SPACE reports United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan Centaur rocket is set for its first U.S. Space Force mission, promising cost-effective launches and advanced technology. “In late 2024 or early 2025, United Launch Alliance (ULA)’s Vulcan Centaur rocket will fly its first of more than two dozen U.S. Space Force missions allocated under a national security space launch contract.”
Full Story (SPACE)
Tag: engineering
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On 3 December, we’re rallying the aerospace community to join us in an act of generosity. With your help, we strive to raise $100,000 to inspire and support the next generation of aerospace professional. You’re invited to give generously and spread the word! After you donate, share on social media and engage with AIAA Foundation Day of Giving posts on LinkedIn and Instagram with a like, comment, and share.
Sikorsky and Rain Successfully Demonstrate Wildfire Mission Autonomy
Unmanned Systems Technology reports, “Sikorsky and Rain have successfully demonstrated how an autonomous Black Hawk helicopter can be commanded to take off, identify the location and size of a small fire, and then accurately drop water to suppress the flames. Carried out on October 29 at Sikorsky headquarters in Stratford, the Rapid Wildfire Response Demonstration showed the effective fusion of Sikorsky’s MATRIX flight autonomy with Rain’s wildfire mission autonomy system to suppress a fire in its incipient stage using this innovative firefighting UAV.”
Full Story (Unmanned Systems Technology)
NASA’s Europa Clipper Mission Performing Well
Aviation Week reports, “The largest spacecraft ever launched on a planetary mission, NASA’s Europa Clipper is doing well and speeding along toward the first of two gravity assists intended to achieve a 2030 arrival at Jupiter, a NASA update says.”
Full Story (Aviation Week)
Rocket Lab Successfully Conducts Two Launches Within 24 Hours
TechCrunch reports, “Rocket Lab set a new speed record for launch turnaround time, successfully executing two Electron missions in 24 hours. The company added in a statement that this is also the first time any launch operator has completed a mission from each hemisphere within that time frame. Rocket Lab, which was founded in New Zealand, maintains a launch pad there and at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport in Virginia.”
Full Story (TechCrunch)
U.S. Army Receives First Bombardier Global 6500 for its HADES Program
Aviation International News reports, “Bombardier Defense is celebrating the delivery of the first Global 6500 to the U.S. Army for the High Accuracy Detection and Exploitation System (HADES) aerial military intelligence program. … This aircraft is the first prototype airframe for the HADES program and is ‘the beginning of the next stage of the program to integrate systems,’ according to Bombardier.”
Full Story (Aviation International News)
AIAA Career Center is Where Aerospace Jobs Are Found
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Blue Origin Launches Third Crewed New Shepard Mission of 2024
Via Satellite reports, “Blue Origin flew a crew to the edge of space on the New Shepard rocket on Friday in its ninth human spaceflight mission. The civilian astronaut crew included TV host and space communicator Emily Calandrelli, known for Netflix and Youtube science shows. During the 10-minute mission, the New Shepard rocket launched from Blue Origin’s Launch Site One in West Texas. The crew capsule separated successfully from the booster, giving the crew a few minutes of weightlessness.”
Full Story (Via Satellite)
More Info (AIAA Statement)
Video
Blue Origin NS-28 Crew Launch, Friday, November 22, 2024. (Launch at 0:39:02 mark)
(The Launch Pad; YouTube)
Rotor Demos World’s Largest Crop-Spraying Drone During Ag Aviation Expo
Flying Magazine reports, “Manufacturer Rotor Technologies this week flew its R550 Sprayhawk—which it calls the largest spray drone in the world—at Perot Field Fort Worth Alliance Airport (KAFW) during the National Agricultural Aviation Association’s (NAAA) Ag Aviation Expo in Fort Worth, Texas. FLYING was on the scene to capture the remotely piloted demonstration, part of the launch of the 2025 model Sprayhawk.”
Full Story (Flying Magazine)
Video
Rotor Technologies’ Sprayhawk
(Farms.com; YouTube)
SpaceX Falcon 9 Launches from Cape Canaveral with 24 Starlink Satellites
Spaceflight Now reports, “SpaceX completed its fourth Falcon 9 rocket launch since Sunday with a mission carrying the company’s latest batch of Starlink internet satellites. Liftoff of the Starlink 6-66 mission pad 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station happened at 11:07 a.m. EST (1607 UTC) on Thursday. Space Force meteorologists gave the rocket a 90 percent chance of good weather ahead of launch, with liftoff winds being the only concern at the launch site.”
Full Story (Spaceflight Now)
Video
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launches 24 Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral, November 21, 2024. (Launch at 1:00:03 mark)
(Spaceflight Now; YouTube)