Reuters reports, “Germany-based air taxi developer Lilium on Thursday clinched its biggest order yet in a deal for Saudi airline Saudia Group to purchase up to 100 of its all-electric flying shuttles, which are still in development. The state-owned airline made a firm order for 50 of Lilium’s electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing (eVTOL) Jets with an option for an additional 50 later, Lilium said.”
Full Story (Reuters)
Tag: engineering
NASA Rolls Artemis 2 Booster Off Factory Floor In Preparation for 2025 Launch
SPACE reports, “The core stage of the first rocket to launch astronauts to the moon in over 50 years has left its manufacturing facility, and is bound for vehicle integration and assembly ahead of its launch next year. NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) Artemis 2 booster was rolled out of the space agency’s Michoud Assembly Facility, in New Orleans today (July 16), 55 years to the day of NASA’s Apollo 11 launch to the moon.”
Full Story (SPACE)
US Aviation Industry Asks Congress to Focus On ‘Neglected’ FAA Facilities
Reuters reports, “Major U.S. aviation groups and unions urged Congress to address persistent shortfalls in funding for FAA facilities after a series of reports raised alarm about aging air traffic control facilities. “Necessary maintenance of existing systems is being neglected,” said the letter signed by Airlines for America, Aerospace Industries Association, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Air Line Pilots Association and others.”
Full Story (Reuters)
NASA to Evaluate Astronaut Launch Schedule In Wake of SpaceX Falcon 9 Rocket Failure
SPACE reports, “NASA is waiting to see if there will be “schedule impacts” for its next astronaut mission aboard SpaceX after a rocket failure last week, the agency said in a recent statement. SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket had a rare anomaly during a Starlink satellite launch on Thursday (July 11). The second stage on the rocket failed to work as planned, stranding the broadband satellites in an unusual orbit. As SpaceX and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) investigate why this occurred, an International Space Station (ISS) mission is under scrutiny.”
Full Story (SPACE)
Video
SpaceX Experiences Engine Failure In Flight
(The Launch Pad; YouTube)
Boeing Advancing Effort to Use Drones for Aircraft Inspection
Avionics International reports, “Using small third-party drones for high-resolution imaging and its own artificial intelligence-based software algorithms, Boeing is expanding an effort to speed the inspection of military aircraft exteriors and increase readiness while reducing costs and enhancing safety, a company official said.”
Full Story (Avionics International)
NASA Europa Clipper Mission Imperiled by Chips on Spacecraft
The New York Times reports, “NASA said on Thursday that it is studying the durability of transistors on a $5 billion spacecraft to Europa, Jupiter’s ocean moon, which has led to concerns about the spacecraft’s ability to function as originally planned in the heavy radiation around the solar system’s largest planet.”
Full Story (New York Times – Subscription Publication)
SpaceX Falcon 9 Experiences Rare Engine Failure, Loses Starlink Satellites
Via Satellite reports, “SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket suffered an engine failure during a Starlink mission on July 11, losing 20 Starlink satellites and triggering a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) investigation. This is a rare incident for the rocket which hasn’t had a major failure since 2015. The mission took off from Vandenberg Space Force Base at 7:36 p.m. PT on July 11, carrying 20 direct-to-cell Starlink satellites.”
Full Story (Via Satellite)
Video
SpaceX Experiences Engine Failure In Flight
(The Launch Pad; YouTube)
Boeing’s 777X Receives FAA Green Light for Certification Flights
The Seattle Times reports that the FAA has granted Boeing authority to begin flying its new 777X with FAA personnel on board — beginning a series of test flights needed “to win approval for the 777X to enter passenger service.”
Full Story (Seattle Times)
Joby Exceeds Range Target for Hydrogen-Electric Air Tax Demonstrator
Aviation Week reports, “While it pursues certification of its battery-powered air taxi and prepares to launch commercial service, Joby Aviation already is flying its electric vertical-takeoff-and-landing aircraft on liquid hydrogen and fuel cells. … In flight testing conducted in June, the remotely piloted aircraft completed a 523-mi. flight over Marina, California, including a vertical takeoff and landing and landing with 10% of its liquid hydrogen (LH2) fuel load remaining. This compares with the 155 mi. flown by the battery-electric S4 in 2021.”
Full Story (Aviation Week)
NASA Astronauts Are Sure That Boeing’s Starliner Will Get Them Home
The Washington Post reports, “The two NASA astronauts who flew in Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft to the International Space Station last month said Wednesday that they have no concerns the capsule will be able to fly them home safely, even as their return has been postponed indefinitely while NASA and Boeing struggle to determine what caused a series of thruster failures and helium leaks.”
Full Story (The Washington Post)