Tag: 2025

NASA’s Two Stuck Astronauts Perform Their First Spacewalk Together

AP News reports, “NASA’s two stuck astronauts took their first spacewalk together Thursday, exiting the International Space Station almost eight months after moving in. Commander Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore floated out to perform maintenance work and wipe the station’s exterior for evidence of any microbes that might still be alive after launching from Earth and escaping through vents.”
Full Story (AP News)

Boom’s XB-1 Achieves Supersonic Flight Milestone

Aviation Week reports, “High-speed airliner developer Boom took a major leap toward the development of its Mach 1.7 Overture transport with the successful supersonic flight of its XB-1 demonstrator, the first independently developed faster-than-sound aircraft. The XB-1, flown by Boom Chief Test Pilot Tristan ‘Geppetto’ Brandenburg, exceeded Mach 1 on three separate occasions during its 12th test flight on Jan. 28, hitting a top speed of Mach 1.12 at around 11 min. 30 sec. into the flight. The aircraft accelerated through the transonic regime while flying at 34,000 ft. in the Mojave Desert’s Black Mountain supersonic corridor within the area’s restricted R-2508 test airspace complex.”
Full Story (Aviation Week)
More Info (AIAA Statement)

SpaceX Falcon 9 Launches 21 Starlink Satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station

Spaceflight Now reports, “SpaceX sent its latest batch of Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit Monday late afternoon. Among the 21 V2 Mini satellites were 13 that feature Direct to Cell capabilities. Liftoff of the Falcon 9 rocket on the Starlink 12-7 mission from pad 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station happened at 5:05 p.m. EST.”
Full Story (Spaceflight Now)

 

 

 

Video

SpaceX Falcon 9 launches 21 Starlink satellites from from Cape Canaveral (Launch at 0:59:42 mark)
(Spaceflight Now; YouTube)

Airbus Pauses CityAirbus NextGen eVTOL Program

Aerotime reports, “Airbus announced on January 27, 2025, that it is pausing the development of its CityAirbus NextGen electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft … Bruno Even, CEO of Airbus Helicopters, highlighted the uncertainty over the capabilities of the current generation of batteries as the key reason for the suspension of this program.”
Full Story (Aerotime)

Aviation Week Article: Pratt & Whitney Unveils Details Of Hydrogen-Steam Hybrid Engine Cycle

Guy Norris at Aviation Week reports, “Hydrogen fuel may offer attractive pathways toward the goal of zero carbon emissions, but turning that vision into a practical propulsion system is another matter. Now Pratt & Whitney thinks it may have taken the first steps along that path with the Hydrogen Steam-Injected, Intercooled Turbine Engine (HySIITE) concept—a novel hybrid engine configuration that combines the advantages of the fuel’s cryogenic properties with the thermodynamic benefits of steam injection. Pratt & Whitney has unveiled details of the concept, which has been studied under a two-year $3.8 million U.S. Energy Department Advanced Research Projects Agency–Energy (ARPA-E) effort. While Pratt acknowledges the cycle is complex and requires more study, it is encouraged by the results, which show potential for as much as 35% lower energy use compared with current state-of-the-art engines.”
Full Story (Aviation Week)

Boom Prepares XB-1 Demonstrator for Maiden Supersonic Flight

Aviation24.be reports, “The world is on the verge of witnessing a historic moment in aviation. Boom Supersonic, the company pioneering the return of commercial supersonic travel, is preparing for the maiden supersonic flight of its XB-1 demonstrator. After a rigorous program of 11 successful test flights at increasing speeds, XB-1 is poised to break the sound barrier. This groundbreaking event will be livestreamed globally, allowing the public to witness this pivotal moment in aviation history. The livestream is scheduled for January 28, 2025, at 06:45 PST/09:45 EST/14:45 GMT.”
Full Story (Aviation24.be)

