Spaceflight Now reports, “SpaceX launched its latest batch of Starlink satellites from California during a Falcon 9 flight Friday morning. Liftoff of the Starlink 11-6 mission from Space Launch Complex 4 East (SLC-4E) happened at 6:07 a.m. PST (9:07 a.m. EST, 1407 UTC).”
Full Story (Spaceflight Now)
SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launches 23 Starlink satellites from Vandenberg (Launch at 18:59 mark)
(NASASpaceflight; YouTube)
Guy Norris at Aviation Week reports, “Hydrogen fuel may offer attractive pathways toward the goal of zero carbon emissions, but turning that vision into a practical propulsion system is another matter. Now Pratt & Whitney thinks it may have taken the first steps along that path with the Hydrogen Steam-Injected, Intercooled Turbine Engine (HySIITE) concept—a novel hybrid engine configuration that combines the advantages of the fuel’s cryogenic properties with the thermodynamic benefits of steam injection. Pratt & Whitney has unveiled details of the concept, which has been studied under a two-year $3.8 million U.S. Energy Department Advanced Research Projects Agency–Energy (ARPA-E) effort. While Pratt acknowledges the cycle is complex and requires more study, it is encouraged by the results, which show potential for as much as 35% lower energy use compared with current state-of-the-art engines.”
Full Story (Aviation Week)
Aviation24.be reports, “The world is on the verge of witnessing a historic moment in aviation. Boom Supersonic, the company pioneering the return of commercial supersonic travel, is preparing for the maiden supersonic flight of its XB-1 demonstrator. After a rigorous program of 11 successful test flights at increasing speeds, XB-1 is poised to break the sound barrier. This groundbreaking event will be livestreamed globally, allowing the public to witness this pivotal moment in aviation history. The livestream is scheduled for January 28, 2025, at 06:45 PST/09:45 EST/14:45 GMT.”
Full Story (Aviation24.be)
Aviation Week reports SpaceX’s “effort to demonstrate payload deployment, land its upper stage and potentially achieve spaceship-to-spaceship fuel transfer this year had an inauspicious start when the Starship system suffered a setback during the Jan. 16 flight. Minutes after launch, the Block 2 upper stage broke up when a fire developed in the aft section.”
Full Story (Aviation Week)
A SpaceX Starship rocket exploded shortly after launching on its seventh test flight.
(Brut India; YouTube)
Aerotime reports, “Lockheed Martin has been awarded a $270 million contract by the US Air Force to integrate next-generation infrared defensive sensors on the F-22 Raptor. Under the agreement, the F-22 will be equipped with a distributed set of embedded TacIRST sensors, collectively known as the Infrared Defensive System (IRDS). These sensors are designed to bolster the Raptor’s ability to detect, track, and counter adversarial threats in the infrared spectrum.”
Full Story (Aerotime)
Aviation Week reports, “Rolls-Royce says it has competed certification testing of a major upgrade to the Trent 1000 to address durability problems and is now looking to secure the delayed certification of the so-called Durability Enhancement.”
Full Story (Aviation Week)
Yahoo Finance reports, “Rocket Lab USA, Inc. (‘Rocket Lab’ or the ‘Company’) (Nasdaq: RKLB), a leading launch provider and space systems company, today announced it has scheduled the next Electron launch for Kinéis, a global Internet-of-Things (IoT) connectivity provider. The ‘IOT 4 You and Me’ mission is scheduled to launch during window that opens on February 4th NZDT.
Full Story (Yahoo Finance)
CNBC reports, “United forecast first-quarter earnings that surpassed analysts’ estimates as the carrier seeks to grow earnings again in 2025 thanks to strong travel demand. The airline said Tuesday that it expects to earn an adjusted 75 cents to $1.25 in the first three months of the year, above the 54 cents analysts had expected, according to LSEG estimates.”
Full Story (CNBC)
Via Satellite reports, “SpaceX’s dramatic Starship test on Thursday afternoon has triggered a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) mishap investigation after debris from the test impacted air travel and may have damaged public property in Turks and Caicos. SpaceX launched the seventh flight test for its massive Starship rocket on Jan. 16, testing extensive upgrades to the vehicle for the first time. After a successful liftoff, stage separation, and recapturing the booster on land, SpaceX lost communication with the ship, which broke apart over the Caribbean.”
Full Story (Via Satellite)
In a recent podcast, “Aviation Week editors Graham Warwick and Guy Norris discuss some of the breakthrough technologies and advanced concepts to emerge at this year’s AIAA SciTech Forum in Florida. They also hear from AIAA’s new CEO, Clay Mowry.”
Listen to Podcast (Aviation Week