Defense News reports, “An important series of tests for the latest upgrades to the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter will likely not begin until two years after these jets started hitting the field — and at least three years following their original due date. The Office of the Director, Operational Test and Evaluation said in its annual report, submitted to Congress on Jan. 31, that dedicated operational tests for the F-35’s Technology Refresh 3, or TR-3, upgrades will probably start in mid to late fiscal 2026, or around next summer. Those tests are intended to determine whether TR-3 is operationally effective.”
Full Story (Defense News)
Tag: February 2025
Marines Plan to Buy More Carrier-based F-35Cs While Scaling Back VTOL Variant
Defense One reports, “The Marine Corps plans to double its buy of the carrier-borne F-35C variant and scale back its buy of the short-takeoff-vertical-landing F-35B, according to a new aviation plan from the service. The service’s total F-35 buy of 420 aircraft remains unchanged, but the service will now buy 280 F-35Bs instead of the planned 353 jets, and 140 F-35Cs instead of the planned 67 jets, according to the 2025 Marine Aviation Plan released Monday. This means the Marines will field 12 F-35B squadrons and eight F-35C squadrons. Notably, the plan also expands the size of F-35 squadrons from 10 to 12 fighters.”
Full Story (Defense One)
AIAA Statement on Confirmation of the Honorable Pete Hegseth as Secretary of Defense
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 5, 2025 – Reston, Va. – The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) CEO Clay Mowry made the following statement:
“On behalf of the Institute’s nearly 30,000 professional members and nearly 100 corporate members, I would like to congratulate Pete Hegseth on his confirmation as the Secretary of Defense. As the world’s largest aerospace professional society, AIAA is committed to advancing the technologies and innovations that support our warfighters and ensure the security of the United States and its allies. AIAA looks forward to working with Secretary Hegseth and his team to support policies and initiatives that foster innovation, enhance readiness, and maintain the U.S. military’s technological superiority.”
Media Contact: Rebecca Gray, [email protected], 804-397-5270 cell
About AIAA
The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) is the world’s largest aerospace technical society. With nearly 30,000 individual members from 91 countries, and 100 corporate members, AIAA brings together industry, academia, and government to advance engineering and science in aviation, space, and defense. For more information, visit aiaa.org, and follow AIAA on X/Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram.
FAA is Getting Closer to Certifying ZeroAvia’s Electric Propulsion System
Aerospace Global News reports, “ZeroAvia has moved one step closer to certification of its first commercial product, having received Certification Basis for its 600kW electric propulsion system (EPS) from the FAA – a key document outlining the applicable airworthiness regulations with which the manufacturer must comply. The G-1 Issue Paper (Stage 2) contains a formally confined agreement, designating the standards to which ZeroAvia will validate the design requirements of its EPS.”
Full Story (Aerospace Global News)
Pipistrel Flight-Tests NUUVA V300 Hybrid-Electric VTOL
Aerotime reports, “Pipistrel, a division of Textron eAviation, announced that its new NUUVA V300 hybrid-electric unmanned VTOL aircraft successfully completed its first flight on January 31, 2025, in Gorizia, northeastern Italy, next to the Slovenian border. The NUUVA is an unmanned aerial system (UAS) designed to carry 300 kg of cargo (the equivalent of three euro-pallets) over distances of up to 300 km.”
Full Story (Aerotime)
Video
Nuuva V300 makes first successful flight-test
(Pipistrel Aircraft; YouTube)
Second Launch of Blue Origin’s New Glenn Rocket Planned for Late Spring
Space News reports, “Blue Origin expects to attempt its second New Glenn launch in late spring after correcting problems that prevented the booster from landing on the first launch last month. Speaking at the 27th Annual Commercial Space Conference here Feb. 12, Dave Limp, chief executive of Blue Origin, suggested a propulsion issue of some kind caused the loss of the New Glenn booster during its landing attempt on the Jan. 16 NG-1 launch. ‘We had most of the right conditions in the engine but we weren’t able to get everything right to the engine from the tanks,’ he said. ‘We think we understand what the issues are.’
Full Story (Space News)
Japan’s ANA Orders Company-Record 77 Jets from Boeing, Airabus, and Embraer
Reuters reports, “Japan’s ANA Holdings said on Tuesday it planned to place a company-record order for up to 77 aircraft to replenish its fleet and take advantage of growing demand for travel. The order was its largest ever in terms of aircraft numbers and was worth more than 2.1 trillion yen ($14 billion) at catalogue prices before any discounts, ANA said.”
Full Story (Reuters)
US, India to Collaborate on Autonomous Systems
Defense One reports, “The U.S. and India are launching a new alliance for autonomous systems, which builds on bipartisan groundwork laid by previous administrations and could be a stabilizing force for the democracies’ future tech exchanges. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi joined President Donald Trump in Washington on Feb. 13 to discuss tariffs, technology, and energy and defense initiatives.”
Full Story (Defense One)
How Boom’s XB-1 Went Supersonic Without the Noise
Aerotime reports, “During the demonstration flight on January 28, 2025, the XB-1 broke the sound barrier three times, but not one of those occasions caused an audible sonic boom. ‘This confirms what we’ve long believed,’ says Blake Scholl, founder and CEO of Boom. ‘Supersonic travel can be affordable, sustainable, and friendly to those onboard and on the ground.’ Now, Boom Supersonic has shared more details on the technology behind its quiet supersonic achievement, which it calls ‘Boomless Cruise.’”
Full Story (Aerotime)
AIAA Expands International Reach with New Section, Student Branches
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 5, 2025 – Reston, Va. – The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) is pleased to announce it has chartered a new section in the United Kingdom (UK) and new student branches in seven countries. The AIAA Council of Directors approved the moves at its meeting during the 2025 AIAA SciTech Forum in Orlando, Florida.