Mishap Causes SpaceX to Reexamine Starship’s Upper Stage

Aviation Week reports SpaceX’s “effort to demonstrate payload deployment, land its upper stage and potentially achieve spaceship-to-spaceship fuel transfer this year had an inauspicious start when the Starship system suffered a setback during the Jan. 16 flight. Minutes after launch, the Block 2 upper stage broke up when a fire developed in the aft section.”
Full Story (Aviation Week)

 

 

 

 

Video

A SpaceX Starship rocket exploded shortly after launching on its seventh test flight.
(Brut India; YouTube)

First-Quarter Outlook for United Beats Estimates After Profits Climb to End 2024

CNBC reports, “United forecast first-quarter earnings that surpassed analysts’ estimates as the carrier seeks to grow earnings again in 2025 thanks to strong travel demand. The airline said Tuesday that it expects to earn an adjusted 75 cents to $1.25 in the first three months of the year, above the 54 cents analysts had expected, according to LSEG estimates.”
Full Story (CNBC)

SpaceX’s 7th Starship Test Launch Prompts FAA Investigation

Via Satellite reports, “SpaceX’s dramatic Starship test on Thursday afternoon has triggered a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) mishap investigation after debris from the test impacted air travel and may have damaged public property in Turks and Caicos. SpaceX launched the seventh flight test for its massive Starship rocket on Jan. 16, testing extensive upgrades to the vehicle for the first time. After a successful liftoff, stage separation, and recapturing the booster on land, SpaceX lost communication with the ship, which broke apart over the Caribbean.”
Full Story (Via Satellite)

Pentagon Set to Move Forward with Replicator Drone Program to Counter China

Bloomberg reports the Pentagon “is likely to decide by mid-December what drones will make up the initial phase of its new Replicator program intended to deploy thousands of pilotless aircraft in 2025 to counter China’s numeric superiority in weapons systems such as ships, according to the Defense Department’s No. 2 official.” Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks “said Tuesday that the choices may not be announced publicly ‘because part of the program’s intent is to create operational dilemmas for China’ as to how best to counter the new capability.”
Full Story (Bloomberg)

Schiphol Airport to Ban Private Jets, Small Business Aircraft Beginning in 2025

Aviation International News reports that Amsterdam Schiphol Airport “intends to ban private jets and small business aircraft starting in 2025 as part of a wider strategy to introduce a system that focuses on the structural reduction of noise and carbon dioxide (COs) emissions in line with the Paris climate agreement.” A statement from the airport said that business aviation flights and private jets cause a “disproportionate amount of noise nuisance and CO2 emissions per passenger,” and added that the business flights produce approximately 20 times more carbon than commercial flights. The airports greener guidelines “also includes a ban on night flights and nixes a project for an additional runway,” with police and ambulance flights allowed.
Full Story (Aviation International News)

EASA Believes First Air Taxis Will Be Used Starting 2024 or 2025

Reuters reports that European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) Executive Director Patrick Ky said Wednesday, “I believe that commercial use of (air) taxis can start to take place in 2024 or 2025.” The EASA “cited figures suggesting a 4.2-billion-euro UAM market in Europe by 2030, creating 90,000 jobs. Some 31% of the global market for the new technology would be based in Europe.” The EASA “has already started the process of certifying some of the designs and expects first approvals for the lightweight machines by around 2024, Ky told reporters.”
Full Story (Reuters)

AIAA Announces 2025 Sustained Service Awards Winners

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

December 3, 2024 – Reston, Va. – The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) is pleased to announce the winners of the 2025 Sustained Service Awards. The award recognizes sustained, significant service and contributions to AIAA by members of the Institute.

“Volunteers are the driving force of the Institute – we couldn’t achieve our mission without the ingenuity, hands-on collaboration, and selfless service of our members,” said AIAA CEO Clay Mowry. “This year’s Sustained Service honorees exemplify servant leadership. We are grateful for their invaluable contributions to our community.”

