Tag: aerospace engineering

Archer Performs Longest Piloted Flight of its Midnight Aircraft

Electrive reports, “Archer Aviation, the California-based electric aircraft company, has just announced the longest piloted flight of its Midnight aircraft. The Midnight flew 55 miles (88km) in 31 minutes at >126mph (202.8km/h). On this test flight, the fully electric Midnight used a conventional takeoff and landing method; however, the aircraft itself is also capable of vertical takeoff and landing, thanks to articulated rotors which can serve either purpose depending on need.”
Full Story (Electrive)

SiFly Q12 Sets New Drone Endurance Record

Flying Magazine reports, “As the FAA nears a final rule on beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) drone operations that could unlock more expansive commercial missions, a California-based startup has set a new benchmark for the longest flight of a prototype electric drone weighing 5-20 kilograms.” UAS developer SiFly “this week said Guinness World Records validated a 3-hour, 11-minute flight of its Q12 drone, eclipsing the previous high by nearly one hour.”
Full Story (Flying Magazine)

SpaceX Falcon 9 Launches Space Force’s X-37B Spaceplane

Spaceflight Now reports, “A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket thundered off launch pad 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida shortly before midnight, carrying with it a military spaceplane known as the X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle. The launch Thursday night kicked off the eighth mission for the program, which began operational flights in April 2010. United States Space Force (USSF) officials confirmed separation of the Boeing-built spacecraft in the hours following liftoff at 11:50 p.m. EDT (0350 UTC on Aug. 22).”
Full Story (Spaceflight Now)

Video

SpaceX launches a Falcon 9 rocket carrying the X-37B (Launch at the 58:35 mark)
Spaceflight Now; YouTube

Aviation Startups Showcase Disruptive New Aircraft Coming by 2050

FROM THE INSTITUTE
Commercial aviation is staring down a massive shortfall—and time is running out. According to industry estimates, more than 40,000 new aircraft will be needed by 2050 to meet global air transportation demand. Yet between them, the world’s two largest aircraft manufacturers—Boeing and Airbus—can only deliver about 26,000 new aircraft by the midpoint of this century.
Full Story (Aerospace America)

Regent Co-Founders Begin Seaglider Hydrofoil Trials

Aviation Week reports, “For Billy Thalheimer, co-founder and CEO of electric seaglider startup Regent, Aug. 6 was a surreal day. Just five years ago, he was seated at the kitchen table in co-founder Mike Klinker’s apartment, the two friends working side by side to develop the concept of the Viceroy electric seaglider after…”
Full Story (Aviation Week)

Student Scientist’s Space Biology Experiment Wins 2025 Genes in Space Competition

FROM THE INSTITUTE
Under the bright lights of the ASCEND stage in Las Vegas, a remarkable moment for student innovation took flight. Nitya Johar, 17, of Skyline High School in Sammamish, Washington, was announced as the 2025 national winner of the Genes in Space competition. Her pioneering experiment will investigate codon usage bias in space, a discovery that could advance spaceflight medicine and biomanufacturing in microgravity.
Full Story (Aerospace America)

ULA Undertaking New Efforts on Vulcan Reusability

Space News reports, “United Launch Alliance is leaning more into reusability as it advances work on recovering the engine section of the Vulcan rocket and embarks on another project. Tory Bruno, president and chief executive of ULA, said during an episode of his “The Burn Sequence” podcast published Aug. 19 that the company was working on a new initiative related to reuse of the Vulcan Centaur rocket beyond recovery of the engine section of the vehicle’s first stage.”
Full Story (Space News)