Aviation International News reports, “Early deliveries of its autonomous two-seat EH216-S eVTOL aircraft boosted EHang’s revenues in the fourth quarter of 2023. Having secured type certification from the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) on October 13, the Guangzhou-based company is still awaiting clearance for the production certificate needed to advance to higher-volume series production but managed to deliver 23 aircraft in the last three months of last year.”
Full Story (Aviation International News)
Tag: March 2024
F-35 Achieves Long-Delayed Full-Rate Production Milestone
Aviation Week reports, “The Lockheed Martin F-35 has been approved for full-rate production by the U.S. Defense Department in a long-delayed decision that comes after the program has delivered more than 990 aircraft globally.” The aircraft is now cleared “to advance toward peak production levels.”
Full Story (Aviation Week)
This Company Aims to be the First to Mine the Moon
The Washington Post reports, “Nearly a decade ago, Congress passed a law that allows private American space companies the rights to resources they mine on celestial bodies, including the moon. Now Interlune, founded by former Blue Origin executives and an Apollo astronaut, has said it wants to take advantage of that law.”
Full Story (Washington Post – Subscription Publication)
Boeing MH-139 Nuclear Security Helicopter Enters Operational Service
FlightGlobal reports, “An operational US Air Force unit has for the first time received one of the new Grey Wolf helicopters, which will replace the Bell UH-1N in supporting physical security at the service’s nuclear-armed intercontinental ballistic missile silos.”
Full Story (FlightGlobal – Subscription Publication)
Japan’s Space One Rocket Explodes Moments After Launch
AP News reports, “A commercial rocket trying to put a satellite into orbit was intentionally exploded shortly after liftoff Wednesday morning in central Japan following a problem that’s still under investigation.” Space One was attempting to become “Japan’s first private sector success at putting a satellite into orbit.”
Full Story (AP News)
Videos
Japanese rocket explodes moments after launch
(7News Australia; YouTube)
Stratolaunch TA-1 Hypersonic Test Vehicle Makes First Powered Flight
Flying Magazine reports, “Stratolaunch has completed the first powered flight of its TA-1 test vehicle, marking what the company called a ‘major milestone in the development of the country’s first privately funded, reusable hypersonic test capability.’”
Full Story (Flying Magazine)
4 Space Station Crew Members Head for Tuesday Splashdown
CBS News reports, “A SpaceX Crew Dragon ferry ship carrying four long-duration crew members undocked from the International Space Station on Monday, setting the stage for re-entry and splashdown early Tuesday to wrap up a 199-day mission.”
Full Story (CBS News)
Videos
NASA’s SpaceX Crew-7 re-entry, 12 March 2024
(Official NASA Broadcast; YouTube)
DoD Clears V-22’s to Fly
Defense Daily reports, “The Defense Department approved all variants of the V-22 Ospreys for flight clearance following a months-long review into the cause of a deadly Air Force crash in November.”
Full Story (ExecutiveGov – Subscription Publication)
Rafale Ramps Up Production to Meet Soaring Demand
FlightGlobal reports, “Dassault Aviation continues to increase production of its Rafale fighter to meet soaring demand from the export market as total orders for the multirole type near the 500-unit mark.”
Full Story (FlightGlobal – Subscription Publication)
Whisper Aero Introduces 100-Seat Electric Airliner Concept
Aviation Week reports, “Ultraquiet propulsion developer Whisper Aero is proposing a concept for a 100-seat battery-electric regional airliner in a bid to help aviation achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.”
Full Story (Aviation Week)
American Airlines Boosts Its Fleet Plan with Order of 260 Narrowbody and Regional Jets
FlightGlobal reports, “American Airlines has placed orders for 260 new aircraft, including those produced by Airbus, Boeing and Embraer, with deliveries expected to begin later this decade.”
Full Story (FlightGlobal – Subscription Publication)
How NASA’s Working with SpaceX, Blue Origin for Artemis Moon Mission
CBS News reports that American astronauts aren’t heading back to the moon just yet. NASA’s pricey Artemis mission is facing technical challenges. The space agency is now working…
Full Story (CBS News)
ISS Air Leak Poses No Danger to Crew According to Russian Space Officials
AP News reports Russian space officials have acknowledged a continuing air leak from the Russian segment of the International Space Station (ISS), but say “it poses no danger to its crew.” Russia’s space agency, Roscosmos, said the leak and crew are being monitored by specialists.
Full Story (Associated Press)
Launch of 22 Starlink Satellites from California Delayed
SPACE reports, “SpaceX has reset the launch of another batch of its Starlink internet satellites to no sooner than Friday evening (March 29). A Falcon 9 rocket carrying 22 Starlink spacecraft was set to lift off from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California on Thursday (March 28), but the company called off the attempt before beginning to fuel the vehicle.”
Full Story (SPACE)
Eve Air Mobility Brands UATM Solution ‘Vector’
Aviation Week reports, “Eve Air Mobility has chosen the name Vector for its in-development urban air traffic management (UATM) solution, with first deliveries now planned for 2026.” The Embraer spinoff is “the only major air taxi OEM that is also developing a UATM solution, considered critical to enabling high-density operations of drones and electric vertical-takeoff-and-landing (eVTOL) vehicles.”
Full Story (Aviation Week)
DoD Innovation Unit to Study Firefly Vehicle for Missions Beyond Earth Orbit
Space News reports, “The Defense Innovation Unit announced March 21 it has signed an agreement with Firefly Aerospace to study the potential use of the company’s Elytra orbital vehicle for missions beyond geosynchronous Earth orbit.” According to the article, once the study contract is complete, as many as two demonstration flights could occur, “in the region between GEO orbit and the moon, known as cislunar space.”
Full Story (Space News)
Airbus Wins Most of Japan JAL’s Order for 42 New Planes
Reuters reports that Japan Airlines will buy 42 planes from Airbus and Boeing, it said on Thursday, in a breakthrough for European planemaker Airbus, which will provide single-aisle jets to the long-time Boeing customer for the first time. South Korea’s largest carrier, Korean Airalso said it would order 33 Airbus A350s in a deal valued at $13.7 billion that is its first purchase of that aircraft family.
Full Story (Reuters)
US Air Force Completes Final Test of Lockheed’s Hypersonic Missile
Defense News reports, “The U.S. Air Force on Sunday carried out what is expected to be the final test of the hypersonic AGM-183A Air-launched Rapid Response Weapon.” The Air Force declined to identify the test’s objectives, but said it “gained valuable insights into the capabilities” of the Lockheed Martin-made hypersonic weapon.
Full Story (Defense News)
SpaceX Preparing Rapid Turnaround for Next StarShip Launch
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Space News reports, “SpaceX hopes to conduct the next launch of its Starship vehicle as soon as early May, a schedule that will depend on how quickly it can get an amended launch license.” According to the report, SpaceX President and COO Gwynne Shotwell said March 19 at the Satellite 2024 conference that SpaceX is “still reviewing the data from the vehicle’s third integrated launch March 14 but expected to be ready to fly again soon.”
Full Story (Space News)