The Sustained Service Award winners are AIAA members in good standing who have shown continuing dedication to the interests of the Institute by making significant and sustained contributions over a period of time, typically 10 years or more. Active participation and service at the local section/regional level, and/or the national level is a potential discriminator in the evaluation of candidates.

The 2025 Sustained Service Awards winners are:

  • Steven X. BauerSteven X. Bauer, NASA Langley Research Center
    For sustained leadership, service, and contributions to the Hampton Roads Section, Region I, and AIAA National.Bauer became an AIAA student member in his freshman year of college, 1981. He served as student branch officer and has held many positions in the Hampton Roads Section, including section chair. He was the Region I Director for six years. Bauer has worked at NASA Langley Research Center since 1983 and is retiring in December 2024.
  • Gene R. DionneGene R. Dionne, Lockheed Martin Corporation (retired)
    For his passionate, unmatched support of AIAA and the Rocky Mountain Section through volunteering across all committees.Dionne spent 26 years in the U.S. Air Force, mostly in space systems acquisition and technology development. He was intimate in the manufacturing, integration, test and launch/on-orbit operations of ~30 satellites, which all exceeded their mean mission durations. Dionne spent 22 years at Lockheed Martin Space in systems engineering and program management. He was selected as AIAA Fellow in 2014, and served on the Fellows Selection Committee for three years. He was AIAA Rocky Mountain Section Chair for two years and continued to assist on the section’s executive council for another 20 years as the “Fellow-at-large.”
  • Trevor S. ElliottTrevor S. Elliott, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
    For prolific, dedicated, and outstanding service to AIAA forums, technical committees, student teams, outreach groups, rocketry organizations, and aerospace communities leading to numerous student-led recognitions.Elliott is a UC Foundation Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. He serves as primary Faculty Advisor for the UTC Racing Mocs, SAE Chapter, and the UTC Rocket Mocs, roles where he has guided teams that have won national placement in collegiate competitions and set a world record in amateur rocketry. He is an active member of the AIAA Solid Rockets Technical Committee and Hybrid Rockets Technical Committee chair and technical discipline chair.
  • David C. FlemingDavid C. Fleming, University of Michigan
    For sustained service to the Cape Canaveral Section and Florida Institute of Technology Student Branch through continued participation, council leadership, and unwavering dedication to AIAA’s mission.Fleming earned a B.S. degree in Aeronautics and Astronautics from MIT and M.S. and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Maryland, College Park. He served on the faculty of the Florida Institute of Technology for 28 years, including a three-year term as department head. Fleming was faculty adviser of the AIAA Florida Tech Student Branch for over 25 years. Currently, he serves as Lecturer at the University of Michigan.
  • Aaron L. Harcrow Jr.Aaron L. Harcrow Jr., No Box Innovations
    For over 30 years of outstanding and sustained service to the Atlanta Section and Region II, contributing to the success of the Section.Harcrow joined AIAA as a student member in 1981 and regards his 42-plus-years membership as a learning experience in the many ways to volunteer for AIAA, for which there appears to be no end in sight! In addition to volunteering for AIAA, Harcrow has developed multidisciplinary skills in aerospace engineering, systems engineering, project management, innovative design, product development, CAD/CAM/CNC, computer programming, and teaching undergraduate engineering courses. He holds one USPTO patent.
  • Christopher J. PestakChristopher J. Pestak, HX5, LLC
    For dedicated service to AIAA and the field of aerospace for over 40 years, and holding significant leadership positions within AIAA.Pestak is Program Manager of the Glenn Engineering and Research Support (GEARS) contract for HX5, LLC. He manages 350 staff supporting NASA Glenn Research Center performing wide-ranging work in space and aeronautics. Spaceflight systems have been a primary focus of his 42-year career. Pestak holds a B.S. in Electrical Engineering and an M.S. in Industrial Engineering, both from Cleveland State University. He is an AIAA Fellow.
  • Robert W. PitzRobert W. Pitz, Vanderbilt University
    For over three decades of distinguished and continuous service to AIAA, especially in national leadership roles involving publication, honors, ethics, and technical committee activities.Pitz has mechanical engineering degrees from Purdue University (B.S.) and UC Berkeley (M.S. and Ph.D.). After five years at GE Research, he joined Vanderbilt University where he is a Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering and served as Department Chair (1998–2017). He won the NSF Presidential Young Investigator Award (1987) and AIAA Best Paper Award in Propellants & Combustion (1996). Pitz is an AIAA Fellow. He also is a Fellow of ASME and the Combustion Institute.