The UK Section is located in AIAA Region VII and includes AIAA members living in England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. The addition of the UK Section brings the global total of AIAA sections to 58, in seven regions. Sections are led by AIAA members who volunteer to organize and offer technical programs, networking, educational opportunities, and other activities tailored to local aerospace professionals, students, and educators.
The seven new student branches have been granted three-year provisional charters to ensure they are sustainable before being officially chartered as a student branch. The universities include:
- Institut Teknologi Bandung, Indonesia
- King Abdulaziz University, Saudi Arabia
- M.S. Ramaiah University of Applied Sciences, India
- Military Institute of Science and Technology, Bangladesh
- Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, United States
- TED University, Turkey
- University of Luxembourg, Luxembourg
“We are thrilled to welcome the UK Section and new student branches to AIAA. We are building bridges across the globe to strengthen our connections everywhere, growing international contributions to the AIAA community. We look forward to seeing how they shape the future of aerospace,” said AIAA CEO Clay Mowry.
Media Contact: Rebecca Gray, [email protected], 804-397-5270 cell
About AIAA
The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) is the world’s largest aerospace technical society. With nearly 30,000 individual members from 91 countries, and 100 corporate members, AIAA brings together industry, academia, and government to advance engineering and science in aviation, space, and defense. For more information, visit aiaa.org, and follow AIAA on X/Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram.
First Asteroid Mining Prospector to Launch Aboard SpaceX Falcon 9 Wednesday
The New York Times reports, “A private company is aiming to heave a microwave oven-size spacecraft toward an asteroid later this week, its goal to kick off a future where precious metals are mined around the solar system to create vast fortunes on Earth. AstroForge’s second robotic spacecraft, called Odin, is bundled into a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket that will also launch a privately built moon lander and a NASA-operated lunar orbiter as soon as Wednesday from Florida. About 45 minutes after the launch, Odin will separate and begin its solo journey into deep space, while the moon missions — the Athena lander from Intuitive Machines and NASA’s Lunar Trailblazer — take off on their own separate journeys.”
Full Story (New York Times)
My Daily Launch Holiday Message
In observance of the U.S. federal Presidents’ Day holiday, My Daily Launch will not publish on Monday, 17 February. Service will resume on Tuesday, 18 January.
Learn More
Final Gulfstream G650 Rolls Off Production Line Marking End of Era
Flying Magazine reports, “The last Gulfstream G650 has rolled off the production line, marking the end of a “legendary era,” the company said Wednesday. The news marks an end of a “legendary era,” the company said.
Full Story (Flying Magazine)
Tech Briefs Reports on 7 Space Sustainability Startups
Tech Briefs reports, “Approximately 8,000 metric tons of space junk now in orbit includes nearly one million individual pieces of debris that are potentially lethal to satellites, space missions, commercial space services, and human lives. With companies like SpaceX, Amazon, and OneWeb launching mega constellations, this number will continue to increase over the coming years.”
Full Story (Tech Briefs)
Marines Corps Aviation Plan Highlights Importance of New Osprey Gearbox Sensors
Defense Daily reports, “The Marine Corps’ newest Aviation Plan underscored the importance of new sensors to be installed on the V-22 Osprey to better predict when parts need to be replaced to avoid previous incidents. The document said this new Osprey Drive System Safety and…”
Full Story (Defense Daily – Subscription Publication)
Jaunt Air Mobility Unveils Plans for Hybrid Cargo Drone
Aviation Week reports, “Jaunt Air Mobility has revealed plans to go to the market with an uncrewed, hybrid version of its Journey electric vertical-takeoff-and-landing (eVTOL) compound helicopter.”
Full Story (Aviation Week)
NASA Plans to Launch PUNCH Mission February 27
SPACE reports, “On Feb. 27, aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, NASA plans to launch the sun-studying PUNCH mission to low Earth orbit. It will ride alongside the agency’s SPHEREx observatory, which is sort of like a wide-angle version of the James Webb Space Telescope, as part of the agency’s Launch Services Program that works to make space missions more cost efficient.”
Full Story (SPACE)
U.S. Air Force Begins Initial Operational Testing and Evaluation of MH-139 Grey Wolf
Flying Magazine reports, “The U.S. Air Force recently launched initial operational testing and evaluation (IOT&E) of the MH-139 Grey Wolf, the helicopter set to replace the service’s aging fleet of Bell UH-1N Hueys that perform nuclear security missions. During the week of January 27, three MH-139 flights operated by the 550th Helicopter Squadron at Malmstrom Air Force Base, Montana, demonstrated its capabilities, the Air Force said.”
Full Story (Flying Magazine)
NASA Successfully Tests Distributed Spacecraft Autonomy, Enabling Spacecraft Swarms
AZOROBOTICS reports, “Through the Starling mission and a virtual lunar orbit scalability study, researchers have demonstrated the feasibility of fully autonomous spacecraft operations. These advancements set the stage for more intelligent, adaptive, and scalable multi-spacecraft missions, revolutionizing space exploration and scientific research.”
Full Story (AZOROBOTICS)
Aviation Week Article: Airbus Delays Hydrogen But Expands Engine Test Plan
Guy Norris at Aviation Week reports, “Airbus is slowing ambitions to develop a hydrogen-fueled airliner by the mid-2030s but is expanding nearer-term plans to flight test unducted and ducted sustainable aviation fueled (SAF) engines for its next-generation single aisle. Under its ZEROe initiative announced in 2020, Airbus planned to develop a 100-seat hydrogen-fueled airliner for service entry in the middle of next decade, and aimed to flight test supporting propulsion and systems technology on an Airbus A380 later this decade.”
Full Story (Aviation Week)