Florida Today reports that SpaceX plans to launch 57 Starlink satellites and two BlackSky Earth observation satellites atop a Falcon 9 rocket at 1:12 a.m. EDT Friday. Conditions “should be 70% ‘go’ for” the launch. If the launch is delayed by a day, “conditions are expected to slightly improve to 80% ‘go.’” Full Story (FlightGlobal)

FlightGlobal reports that Airbus and The Boeing Company “have collectively accumulated a backlog of more than 120 passenger jets that had their first flights more than 60 days ago but are yet to be delivered to customers.” Cirium fleets data “show in 2019, an average of 60 days elapsed between the first flight of an Airbus

ExecutiveGov reports that NASA has completed the systems integration review of the Lucy spacecraft’s “subsystems, electrical components, scientific instruments, navigation systems and communications, NASA said Monday.” The systems integration review of the Lucy mission, which will explore Jupiter’s Trojan asteroids, ran from July 27 to July 30. NASA “had to delay some of Lucy’s production

Reuters reports that the European Union Aviation Safety Agency would not comment on the FAA’s documents detailing the agency’s plan for the return of the Boeing 737 MAX. An EASA spokesperson said that the agency is “still working to conduct our test flights, scheduling of which has been hampered by the travel restrictions due to COVID-19.”

The Seattle Times reports that on Monday, the FAA released “its final list of required design changes to the Boeing 737 MAX, as well as changes to operation and maintenance procedures and to proposed pilot training, that must be completed for the jet to return to passenger service.”  Included in the required desgin changes are

FlightGlobal reports that Russia “has ordered United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) to speed up deliveries of its S-70 Okhotnik ‘Hunter’ unmanned air vehicle (UAV) to 2024.” The UAV was originally scheduled to be delivered in 2025. The UAV “is designed to carry a payload of 6,000kg (13,200lb), have a flight range of 3,240nm (6,000km) and an operating

Space News reports that Virgin Galactic “has pushed the beginning of commercial flights of its SpaceShipTwo suborbital vehicle to no earlier than the first quarter of 2021.” The company, “in its fiscal second quarter financial results released Aug. 3, said it expected to perform two more test flights of SpaceShipTwo from Spaceport America in New Mexico,

Spaceflight Now reported that NASA’s Mars 2020 Perseverance mission “resumed normal operations Friday after cold temperatures forced the spacecraft into safe mode soon after a successful launch from Cape Canaveral.” NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory Mars 2020 Mission Deputy Project Manager Matt Wallace said, “With safe mode exit, the team is getting down to the business of

Reuters reported that on Friday, Canada “said it had received three bids in a multibillion-dollar contest to supply the country with 88 new fighter jets, with a final contract to be awarded in 2022 and first delivery as early as 2025.” The proposals “were from a Saab AB-led consortium, Lockheed Martin Corp with Pratt & Whitney,

CBS News reports that NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley “returned to Earth in a dramatic retro-style splashdown, parachuting into the Gulf of Mexico,” aboard the SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule Endeavour, at 2:48 p.m. EDT Sunday, successfully concluding SpaceX’s historic Demo-2 mission to the ISS. Full Story (CBS News)

Aviation International News reports that Boom Supersonic and Rolls-Royce “have entered into a so-called engagement agreement to explore the pairing of a Rolls-Royce propulsion system with Boom’s proposed supersonic passenger aircraft called Overture, the companies announced Thursday.” Boom “said the agreement calls for the companies to work together to identify the propulsion system that would complement

Aviation International News reports that Boom Supersonic and Rolls-Royce “have entered into a so-called engagement agreement to explore the pairing of a Rolls-Royce propulsion system with Boom’s proposed supersonic passenger aircraft called Overture, the companies announced Thursday.” Boom “said the agreement calls for the companies to work together to identify the propulsion system that would complement

SPACE reports that NASA said in a statement that the agency and SpaceX plan to land astronauts Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken off the coast of Florida on Sunday at 2:42 p.m. The astronauts will land “in one of these locations: off the coasts of Pensacola, Tampa, Tallahassee, Panama City, Cape Canaveral, Daytona or Jacksonville, NASA

Aviation International News reports that “in addition to testing sound signatures of new supersonic airplanes, NASA’s X-59 Quiet Supersonic Technology (QueSST) experimental demonstrator is breaking ground in another area: flight without a forward-facing window.” Instead of a forward-facing window, the NASA and Lockheed Martin X-plane will come equipped with an eXternal Vision System (XVS). The XVS

TechCrunch reports that NASA successfully launched its Mars 2020 mission early Thursday from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket, with NASA’s Perseverance rover mounted atop, lifted off at 7:50 a.m. EDT.  Following lift off and deployment of the rocket’s second stage, the spacecraft was positioned into a

SPACE reports that NASA “and its international partners have officially assigned the astronauts to fly on SpaceX’s Crew-2 mission in spring of 2021, the U.S. space agency announced” Tuesday. The astronauts in Crew-2 include: NASA astronauts Shane Kimbrough and Megan McArthur, “who will serve as spacecraft commander and pilot, respectively,” Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Akihiko

