Aviation Week reports, “The first flight of a hydrogen-powered helicopter has been accomplished in Canada by Unither Bioelectronics. A subsidiary of bioetechnology company United Therapeutics (UT), Unither modified the piston-powered Robinson R44 to hydrogen-electric propulsion using a fuel cell power system.”
Full Story (Aviation Week)
Tag: 2025
Navy Partners with Shift5 to Prevent Future Gearbox Disasters on V-22 Osprey
Defense News reports, “The Navy has awarded defense and aviation technology company Shift5 a contract to test predictive maintenance technology on the V-22 Osprey, which the company hopes might prevent gearbox catastrophes that have proven fatal in recent years.”
Full Story (Defense News)
NASA’s SPHEREx Space Telescope Captures Its First Cosmic Images
SPACE reports, “On April 1, NASA announced its brand new infrared space telescope, SPHEREx, has officially opened its eyes to the cosmos as well. This first light, as it’s called, shows that all of the spacecraft’s systems are working just as expected. ‘Based on the images we are seeing, we can now say that the instrument team nailed it,’ Jamie Bock, SPHEREx’s principal investigator at Caltech and NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California, said in a statement.”
Full Story (SPACE)
Fram2 Astronauts Launch on Polar Orbit Mission
Spaceflight Now reports, “A historic mission took flight from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center on Monday night. Against the backdrop of an off-shore band of thunderstorms, four first-time astronauts soared off the pad at Launch Complex 39A onboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and headed into a polar orbit. Malta resident Chun Wang funded the orbital polar expedition and flew alongside Norwegian cinematographer, Jannicke Mikkelsen; German arctic robotics researcher, Rabea Rogge; and Australian polar guide, Eric Philips.”
Full Story (Spaceflight Now)
Video
Fram2 Astronauts Launch on Polar Orbit Mission (Launch occurs at 2:00:17)
(Spaceflight Now; YouTube)
Belgium’s First MQ-9B SkyGuardian Performs Maiden Flight
Unmanned Systems Technology reports, “General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) and the Belgian Ministry of Defence have marked a significant milestone with the successful first flight of Belgium’s new MQ-9B SkyGuardian® Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA). This aircraft is the first of four MQ-9Bs ordered by Belgium and took to the skies on February 20, 2025, from GA-ASI’s Desert Horizon Flight Operations Facility in El Mirage, California.”
Full Story (Unmanned Systems Technology)
AIAA Announces 2025 Election Results
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 1, 2025 – Reston, Va. – The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) has released the results of its recent elections. The newly elected AIAA officials will take office in May.
“We are proud to announce the newest AIAA leaders who will play key roles in serving our members and advancing the Institute,” said AIAA President Daniel Hastings. “I am grateful to each of the candidates for their willingness to lead important activities that benefit our profession. Their service is essential to the smooth functioning of the Institute. Congratulations to our new leaders.”
Read about all members of the Board of Trustees here. Read about all members of the Council of Directors here.
2025 ELECTION RESULTS FOR BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Dana “Keoki” Jackson, The MITRE Corporation, was chosen as AIAA President-Elect for 2025-2026. He will serve as AIAA President 2026-2028.
In January, the Board of Trustees elected three Members-At-Large:
- Michael Gazarik, University of Colorado Boulder
- Tina Ghataore, Aerospacelab
- Jill Marlowe, Retired
Ben Linder, Boeing Commercial Airplanes, also was elected to fulfill an unexpired term.
2025 ELECTION RESULTS FOR COUNCIL OF DIRECTORS
Integration and Outreach Activities Division (IOD)
- Chief: Jeanette Domber, BAE Systems
- Director–Aerospace Outreach Group: Sofia Russi, Denmar Technical Services
- Director–Integration Group: Abdollah Khodadoust, The Boeing Company
- Director-Elect–Young Professionals Group: Nathan Crane, Advanced Development Programs, Lockheed Martin Aeronautics
Regional Engagement Activities Division (READ)
- Director–Region IV: Ellen Gillespie, Jacobs Engineering
- Director–Region V: James Guglielmo, Boeing Defense, Space & Security
Technical Activities Division (TAD)
- Director–Information Systems: Michel Ingham, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory
- Director–Propulsion & Energy: Rusty Powell, Axient
Media contact: Rebecca B. Gray, [email protected], 804-397-5270
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, or follow AIAA on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, or Instagram.
SpaceX Launches its 450th Falcon 9, Sets New Record for Booster Turnaround Time
Spaceflight Now reports, “The National Reconnaissance Office launched its eighth batch of satellites to support its proliferated architecture constellation. The mission includes a number of notable milestones for SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket program, including a record-fast turnaround time for its booster. The rocket carried an unspecified number of satellites that are believed to be Starshield, a government variant of the Starlink satellites that are built by SpaceX in partnership with Northrop Grumman. This was SpaceX’s 450th Falcon 9 launch to date.”
Full Story (Spaceflight Now)
Video
SpaceX launches a Falcon 9 for 450th time (Launch occurs at 32:38)
(Spaceflight Now; YouTube)
Wilmore and Williams Splash Down Aboard SpaceX Dragon After Nine-month Stay in Space
The Washington Post reports, “The spacecraft carrying NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Barry “Butch” Wilmore splashed down Tuesday evening in the Gulf of Mexico after a 286-day odyssey that started with a technical problem that forced NASA to swap vehicles and extend the mission from about eight days to nine months.”
Full Story (Washington Post)
Video
NASA’s SpaceX Crew-9 Re-Entry and Splashdown
(NASA; YouTube)
NASA’s Stuck Astronauts Are Finally On Their Way Back to Earth After 9 Months in Space
AP News reports, “NASA’s two stuck astronauts headed back to Earth with SpaceX on Tuesday to close out a dramatic marathon mission that began with a bungled Boeing test flight more than nine months ago. Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams bid farewell to the International Space Station — their home since last spring — departing aboard a SpaceX capsule alongside two other astronauts. The capsule undocked in the wee hours and aimed for a splashdown off the Florida coast by early evening, weather permitting.”
Full Story (AP News)
SpaceX Falcon 9 Launches 70+ Payloads in Transporter-13 Mission
Space News reports, “A SpaceX Falcon 9 launched more than 70 payloads in the latest in its series of dedicated rideshare missions that have reshaped the small satellite industry. The Falcon 9 lifted off from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California at 2:43 a.m. Eastern March 15 on the Transporter-13 mission. SpaceX said Transporter-13 carried 74 payloads, including hosted payloads and satellites that will be deployed later from an orbital transfer vehicle by D-Orbit. SpaceX’s website listed 47 separate deployments planned over 90 minutes.”
Full Story (Space News)
Video
SpaceX Transporter 13 Launch
(The Launch Pad; YouTube)