Reuters reports, “SpaceX’s workhorse Falcon 9 rocket can return to flight for a mission planned for Monday to launch the European Space Agency’s Hera spacecraft from Florida, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration said on Sunday.” The liftoff is planned “for 10:52 a.m. ET (1452 GMT) from Cape Canaveral.”
Full story (Reuters)
Tag: engineering
FAA Ends Review Launched After Spike in United Incidents
Aerotime reports the FAA “has concluded a six-month review of United Airlines that the agency launched in March 2024, after several high-profile safety incidents. … On October 2, 2024, the FAA gave United the all clear after completing its evaluation.”
Full Story (Aerotime)
ULA’s New Vulcan Centaur Rocket Successfully Launches in 2nd Test
SPACE reports, “United Launch Alliance’s (ULA) powerful new Vulcan Centaur rocket is two for two. Vulcan Centaur, the successor to ULA’s workhorse Atlas V, launched today (Oct. 4) at 7:25 a.m. EDT (1125 GMT)after a series of holds, from Florida’s Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, kicking off a key test flight called Cert-2. The rocket could soon be certified for U.S. national security missions.”
Full Story (SPACE)
Video
Vulcan Centaur rocket launches on 2nd test flight (Launch at 00:10 mark)
(VideoFromSpace; YouTube)
NASA Turns Off Voyager 2 Instrument to Save Power
AP News reports, “NASA has switched off another scientific instrument on its Voyager 2 spacecraft to save power. The space agency said Tuesday that Voyager 2’s plasma science instrument — designed to measure the flow of charged atoms — was powered down in late September so the spacecraft can keep exploringfor as long as possible, expected into the 2030s.”
Full Story (AP News)
Skydweller Aero Completes Testing on Drone Equipped with Solar Panels
Gagadget.com reports, “Skydweller Aero has completed testing of the Skydweller drone equipped with solar panels. The test campaign was initiated as part of the Joint Concept for Technology Demonstration (JCTD) of the Office of the Under Secretary of Defence for Research and Development (OUSD R&E). The test was also supported by the aviation unit of the US Navy Air Warfare Centre (NAWCAD).”
Full Story (Gagadget.com)
Video
Skydweller Completes First Autonomous Flight
(Skydweller Aero; YouTube)
Toyota to Invest $500M in Joby’s eVTOL Air Taxi
Flying Magazine reports, “One of the world’s largest automobile manufacturers this week committed half a billion dollars to help develop a new mode of flight. Toyota on Wednesday announced it will funnel an additional $500 million into the commercial production and certification of Joby Aviation’s electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) air taxi. The four-passenger design—which takes off vertically like a helicopter but cruises on fixed wings—last year began crewed testing and is expected to begin ferrying customers as early as next year, pending FAA approval.”
Full Story (Flying Magazine)
eVTOL Developer Lilium Powers on its First In-production Jet
Aerotime reports, “In a significant milestone the electric vehicle takeoff and landing (eVTOL) developer Lilium has successfully powered on its first in-production Lilium Jet. The first Lilium Jet, MSN 1, will be used exclusively for ground testing to confirm safety for the first piloted flight scheduled for early 2025 with MSN 2, which itself is currently in final assembly. This power-on test “confirms that the aircraft is being built in accordance with Lilium’s platform design and the flight systems are functioning correctly,” the developer said on October 1, 2024.”
Full Story (Aerotime)
NTSB Issues Warning on Possible Use of Suspect Rudder Control Parts by Foreign Operators on Boeing 737s
Reuters reports, “The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board has said more than 40 foreign operators of Boeing 737 airplanes may be using planes with rudder components that could pose safety risks, though it did not identify which airlines could be affected. The NTSB on Thursday issued urgent safety recommendations about the potential for a jammed rudder control system on some 737 airplanes after a February incident involving a United Airlines flight.”
Full Story (Reuters)
Embraer Shares More Details About its New Autonomous Takeoff System
Simple Flying reports, “During the Farnborough Airshow earlier this year, Embraer introduced a new takeoff system it calls E2TS, which stands for Embraer Enhanced Takeoff System. It’s a world-first automated takeoff system, which will see the pilots not rotating the aircraft off the runway. … At a media briefing last week, Embraer revealed more details about the E2TS system and how it works, as well as its potential to influence the wider aviation industry, not just the E2 family of aircraft.”
Full Story (Simple Flying)
Boeing Pauses 737 Production
Flying Magazine reports, “Boeing 737 production ground to a halt on Wednesday as the company continues to be riddled with costly strikes in the Pacific Northwest. A Fortune report stated that two separate representatives from Boeing confirmed the production stoppage after a Tuesday Bank of America analyst note suggested production of the company’s best-selling jets had come to a ‘complete halt.’”
Full Story (Flying Magazine)