Tag: August 2024

Amazon Selected as 1 of 6 Participants in U.K. Drone Trials

Flying Magazine reports, “The U.K.’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) is launching a series of trials to integrate drones into the country’s everyday life. The CAA on Thursday announced it selected six projects that will test the self-flying aircraft’s use for delivery to consumers, infrastructure inspection, emergency services, and more. Prime Air, the drone delivery arm of Amazon flying in Texas, was one of the selections.”
Full Story (Flying Magazine)

Russia On Pace for Lowest Number of Launches in 6 Decades

Ars Technica reports, “A Progress cargo supply spacecraft launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan early on Thursday, local time. The mission was successful, and Russia has launched hundreds of these spacecraft before. So it wasn’t all that big of a deal, except for one small detail: This was just Russia’s ninth orbital launch of the year. At this pace, it appears that the country’s space program is on pace for the fewest number of Russian or Soviet space launches in a year since 1961.”
Full Story (Ars Technica)

Gulfstream Aerospace Begins G400 Flight-test Program

Aviation International News reports, “Gulfstream has officially begun the flight test program for its G400, successfully completing its first flight on August 15. The large-cabin twinjet departed Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport (KSAV) at 9:04 a.m. and returned just under three hours later having reached a top speed of Mach 0.85 and an altitude of 41,000 feet. The flight was conducted using the manufacturer’s supply of blended sustainable aviation fuel.”
Full Story (Aviation International News)

Future Flight Global May Purchase Up to 116 Air Taxis from Archer Aviation

Flying Magazine reports, “Electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft manufacturer Archer Aviation this week secured another purchase order agreement for its flagship Midnight air taxi. The company on Tuesday said it signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Future Flight Global (FFG), a startup that plans to operate eVTOL and other advanced air mobility (AAM) aircraft, for the planned sale of as many as 116 air taxis.”
Full Story (Flying Magazine)

Alaska Airlines Becomes First Commercial Operator to Invest in JetZero’s Blended Wing Body

Aviation Week reports, “Alaska Airlines has become the first commercial operator to declare serious interest in the blended wing body (BWB) aircraft under development by JetZero, signing options for an undisclosed number of aircraft while investing in the California-based startup. … JetZero has also revealed that Alaska was the first airline to back the company when it made a previously undisclosed initial investment in 2023 as part of the startup’s Series A financing round after it emerged from stealth mode.”|
Full Story (Aviation Week)

Intuitive Machines to Lead Coalition in Pursuit of Taking Over NASA’s VIPER Lunar Rover

Space News reports, “Intuitive Machines says it is organizing a coalition of organizations that will offer to take over a NASA lunar rover mission, launching it on one of the company’s landers. In an Aug. 13 earnings call, Intuitive Machines executives said they were planning to respond to a request for information (RFI). … Steve Altemus, chief executive of Intuitive Machines, said on the call that his company, which also responded to an earlier call for ‘expressions of interest’ from NASA regarding VIPER, is working with other companies, universities and international partners on responding to NASA’s RFI.”
Full Story (Space News)

Piper M700 Cleared for Unpaved Field Operations by FAA

Flying Magazine reports, “Piper Aircraft’s M700 Fury has received FAA approval for unpaved field operations, the company announced Monday. According to Piper, the M700 Fury, which was certified in March, underwent ‘rigorous testing for unpaved field certification.’”
Full Story (Flying Magazine)


Video

Piper Introduces the M700 Fury
(Piper Aircraft, Inc.; YouTube)

Airbus and Astroscale Expand Collaboration On In-Orbit Servicing

Space News reports, “Airbus is expanding its partnership with in-orbit servicing venture Astroscale to explore ways to collaborate beyond potentially removing space junk and refueling satellites. The companies announced a memorandum of understanding (MoU) Aug. 12 — between Airbus Defense and Space and the Japanese venture’s British subsidiary — to focus on U.K.-based in-orbit servicing and manufacturing opportunities in particular.”
Full Story (Space News)

NASA Issues RFI on Potential VIPER Partnerships

Space News reports, “NASA is requesting concepts from companies and organizations willing to take over a robotic lunar rover that the agency announced last month it would cancel even through it is nearly complete. NASA issued a request for information (RFI) Aug. 9 for the operation of the Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover (VIPER) spacecraft. NASA announced July 17 it planned to cancel the rover, citing development delays and cost overruns amid broader budget pressures in the agency’s science programs.”
Full Story (Space News)