Spaceflight Now reports, “A new batch of eight fire detection satellites are getting ready to launch into low Earth orbit in what Rocket Lab (Nasdaq: RKLB) described as a ‘responsive launch.’ The dedicated flight is expected to launch from New Zealand in ‘just a few weeks’ and will be the first OTC-P1 satellites deployed on behalf of German company, Orora Technologies (OroraTech).”
Full Story (Spaceflight Now)
Defense Daily reports, “Boston-based Merlin Labs, Inc. said on May 30 that it is using data from flights of a KC-135 at MacDill AFB, Fla., ‘to better understand crew workload drivers and gather data to expand the autonomous capabilities of the Merlin Pilot for military use cases.’”
Full Story (Defense Daily)
Flying Magazine reports, “The Army on Thursday awarded a $1.9 million Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contract to Electra.aero, the manufacturer of a nine-passenger, hybrid-electric short takeoff and landing (eSTOL) design, to perform powered wind tunnel testing. The manufacturer’s flagship, hybrid-electric short takeoff and landing (eSTOL) aircraft requires only the space of a soccer field to launch and touch down.”
Full Story (Flying Magazine)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
The U.S. Department of Education and four nonprofit space organizations are spotlighting
the benefits of space and STEM career opportunities
April 17, 2024 – WASHINGTON – Women in Aerospace (WIA), the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA), Club for the Future, and Space Foundation, in partnership with the U.S. Department of Education, are launching a new national space STEM awareness campaign, Space4All, that aims to increase understanding about the benefits of space for life on Earth. The campaign was first announced on April 8 when Vice President Kamala Harris issued a Call to Action to bring the benefits of space to communities across America. The campaign will spotlight the relevance, impact, and accessibility of space and highlight pathways to success in space-related STEM education and careers. There will be a specific focus on reaching underrepresented communities to ensure equitable, diverse, and inclusive growth within the space industry.
The five-year public awareness campaign was initiated by the National Space Council and aligns to the Interagency Roadmap to Support Space-Related STEM Education and Workforce with the goal to Inspire, Prepare and Employ a diverse space workforce. The campaign is now spearheaded through a public-private partnership between the U.S. Department of Education and these four nonprofit space organizations. More than 150 additional corporate, federal, and community-based organizations have joined the campaign as Space Champions.
As the lead government partner, the U.S. Department of Education adds expertise in connecting with students and preparing them for future success. “Our nation prospers when all students know and understand that they belong in STEM fields and that careers in space offer boundless opportunities for their success,” said U.S. Deputy Secretary of Education Cindy Marten.
“The Space4All awareness campaign is historic, inclusive, and mission-specific – fill the workforce gap in space,” said WIA Board Chair and SAIC Vice President of Business Development Transformation Bridget Chatman. “WIA and SAIC are fully committed to working alongside our partners and the government to develop a STEM- and space-literate nation. We will continue to lead by addressing the student pipeline and workforce gaps that our nation faces today in real and impactful ways.”
AIAA CEO Dan Dumbacher stressed the timeliness of this initiative, pointing out that “By 2025, the U.S. STEM workforce will need 3.5 million new workers. We need to attract all of the brightest minds to join this exciting industry, especially from traditionally underrepresented communities. Today, only 16 percent of aerospace and defense workers are Black and Hispanic. The aerospace industry can do better, and we must address the lack of STEM-literate workers immediately with long-term solutions.”
“Our mission at Club for the Future is to inspire and mobilize future generations to pursue STEM careers to harness space for the benefit of Earth. We’re excited to partner with likeminded organizations to create opportunities for students to join the future space workforce,” said Michael Edmonds, President of Blue Origin’s Club for the Future.
“This is a pivotal moment for the space industry,” added Heather Pringle, CEO of the Space Foundation. “Commercial and government space entities face a complex and demanding future, with an accelerating space economy coupled with a shrinking talent pool and fierce competition for individuals with the right skills and experience. When we also consider the declining number of students pursuing STEM degrees, we need all hands on deck. Space Foundation is proud to collaborate with the Space4All campaign to raise awareness of our ongoing efforts and amplify our recent partnership with Space Workforce 2030 so we include more audiences in the many exciting opportunities throughout the space industry.”
Corporate champions are including the Space4All message in their ongoing activities and community outreach. The campaign is also attracting commercial champions that are not traditionally involved in space, including BET News and Documentaries and 23XI Racing, among others. Early efforts will bring an immediate boost to visibility and reach for the campaign.
