The AP/CBS News reports that the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) “said Monday it has confirmed the presence of black soil samples inside a capsule that the spacecraft Hayabusa2 brought back from” asteroid Ryugu last week. JAXA “said its scientists opened the capsule and found an unspecified amount of sandy black particles.” Scientists “are hoping

Aviation International News reports that in separate appeals, Helicopter Association International President James Viola and FAA Administrator Steve Dickson “called on helicopter operators to retrofit their legacy aircraft with crash-resistant fuel systems, seats, and structures.” Viola called on operators to voluntarily upgrade helicopters because “retrofitting aircraft to include these features will increase the likelihood of

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 15, 2020 – Reston, Va. – We as physics societies exist to ensure that physics delivers on its exceptional potential to benefit society. We recognise the important role of universal access to knowledge in achieving this goal and are therefore committed to making open access (OA) to physics research a reality. We

Aviation Today reported that Airbus will install “line-fit emergency locator technology (ELT)” into all of its in-production commercial aircraft by 2023. The “technology will be installed on Airbus aircraft as part of a single source, multi-year program contract awarded to Orolia,” which manufactures the Ultima-DT ELT. Airbus’ announcement comes in response to a European Union

Reuters reported that Virgin Galactic “cut short a test flight of its suborbital SpaceShipTwo Unity plane on Saturday, safely returning its pilot to Spaceport American in New Mexico after the rocket motor’s ignition sequence failed to complete.” The test aimed to launch the Unity spacecraft “to an altitude as high as 50 miles to test its

The Wall Street Journal reports that the US Air Force has given a safety endorsement to Joby Aviation’s electric-powered vertical-takeoff-and-landing (eVTOL) vehicle – the first safety endorsement the service has given to an eVTOL. The endorsement allows Joby Aviation to use its vehicle to transport military equipment. Industry and military officials said that the endorsement could

SPACE reports that The Boeing Company and NASA announced Wednesday that the first ISS mission for the Boeing CST-100 Starliner capsule is scheduled for March 29, 2021. This is the second time Boeing and NASA are attempting to send the Starliner to the ISS after the first attempt, in December 2019, “suffered a glitch with its

Space News reports that on Wednesday, SpaceX conducted a test flight of its Starship SN8 prototype, which lifted off at 5:45 p.m. EST from Boca Chica, Texas, with the intention of achieving an altitude of 12.5 km. SpaceX “did not immediately provide information on the actual altitude that the vehicle reached.” One “of the three

Aviation International News reports that Volocopter announced Wednesday that it will work with the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore and Economic Development Board of Singapore as it prepares to begin air taxi services with its Volocity eVTOL in the country by the end of 2023. The company said that it is speaking with other cities to

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 10, 2020 – Reston, Va. – The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) has selected Tom Shih, an AIAA Fellow and Professor of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Purdue University, as its new editor-in-chief for the AIAA Journal. He succeeds Professor Alexander Smits of Princeton University, who has served as editor-in-chief of the

Florida Today reports that the Space Force said Tuesday that weather conditions for ULA’s launch of a Delta IV Heavy rocket, and SpaceX’s launch of a Falcon 9 rocket – both scheduled for this week – look highly favorable. The weather conditions for the launch of the Delta IV Heavy rocket carrying a National Reconnaissance

Airforce Technology reported that General Atomics Aeronautical Systems completed full-scale static testing on the MQ-9B remotely piloted aircraft wing, which “includes the GA-ASI produced SkyGuardian and SeaGuardian RPA.” Testing featured load cases to 150% of expected maximum flight loads and “the wing was loaded to apply a distributed load across the wingspan even under simulating gust

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 9, 2020 – Reston, Va. – The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) mourns the passing of AIAA Honorary Fellow Peter B. Teets. He served as undersecretary and Acting Secretary of the Air Force, head of the National Reconnaissance Office, and president and chief operating officer of Lockheed Martin. He died

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 8, 2020 – Reston, Va. – The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) mourns the passing of Charles E. “Chuck” Yeager, a military test pilot who was the first person to break the sound barrier, on Monday, December 7. Yeager was a decorated U.S. Air Force pilot, having flown in World

Reuters reports that Brazil’s Gol will start passenger flights on the Boeing 737 MAX on Wednesday. Bloomberg reports that the airline has “trained 140 of its pilots in the U.S., using simulator sessions and a new curriculum approved by the Federal Aviation Administration and ANAC, Brazil’s regulator, in the wake of two fatal Max crashes.” American Airlines

The Washington Post reports that “Charles E. ‘Chuck’ Yeager, a military test pilot who was the first person to fly faster than the speed of sound and live to tell about it, died” December 7 at the age of 97. Yeager, a “self-described West Virginia hillbilly with a high school education,” became “one of the greatest aviators

SPACE reports that on Sunday at 11:17 a.m. EST, SpaceX launched a Dragon supply capsule to the ISS. The Dragon cargo craft launched atop a Falcon 9 rocket, marking the “100th successful launch of a Falcon 9 over 101 missions for SpaceX.” Nine minutes after liftoff, “the booster’s first stage returned to Earth, landing on

