Tag: Begin

Virgin Galactic Nears Operational Return With Upgraded Spaceplane Fleet

Space News reports, “Virgin Galactic said May 14 it remains on track, technically and financially, to start commercial flights of its next-generation suborbital spaceplane before the end of the year. In a first-quarter earnings call, company executives said work on its first SpaceShip vehicle is on schedule, with the completed airframe recently moving from its assembly hangar to a testing hangar at its production facility near Phoenix.”
Full Story (Space News)

US Air Force’s New ‘Doomsday Plane’ Begins Flight Tests

Defense News reports, “The Air Force and aerospace firm Sierra Nevada Corp. have started flight tests on the service’s next-generation ‘doomsday plane.’ Flight tests for the E-4C Survivable Airborne Operations Control, or SAOC, are being held at the Aviation Innovation and Technology Center in Dayton, Ohio, the company said in a Wednesday release.”
Full Story (Defense News)

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)

Bombardier Seals $1.7B Aircraft Order from Anonymous Client

Aerotime reports, “Canadian aerospace manufacturer Bombardier has announced that it has secured a “significant firm order” for 50 aircraft, valued at $1.7 Billion. According to Bombardier, the firm order consists of 50 of its Challenger and Global aircraft, combined with a first-of-a-kind service agreement, with deliveries set to begin in 2027. The deal also has an option for the purchase of a further 70 aircraft, which, if exercised, would take the value of the order over $4 Billion.”
Full Story (Aerotime)

Beta Granted FAA Approval to Begin eVTOL Pilot Training

Flying Magazine reports, “Beta will train additional company and FAA personnel using dual controls on its flagship electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) Alia 250. The company on Wednesday said the agency granted it a letter of authorization (LOA) to start dual seat pilot training of “manufacturer and FAA personnel,” such as the aviation safety inspector who will ultimately help certify the aircraft for commercial service.”
Full Story (Flying Magazine)

Odin Space Prepares to Begin Detecting Orbital Debris

Space News reports that Odin Space is “preparing to start detecting tiny but potentially dangerous pieces of orbital debris in the coming weeks from a sensor on a recently launched space tug.” The venture announced “that it had successfully powered up the demo sensor, integrated with D-Orbit’s small satellite-carrying ION orbital transfer vehicle that SpaceX launched earlier this month to low Earth orbit.” The sensor’s sensitivity “is cranked up high to detect background vibrations from the host satellite to test core systems, but will be tuned for detecting surrounding debris as small as one-tenth of a millimeter.”
Full Story (Space News)