Breaking Defense reports, “Lockheed Martin’s secretive Skunk Works advanced development arm has unveiled a new project — a stealthy autonomous drone it calls Vectis that Lockheed intends to fly by the end of 2027. The first Vectis prototype is currently ‘in progress,’ but is envisioned as a large ‘Category 5’ reusable drone designed to be customizable to match shifts in the threat environment, said OJ Sanchez, Skunk Works’s vice president and general manager.”
Full Story (Breaking Defense)
Tag: September 2025
Blue Origin to Land NASA’s Ice-hunting VIPER Rover on Moon in 2027
SPACE reports, “VIPER has officially come back from the dead. The NASA moon robot, whose name is short for ‘Volatiles Investigating Polar Explorer Rover,’ will hitch a ride to the lunar surface with Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin in late 2027, agency officials announced this afternoon.”
Full Story (SPACE)
NASA Invites Students to Submit Proposals to Fix Aviation Maintenance
Flying Magazine reports, “U.S. college students have the opportunity to score NASA internships by sharing ideas for aviation maintenance technologies. The space agency on Friday announced the theme for its 2026 Gateways to Blue Skies competition—“RepAir: Advancing Aviation Maintenance” for commercial passenger and cargo operations. Teams of collegiate students are invited to submit proposals that incorporate automation, robotics, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and other technologies. Their objective is to devise a solution that could improve maintenance efficiency, safety, or costs and be implemented within the next decade.”
Full Story (Flying Magazine)
Uber Partners with Flytrex On Food Delivery by Drone
CBS News reports, “Your next Uber Eats order could get delivered to you via drone. Uber Technologies announced Thursday it is partnering with Flytrex, an autonomous drone delivery system, to fly food deliveries to its customers. The company said it would roll out the service in U.S. Uber Eats pilot markets by the end of the year.”
Full Story (CBS News)
Video
Uber Eats Drone.
Drone News; YouTube
Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus Cargo Capsule Arrives at ISS a Day Late After Engine Issue
AP News reports, “A supply ship arrived at the International Space Station on Thursday after a day’s delay due to a premature engine shutdown. Astronauts used the space station’s robot arm to pluck Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus capsule from orbit as they soared over Africa.”
Full Story (AP News)
DoD Validates Kraus Hamdani Aerospace’s K1000ULE UAS for Defense and Commercial Use
Unmanned Systems Technology reports, “Kraus Hamdani Aerospace’s fully electric, long-endurance K1000ULE UAS has been added to the U.S. Department of Defense’s (DoD) Defense Innovation Unit Blue UAS Cleared and Select Lists, confirming it as a trusted, secure, NDAA-compliant drone ready for immediate procurement.”
Full Story (Unmanned Systems Technology)
Videos
K1000ULE VTOL Landing
(Stefan Kraus; YouTube)
Northrop Grumman Delays Supply Delivery to ISS Due to Engine Trouble
AP News reports, “A newly launched supply ship has run into engine trouble that is preventing it from reaching the International Space Station. Northrop Grumman’s capsule rocketed into orbit Sunday from Florida aboard SpaceX. But less than two days later, the capsule’s main engine shut down prematurely while trying to boost its orbit. The Cygnus capsule was supposed to dock Wednesday, delivering more than 11,000 pounds (5,000 kilograms) of cargo. But NASA said everything is on hold while flight controllers consider an alternate plan.”
Full Story (AP News)
Call for Content Deadline Extended to 25 September
ASCEND connects the civil, commercial, and national security space sectors, along with adjacent industries, to embrace the opportunities and address the challenges that come with increased activity in space. Building our sustainable off-world future requires long-term thinking. Strategic planning, innovation, scientific exploration, and effective regulations and standards will help us preserve space for future generations. ASCEND will enable the technical exchanges, debates, and collaboration that will help forge a sustainable off-world future for all.
CALL FOR CONTENT FOR ASCEND 2026 CLOSES 25 SEPTEMBER.
NASA’s X-59 Demonstrator Gearing Up for Flight-Test Phase
Aerotime reports, “NASA says the futuristic-looking X-59 quiet supersonic research aircraft is closing in on its first flight, with engineers conducting final checks of safety systems as the program moves from ground testing toward the all-important flight-test phase.”
Full Story (Aerotime)
Former Shuttle Commander Pam Melroy Joins Venus Aerospace After Groundbreaking RDRE Flight
SPACE reports former NASA deputy chief and shuttle commander Pam Melroy has joined Venus Aerospace’s board after its groundbreaking RDRE flight, bringing her “decades of experience” to help scale the startup’s propulsion technology.
Full Story (SPACE)