SPACE reports that the Chang’e 5 ascent vehicle lifted off from the moon Thursday at 10:10 a.m. EST, “carrying with it the first fresh lunar samples since 1976.” The spacecraft reached lunar orbit six minutes after liftoff. The ascent vehicle’s “job now is to meet up with the Chang’e 5 orbiter while still circling the

GovCon Wire reports that the US Army is seeking “market information on payloads for aerial intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance that would support the MQ-1C Gray Eagle’s joint all-domain operations.” The Army “said Wednesday in a SAM notice it needs to identify market sources of synthetic aperture radar, moving target indicator, electronic intelligence and other AISR payloads

Spaceflight Now reports that a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket was moved to pad 39A Wednesday “for the first launch of an upgraded version of the company’s Dragon cargo capsule for the International Space Station.” SpaceX will test-fire the main engines Thursday to prepare for the launch scheduled for Saturday at 11:39 EST. The Dragon cargo capsule

Military.com reports that the US Marine Corps’ “first F-35C carrier-variant Joint Strike Fighter squadron has officially been declared ready for combat.” According to a USMC release, “Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 314 of Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, California, said its F-35Cs have achieved initial operational capability, or IOC, authorizing the aircraft for worldwide carrier deployment

Reuters reports that on Tuesday, Virgin Galactic announced that “it had set a new” window for the test flight of its LauncherOne rocket, with the window now opening on December 11. The company paused preparations in November because of COVID-19 restrictions put in place by New Mexico. The flight “will test elements of the spacecraft’s

Reuters reports that the Federal Aviation Administration “has issued its first airworthiness certificate for a Boeing 737 MAX built since March 2019, the agency said on Tuesday.” The FAA “is requiring a series of software changes and new pilot training requirements before planes can return to service.” Full Story (Reuters)

Defense News reports that Australia and the US “are partnering to develop and test an air-launched hypersonic cruise missile under the bilateral Southern Cross Integrated Flight Research Experiment program, or SCIFiRE, the two countries announced Monday.” The program “falls under the Allied Prototyping Initiative, which is managed by the Directorate of Advanced Capabilities within the

Aviation International News reports Airbus’ “new five-bladed H145 helicopter has received FAA type certification (TC)[,] with the first U.S. delivery slated to occur early next year.” The TC “covers single-pilot instrument flight rules (IFR) and single-engine operations (Cat.A/VTOL), and night vision goggle capability.” EASA “certified the helicopter in June, and launch customer Norwegian Air Ambulance

Space News reported that Virgin Orbit “is preparing to perform a second flight of its LauncherOne small launch vehicle in the second half of December, carrying a set of NASA-sponsored cubesats.” A November 24 “‘Local Notice to Mariners’ by the U.S. Coast Guard stated that Virgin Orbit ‘will conduct hazardous operations’ offshore from San Nicolas

CNN reported that NASA “engineers have begun assembling the massive rocket designed to take the first woman to the moon later this decade as part of the Artemis program.” NASA said November 24 that the Space Launch System’s first booster segment has been stacked on the mobile launcher at the Kennedy Space Center. Full Story

SPACE reports that Boom Supersonic recently announced that it plans to fly a supersonic jet demonstrator in 2021. The demonstrator, XB-1, “will be 71 feet (22 meters) long and made of carbon composite, allowing it to remain resilient to flying faster than the speed of sound, the company said in an October statement.” Boom Supersonic Founder

SPACE reports that on Tuesday at 9:13 p.m. EST, SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 rocket carrying 60 Starlink satellites. Approximately nine minutes after launch, the Falcon 9’s first stage landed on the Of Course I Still Love You droneship in the Atlantic Ocean. Tuesday’s launch marked the seventh launch for this Falcon 9 first stage, a

Florida Today reports that on Monday, for the second consecutive day, SpaceX pushed the launch of 60 Starlink satellites atop a Falcon 9 rocket by 24 hours. The delay is due to unfavorable weather conditions near the recovery zone for the Falcon 9’s first stage. The mission is now scheduled to launch at 9:13 p.m.

Aviation International News reports that Gulfstream Aerospace has completed many of the tests required for the certification of its G700 ultra-long-range jet. Gulfstream President Mark Burns said, “The G700 development program continues to go very well. … Now we’ll be inducting the first airplane into completion very soon.” Gulfstream is aiming to enter the “$75

Florida Today reports that on Sunday, SpaceX scrubbed the launch of a Falcon 9 rocket set to carry 60 Starlink satellites into orbit. SpaceX cited “mission assurance” as the reason for the delay and said that it would aim to launch the rocket at 9:34 p.m. EST Monday. Although “weather around the pad appears to be

Reuters reported that the European Union Aviation Safety Agency “is set to lift its flight ban on the Boeing 737 MAX passenger jetliner in January after U.S. regulators last week ended a 20-month grounding triggered by two fatal crashes.” On Saturday, EASA Executive Director Patrick Ky said, “We wanted to carry out a totally independent

Reuters reports that Boeing 737 MAX US and European customers, including Southwest Airlines, “signaled caution on their order books as they monitor demand in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.” Southwest Chief Executive Gary Kelly said, “If demand is going to be persistently depressed, we can retire and not need to take airplanes as replacements.”

