselage skins and shimming problems within some of the airplanes’ aft fuselages, the company

September 8, 2020 – Reston, Va. – The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) commends the release of Space Policy Directive 5 (SPD-5), which establishes key cybersecurity principles for cyber protection of space systems. AIAA commends the work of the National Space Council to highlight best practices for a whole-of-government approach to protect our space assets from