The War Zone reports, “Modularity is a key area of interest as the U.S. Air Force formulates its latest set of requirements for a successor to the MQ-9 Reaper, according to Gen. John Lamontagne, the service’s Vice Chief of Staff. A modular design, both in terms of hardware and software, would help make the chosen platform more flexible and adaptable to different mission sets.”
Full Story (The War Zone)
Tag: Wants
New Legislation Aims to Expedite FAA Type Certification for eVTOLs
Flying Magazine reports, “A bipartisan bill introduced Friday in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives would require the FAA to ‘streamline’ its type certification process for electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) air taxis and other advanced air mobility (AAM) aircraft. That could include the use of standards agreed upon by the developers themselves to prove the aircraft are fit to carry passengers.”
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Wisk Aero’s Generation 6 aircraft
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Greek Entrepreneur Hopes to Build Giant Net to Catch Incoming Cargo on the Moon
SPACE reports, “Greece-based entrepreneur has a unique idea for moon-bound deliveries: using a giant net to catch packages launched from lunar orbit. Although there are still many hurdles to clear, the system would address many of the key challenges for moon-bound deliveries and could aid in the future mining of lunar resources. Right now, lunar landers are costly, especially when they fail. Rather than using landers for deliveries to the moon’s surface, Charis Kosmas has developed a concept called the Momentum Absorption Catcher for Express Deliveries on Non-Atmospheric Somata (MACEDONAS).”
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Pentagon Planning Commercial ‘Space Reserve” to Support Military Satellites
SPACE reports, “The U.S. Department of Defense is developing a plan to use the ever-growing American commercial space industry for national security purposes. The plan, known as the Commercial Augmentation Space Reserve would allow the U.S. Space Force to use the capabilities of the commercial space sector through “pre-negotiated contractual agreements which would be activated in times of crisis or conflict,” according to the service’s “Commercial Space Strategy” document, which was released in April 2024.”
Full Story (SPACE)