The AP reports in a press conference with the four astronauts that traveled to the International Space Station via the SpaceX Dragon craft, that Japanese astronaut Soichi Noguchi “said Thursday that riding a Dragon capsule to orbit is…a lot more fun than NASA’s shuttles or Russian flights.” First-time astronaut Victor Glover said the experience was “truly

IHS Jane’s 360 reports that DARPA “has issued contracts to three industry teams to develop experimental aircraft (X-plane) based on active flow control” under the Control of Revolutionary Aircraft with Novel Effectors (CRANE) program. The three are Aurora Flight Sciences, Lockheed Martin, and Georgia Tech Research Corporation. Full Story (IHS Jane’s 360)

ExecutiveGov reports, “The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and NASA have completed virtual tests of multiple unmanned traffic management (UTM) platforms intended to support drone operations beyond visual line of sight.” The tests “featured systems designed to support international UAS standards validation, multisector information sharing, in-flight separation from other aircraft and the development of a flight

The Washington Post reports that on Wednesday, the FAA lifted its ban on Boeing’s 737 Max, “20 months after the aircraft was grounded following two crashes within five months that killed 346 people.” The ruling confirms the FAA’s satisfaction with “software and other fixes, and new pilot training,” and that the aircraft is safe to

Aviation International News reports that The Boeing Company’s “newly released 2020 World Air Cargo Forecast anticipates more than 60 percent fleet growth over 20 years, driven largely by market requirements for medical supply transport and continuing e-commerce growth.” Specifically, it “projects a demand for 2,430 freighters over the next 20 years, including 930 new production

Aerospace America reports from AIAA’s Ascend that moderator Mary Lynne Dittmar of the Coalition for Deep Space Exploration led a panel discussion in which “a handful of space industry officials” argued for the incoming administration to help “increase commercial activity in low-Earth orbit,” and “each panelist agreed that NASA should not build or operate another space

IHS Jane’s 360 reports, “The Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) put its Bell Boeing MV-22B Osprey tiltrotor aircraft into service on 6 November, making it the first international partner to operate the US-made platform,” according to US Naval Air Systems Command, which also called it “a major milestone for both the Japanese and V-22 Joint

Reuters reports, “Virgin Galactic has rescheduled a test flight planned from its New Mexico spaceport later this week after the U.S. state imposed fresh COVID-19 restrictions.” The flight was scheduled for November 19-23. Full Story (Reuters)

Space News reported, “A National Reconnaissance Office satellite flew to orbit Nov. 13 aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket.” The launch took place “at 5:32 p.m. Eastern from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.” Full Story (Space News)

IGN reported that “the U.S. Air Force is working with aerospace defense firm Lockheed Martin to deploy lasers on fighter jets by 2025” under the program name “SHiELD” for “Self-Protect High Energy Laser Demonstrator.” The program envisages “a pod-mounted laser on the fuselage or wing of a fighter jet designed to shoot down incoming air-to-air and

AIAA congratulates SpaceX, its aerospace industry suppliers, NASA and all those who supported the Crew-1 mission for the successful launch…

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE AIAA Brian Talbot  Senior Director, Strategic Marketing & Communications 703.980.4132 [email protected] NAE Brandon Green Communications/Media Specialist 202.334.2226 [email protected] Will Deliver October Address on “From Airbags to Wheels: The Evolution of GN&C for Entry, Descent, and Landing” September 11, 2020 – Reston, Va. – The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) and

Spaceflight Now reports that the United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket “made its third trip to a Cape Canaveral launch pad Thursday, rolling into position for liftoff Friday afternoon with a classified payload for the U.S. government’s spy satellite agency.” The US Space Force’s 45th Weather Squadron issued a forecast Thursday morning that indicates a 90

FlightGlobal reports, “American Airlines expects to defer up to 18 Boeing 737 Max deliveries in the coming years but still anticipates acquiring 18 new Max from Boeing this year.” American also is “deferring delivery of some Airbus A321s.” Full Story (FlightGlobal)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Register now to have access on Monday, 16 November November 12, 2020 – Reston, Va. – ASCEND is the first international space event specifically focused on how to expand the $4 billion space economy to an anticipated $1.5 trillion in the next two decades. ASCEND will bring together top scientists, engineers, economists, medical

SPACE reports that NASA Commercial Crew Program Manager Steve Stitch said Tuesday that the test flight for the Boeing CST-100 Starliner commercial crew capsule has been delayed until early 2021 due to ongoing software checks. The uncrewed NASA mission, Orbital Flight Test 2, “was targeted to launch by the end of this year after The Boeing