Aviation International News reports that Gulfstream “is reporting progress in the testing program for its new flagship G700, completing more than 100 flights to date.” The company “also has conducted flutter testing and expanded the flight envelope at both low and high speeds.” The G700 aircraft, which is powered by two Rolls-Royce Pearl 700 engines, “has

GovCon Wire reports that NASA has selected Ball Aerospace, Maxar Technologies, Northrop Grumman, Tyvak Nano-Satellite Systems, and Southwest Research Institute to take part in the $6 billion indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity Rapid Spacecraft Acquisition IV contract. Rapid IV “will include firm-fixed-price orders for ancillary equipment, components and operational assistance, NASA said Saturday.” NASA “expects contract services to

Aviation International News reports that during the EAA Spirit of Aviation virtual event held last week, NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine discussed how the agency views the future of urban air mobility (UAM). Bridenstine said that current air traffic infrastructure “is not going to be able to manage” UAM, with “thousands of unmanned aerial systems operating [at]

The AP reported that the US “wants to build nuclear power plants that will work on the moon and Mars, and on Friday put out a request for ideas from the private sector on how to do that.” The US Department of Energy (DOE) “put out the formal request to build what it calls a fission surface

Reuters reported that The Boeing Company “is preparing to delay its all-new 777X jet by several months or up to a year, three people familiar with the matter said.” Boeing “hopes to bring the jet to market as passenger travel rebounds after a downturn caused by the pandemic. It would also hope for a detente in

SPACE reports that NASA’s Mars 2020 Perseverance rover is on track to launch July 30 after passing its flight readiness review (FRR) Wednesday, NASA officials announced. Agency officials wrote in a Wednesday update that the FRR “was an opportunity for the Mars 2020 team and launch vehicle provider United Launch Alliance to report on the readiness

Reuters reports that American Airlines and Southwest Airlines “said on Thursday they are still committed to the 737 MAX despite delays in its return to flight and the coronavirus pandemic,” though Southwest CEO Gary Kelly “said contracts need to be ‘completely reset.’” American Airlines CFO Derek Kerr “said the carrier is in ‘good discussions’ with

CNET News reports that SpaceX CEO Elon Musk “said on Twitter Tuesday that SN5, the latest iteration of the Starship developmental craft, ‘will attempt to fly later this week.’” The first test “flight of SN5 is expected to be a 150-meter (492 foot) ‘hop.’” Full Story (CNET News)

Space News reports that the “first flight of Virgin Orbit’s LauncherOne rocket failed to reach orbit in May when a propellant line broke seconds after the ignition of the rocket’s first stage engine, the company’s chief executive said” Wednesday. During a Space Generation Advisory Council webinar, CEO Dan Hart “said the demonstration mission for the

The AP reports that on Tuesday, NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Chris Cassidy completed their final spacewalk outside the ISS before preparing for the SpaceX Dragon crew capsule’s return flight to Earth. The astronauts “routed cables, hooked up a tool storage chest and removed thermal shielding from a docking port that will house a commercial airlock later

Daily Mail (UK) reports that Rolls-Royce “will provide the engines for Bell Textron’s V-280 Valor aircraft – which is one of two models competing for a potentially mammoth deal to make the replacement for the famous Reagan-era Black Hawks.” The US Army “is due to choose one design for the catchily named Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft

ExecutiveGov reports that NASA “is seeking feedback on a proposed liability framework to ensure the implementation of certification guidelines and insurance policies for private astronaut missions (PAM).” NASA “will accept feedback on the recent RFI through Sept. 1st, 2020.” NASA “intends to select a PAM provider through which the agency will ‘impose requirements with respect

Reuters reports that Alphabet Inc. subsidiary Wing is using its UAVs in Christiansburg, Virginia, to deliver medicine and groceries to local residents. Wing “has seen a major uptick in interest amid the coronavirus pandemic, as emergency regulations keep people at home and complicate many of the simplest tasks.” Last year, Wing “became the first drone

CBS News reported that NASA astronauts Douglas Hurley and Robert Behnken, “who were launched to the International Space Station on May 30 aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft, plan to return to Earth on August 2, weather permitting.” The two astronauts “will descend by parachute to an ocean splashdown to close out a historic 64-day test

Aviation International News reports that Rolls-Royce “continues to report ‘good progress’ on fixing durability problems with the Trent 1000 engine, adding that it has achieved the target of single-digit numbers of aircraft grounded by the end of the second quarter.” This update came after a July 9 statement where the company said, “We have now reached

This year the coronavirus pandemic created hardships and uncertainty unlike any other event in recent memory.