Media Contact: Rebecca Gray, [email protected], 804-397-5270 cell

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, and follow AIAA on X/Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram.

2025 AIAA Dryden Lectureship in Research Awarded to Tim C. Lieuwen, Georgia Institute of Technology

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Lecture Set for 7 January During 2025 AIAA SciTech Forum

November 18, 2024 – Reston, Va. – The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) is pleased to announce the 2025 AIAA Dryden Lectureship in Research is awarded to Tim C. Lieuwen, Regents’ Professor, David S. Lewis Jr. Chair, and Executive Director of the Strategic Energy Institute at Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta.

Lieuwen will deliver his lecture, “Future Research Directions in Aero Propulsion and Clean Energy Systems,” Tuesday, 7 January, 4 p.m. ET, during the 2025 AIAA SciTech Forum, Orlando, Florida.

2025 AIAA SciTech Forum registration is available now. Journalists can request a Press Pass here.

Lieuwen is a Regents’ Professor and the interim Executive Vice President for Research at Georgia Tech, where he provides overall leadership for its research, economic development, compliance, and commercialization units. He is also founder and CTO of TurbineLogic, an energy industry analytics firm. He is an international authority on clean energy and propulsion, and his work has contributed to numerous commercialized innovations in the energy and aerospace sectors. He has authored four books and over 500 other publications. Lieuwen serves on boards of three DOE national labs and EPRI, and is a DOE Secretary appointee to the National Petroleum Counsel. He is a member of the National Academy of Engineering.

Future aero propulsion and clean energy systems will be profoundly influenced by broader societal drivers associated with decarbonization, national security, and resilience. Lieuwen’s lecture will address these societal drivers and the underlying RD&D needs, such as system efficiencies, operational flexibility, emissions and environmental impacts, and fuel flexibility. As case studies, the lecture will highlight fundamental problems in combustion and fluid mechanics that flow out of these drivers. Many of these issues drive from the fact that combustion occurs in a high shear flow with strong density gradients, leading to important flow instabilities that often dominate fluid mixing, flame stability, interactions with acoustic waves, and system operability. Indeed, it is fair to say that understanding and controlling these interactions will be one of the key enablers – or stumbling blocks – behind realization of low carbon thermal energy systems, and next generation aircraft and rocket engines. Moreover, the dynamics and stability of reacting flows introduce fascinating physiochemical behaviors, which are fundamentally interesting in their own right. This lecture will span from fundamentals to current applications and unsolved problems at the intersection of combustion, fluid mechanics, and flow stability, and will be of interest to industry, researchers, and students.

The Dryden Lectureship in Research is one of the most prestigious lectureships bestowed by the Institute. Since the inaugural lecture in 1961, it has been a catalyst for sharing research advancements and knowledge. This premier lecture is named in honor of Dr. Hugh L. Dryden, a renowned aerospace leader and a director of the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, or NACA, as well as the first deputy administrator of NASA when the agency was created in 1958. The award emphasizes the importance of basic research in advancing aeronautics and astronautics. For more information about the AIAA Honors and Awards program, contact Patricia A. Carr at [email protected].

Media Contact: Rebecca Gray, [email protected], 804-397-5270 cell

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 X/Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram.