SPACE reports that Sierra Space’s Dream Chaser spaceplane “will be used for an International Space Station (ISS) cargo mission in 2024 to ferry ‘a variety of life sciences experiments’ for Yuri, a German space biotech company.” Sierra Space “will send at least six uncrewed ISS cargo missions using Dream Chaser, all lifting off from Florida’s Cape Canaveral Space Force Station using United Launch Alliance Vulcan Centaur rockets.”
Full Story (SPACE)
Tag: aeronautical engineering
US Army Grounds Its Entire Fleet of Chinook Helicopters Over Risk of Engine Fires
Bloomberg reports that Army spokeswoman Cynthia Smith said in a statement that the service has “grounded its entire fleet of some 400 CH-47 Chinook transport helicopters after engine fires broke out on a few of them.”
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Bristow Plans to Acquire Up to 55 Alia 250 eVTOL Aircraft
Aviation International News reports that Bristow “is continuing to expand into the advanced air mobility (AAM) market with plans to acquire as many as 55 Alia 250 eVTOL aircraft from Beta Technologies. The company announced on Tuesday that it has placed a firm order for five of Beta’s electrically powered aircraft, with options for 50 more.”
Full Story (Aviation International News)
Aerospace Industry Looks Towards Low-Emission Future
BBC News reports that the aerospace industry is looking into electrified engines as a low-emissions option. Start-up Faradair “is planning to develop and sell a hybrid-electric passenger plane, aimed at the regional aviation market. It would have up to 19 seats and would be propelled by a fan driven by an electric motor. The necessary electricity would be provided by a small gas turbine.” Wright Electric’s the e-Genius and Eviation’s Alice are other similar aircraft.
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Beta Technologies Flies Alia Aircraft between Amazon Air Hubs
Aviation Week reports that Beta Technologies “has flown its Alia electric aircraft between two Amazon Air hubs, completing a 31-min. flight between Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport and Wilmington Air Park in Ohio.”
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NASA to Launch Rockets from Australia’s Northern Territory
Bloomberg reports that NASA “will launch three sounding rockets from a facility in Australia’s Northern Territory from June 26, the first time the space agency has used a commercial launchpad outside of the US in its more than 50-year history.” Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese “announced the historic event in a statement on Tuesday night, saying it will be the first NASA launch in the country since 1995.”
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VoloConnect Completed First Flight in May
Aviation Today reports that Volocopter “just announced that the four-seater VoloConnect aircraft completed its first flight in May.” The VoloConnect “could enter into service as early as 2026.”
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Sierra Space, Spirit AeroSystems Partner on Dream Chaser Cargo Modules
Space News reports that Sierra Space announced Tuesday “a strategic partnership with aerospace manufacturer Spirit AeroSystems for production of cargo modules for its Dream Chaser vehicles.” Spirit “will assist in the development and production of Shooting Star, the cargo module attached to the aft end of the Dream Chaser lifting body vehicle.” The Shooting Star module “will support future cargo missions to the International Space Station under Sierra Space’s contract with NASA, and for other applications.”
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Boeing’s Starliner Expected to Launch Uncrewed Orbital Flight Test 2 This Week
SPACE reports, “Boeing’s Starliner capsule is all set to launch on the uncrewed Orbital Flight Test 2 (OFT-2) mission to the International Space Station (ISS).” The Boeing Company faces “an instantaneous launch window of May 19 at 6:54 p.m. EDT (2254 GMT) for liftoff of Starliner atop a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket.”
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Boeing, NASA Ready for Second Starliner Test Flight
Space News reports that The Boeing Company and NASA “say they’re confident they have resolved a valve issue that delayed a test flight of the company’s CST-100 Starliner commercial crew vehicle last year and are ready to try again later this month.” Boeing on Thursday “moved the Starliner spacecraft from a processing facility at the Kennedy Space Center…to a United Launch Alliance vehicle processing facility at Space Launch Complex 40. The Starliner will be installed on the Atlas 5 rocket there for final preparations for the Orbital Flight Test (OFT) 2 mission, scheduled for launch May 19.”
Full Story (Space News)