In addition, Boys & Girls Clubs of America and the Association of Science and Technology Centers will be key champions in reaching students and families across the country, especially those in underrepresented communities. Boys & Girls Clubs serve 3.3 million young people each year, and ASTC represents more than 600 museums and science centers that engage more than 110 million people annually. The Space4All campaign and its corporate champions will work with these and numerous other nonprofit organizations to offer support and resources to increase focus on space STEM content and hands-on activities.
The campaign will also work with influencers and celebrities to further the reach of the Space4All message. Notable names include Emily Calandrelli (The Space Gal), Leland Melvin, Maynard Okereke (Hip Hop MD), Dr. Sian Proctor, and William Darrell “Bubba” Wallace Jr.
Dr. Sian Proctor, Inspiration4 mission pilot and first Black woman to pilot a spacecraft, helped launch the campaign with this video. As the Space4All movement accelerates, resources and events will be added to the campaign website, Space4All.us.
Contact: Rebecca Gray, [email protected]
About Space4All
Space4All is a national space STEM awareness campaign, managed through a public-private partnership between the U.S. Department of Education and four nonprofit organizations – Women in Aerospace, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Blue Origin’s Club for the Future, and Space Foundation. Space4All was developed around these essential themes:
For more information, visit Space4All.us.
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, or follow AIAA on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, or Instagram.
Janes reports that The Boeing Company announced at the Paris Air Show on June 20 that it will partner with “Aurora Flight Sciences to enhance the defensive capabilities of its KC-46A Pegasus tanker-transport aircraft.” Boeing said that Aurora Flight Sciences is “leading the research and conceptual design of composite components geared at enhancing operational survivability for aerial refuelling and mobility missions. … This work will also focus on producibility and manufacturing at Aurora’s Columbus, Mississippi, manufacturing facility.” According to Boeing, the KC-46A Pegasus “already features defensive systems and data integration for multimission aerial refuelling support closer to the battlespace than existing tankers.” Boeing said, “With more data for the crew and fleet, including recent Block 1 upgrades to further enhance connectivity, the Pegasus can see and relay threat information to joint force warfighters for greater fleet survivability and mission success.”
Full Story (Janes)
Florida Today reports that the International Space Station “will remain in operation through 2028 with the full cooperation of all partners, NASA announced last week.” The United States, Japan, Canada, and countries from the European Space Agency “have committed to extending their participation aboard the space station until 2030.” Additionally, Russia has said it will remain committed to station operations through at least 2028. Last year, NASA “announced the lifespan extension of the space station until 2030, at which point it is planned to be retired.”
Full Story (Florida Today)
CBS News Chicago reports that United Airlines “is teaming up with Archer Aviation to provide air taxi service between O’Hare International Airport and the West Loop starting in 2025, at the same time construction on the Kennedy Expressway will be causing major delays for outbound traffic. United and Archer plan to launch the city’s first air taxi route between O’Hare and Vertiport Chicago on the Near West Side close to Pilsen and the Illinois Medical District, offering 10-minute rides between the airport and the downtown area.”
Full Story (CBS News Chicago)
Aviation International News reports that on Tuesday, Beta Technologies “made a test flight of its six-seat, all-electric Alia-250 EVA eVTOL at the Westchester County Airport (KHPN) in White Plains, New York.” The flight, which was performed in cooperation with Blade Air Mobility, “was the first of an eVTOL aircraft in the New York metropolitan area.” The Alia-250 flew “alongside a conventional helicopter before pulling away for a second pass above the airport to highlight the eVTOL’s comparative quietness.” Beta claims that “its noise profile is one-tenth that of a conventional helicopter.” In April 2021, Blade “agreed to facilitate the purchase of up to 20 passenger-configured Alia-250s by its network of operators.” Blade intends to “deploy these aircraft on routes between its network of dedicated terminals in the U.S. Beta has also agreed to provide and install charging infrastructure at certain key locations.”
Full Story (Aviation International News)
Aviation Week reports that Europe’s Airbus Defense and Space “is joining a U.S. partnership led by Voyager Space-owned Nanoracks to develop and operate a commercial space station in low Earth orbit (LEO), one of four NASA-backed projects vying to host government research and commercial ventures after the International Space Station” is transitioned away from.
Full Story (Aviation Week)