Reuters reports that British Airways (BA), “the world’s largest operator of Boeing 747, said late Thursday it would retire its entire jumbo jet fleet with immediate effect due to the downturn in travel industry caused by the coronavirus pandemic.” BA “added that it will operate more flights on modern, fuel-efficient aircraft such as its new A350s

The AP reports that NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Chris Cassidy “completed their part of a three-year power upgrade to the International Space Station on Thursday, replacing six more outdated batteries with powerful new ones.” The astronauts completed their original task an hour ahead of schedule, and were able “to complete the battery swaps in a single

Bloomberg reports that BAE Systems Plc, “the developer of Britain’s next fighter jet, said it’s considering powering the planned warplane using alternative propulsion such as hybrid or fully electric systems.” BAE Systems, “which is working with engine-maker Rolls-Royce Holdings Plc and others, is ‘examining all options’ to power the plane, manufacturing director Dave Holmes said on

CNET News reports that a Tuesday tweet by SpaceX CEO Elon Musk contained “new images of the receiver that SpaceX is refining for use with its Starlink satellite broadband, which is expected to [begin] offering service in the northern US and Canada later this year.” Musk said in the tweet, “Starlink terminal has motors to self-orient

20 July 2020, 1130–1330 hrs ET The Corporate Membership Strategic Advisory Committee (CMSAC) purpose is to provide guidance and recommendations on Institute policies and procedures related to corporate members and provide feedback to the Institute from the corporate member viewpoint. At this meeting we hope to identify current issues that we as and industry can

Spaceflight Now reports that “four clandestine payloads for the National Reconnaissance Office [NRO] are awaiting liftoff Wednesday from Wallops Island, Virginia, on a Minotaur 4 rocket powered by Cold War-era missile stages stored for more than 30 years until their conversion into a satellite launcher.” Northrop Grumman’s Minotaur 4 is scheduled to launch on Wednesday during

Aviation International News reports that Delta CEO Ed Bastian “said on a Tuesday earnings call that the airline will retire its Boeing 737-700s this year, in addition to the previously announced retirements of its MD-88, MD-90, and Boeing 777s.” At “last count, Delta’s mainline fleet included 10 Boeing 737-700s.” Delta “also has begun ‘working’ with

July 15, 2020 – Reston, Va. – Aerospace leaders from government, industry and academia will discuss the industry’s emerging propulsion and energy technologies, challenges, and opportunities during the 2020 AIAA Propulsion and Energy Forum held virtually 24–26 August. The AIAA/IEEE Electric Aircraft Technologies Symposium (EATS) will be held 26–28 August, directly following the AIAA Propulsion and Energy

July 14, 2020 – Reston, Va. –The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA), the largest technical society representing the aerospace industry, is concerned with the drastic changes to the Student and Exchange Visitor Program and H-1B visa policy. Such changes can potentially weaken an already struggling aerospace and defense (A&D) industry, potentially ceding hard-won

Aviation Today reports that the FAA’s NextGen office “recently published its V1.0 Concept of Operations for urban air mobility, developed in collaboration with” NASA and the UAM industry. The document, “an initial communication after discussions with [the] industry last fall, lays the foundation for how high-volume cargo and passenger air taxis will begin to operate within

Space News reports that NASA “has signed an agreement with the Japanese government that brings the agencies closer to finalizing Japan’s roles in the Artemis program.” NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine and Japan’s Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Koichi Hagiuda signed the Joint Exploration Declaration of Intent on Thursday during a virtual meeting.

SPACE reports that SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket “ignited its nine first-stage Merlin engines briefly in a so-called static fire test at” Space Launch Complex-40 of the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. The test “clears the way for the planned launch of the Anasis-II military communications satellite for the South Korean government on Tuesday at 5 p.m.

The AP reported that American Airlines may cancel a number of overdue Boeing 737 MAX orders unless The Boeing Company “helps line up new financing for the jets, according to people familiar with the discussions.” This occurs “as airlines are finding financing increasingly difficult and expensive as the coronavirus pandemic has crippled their operations.” American “wants Boeing

Aviation International News reports that compared to last year, “business aviation traffic in the U.S. was down only 7 percent over the extended Independence Day holiday weekend (July 1 to July 5), according to data released today by WingX Advance.” The company “said this illustrates that the segment’s recovery in the world’s key market is

Spaceflight Now reports that on Tuesday, NASA’s Perseverance Mars rover was “hoisted on top of its United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket at Cape Canaveral…passing a major pre-launch milestone after teams repaired a small leak on the launch vehicle and overcame delays caused by coronavirus cases among staff working on the mission.” Perseverance Mission Launch Director

CNET News reports that SpaceX delayed Wednesday’s scheduled launch of its Falcon 9 rocket due to weather concerns. Ten minutes before the scheduled launch time, SpaceX tweeted, “Standing down from today’s mission due to weather; proceeding through the countdown until T-1 minute for data collection. Will announce a new target launch date once confirmed on the

Information Today reports that the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics “partnered with ScienceOpen to bring aerospace-related research from four AIAA journals to the ScienceOpen platform.” The AIAA Journal, the Journal of Aerospace Information Systems, the Journal of Propulsion and Power, and the Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets will be added to the platform. Full Story

The AP reports that NASA “has added more safety fixes for The Boeing Company’s space capsule before it can fly astronauts following a pair of close calls during last year’s test flight.” In “closing out the seven-month investigation, NASA officials said Tuesday they have now identified 80 corrective actions, mostly involving software and testing, that must be