US Air Force Space Shuttle X-37B Finally Unmasked
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US Air Force Space Shuttle X-37B Finally Unmasked // Military Space News, Nuclear Weapons, Missile Defense
http://www.spacewar.com/reports/US_Air_Force_Space_Shuttle_X_37B_Finally_Unmasked_999.html
Sydney, Australia (SPX) May 08, 2017
The mysterious X-37B has ended its fourth mission, and for the first time on this flight, it has been officially unmasked. Gliding swiftly to a daylight landing at the Kennedy Space Centre after 718 days in orbit, boffins have been rewarded with detailed images and video of the robot spaceplane. That's been typical of previous missions, but it's a major unmasking for this flight. The landi
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Lockheed Martin introduces quiet, lightweight variant of Indago drone
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Lockheed Martin introduces quiet, lightweight variant of Indago drone // Military Space News, Nuclear Weapons, Missile Defense
http://www.spacewar.com/reports/Lockheed_Martin_introduces_quiet_lightweight_variant_of_Indago_drone_999.html
Washington (UPI) May 9, 2017
Lockheed Martin is touting its newest variant of the Indago quadrotor drone for sensitive intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions. Indago 3's Enhanced ISR capability comes with the addition of TrellisWare Technologies MANET software, Lockheed Martin said. "Indago 3 gives our customers a quiet, durable, long-range system to complete sensitive operations with a small
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Boeing halts 737 Max flights to investigate engine flaw
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Boeing halts 737 Max flights to investigate engine flaw // Latest news
http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/boeing-halts-737-max-flights-to-investigate-engine-f-437074/
Boeing has suspended 737 Max flights after being notified by engine supplier CFM International about a potential quality escape issue in low pressure turbine discs inside Leap-1B engines.
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Antonov to produce new airborne early warning and control aircraft for Ukrainian Air Force | Defence Blog
Drone delivery report: last-mile economics make drones desirable
http://theuasmagazine.com/articles/1688/drone-delivery-report-last-mile-economics-make-drones-desirable
A new report on the feasibility of drone package delivery explains that it is only a matter of when not if. The economics of using drones for last-mile delivery are simply too compelling, the report states.
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G/ATOR delivered to USMC | Trump administration to further arm Syrian Kurds | Sweden interested in Boeing/Saab T-X trainer offering
Airbus - Airbus creates new commercial drone services start-up “Airbus Aerial”
http://www.airbusgroup.com/int/en/news-media/press-releases/Airbus-Aerial.html
Read more...
Dallas, Texas, 10 May 2017 – Airbus (stock exchange symbol: AIR) today launched its U.S. base and operations of a new commercial drone start-up, named Airbus Aerial, at the AUVSI Xponential tradeshow and conference in Dallas.
With bases both in the U.S. and in Europe, Airbus Aerial's initial business will focus on developing new imagery services. These services will leverage the best software and aerospace technology from across the globe to offer actionable data and analysis of information provided by drones, satellites, high altitude aircraft and other sources.
"Through Airbus Aerial, we are uniquely positioned and fully committed to advancing the commercial Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) industry. It is bringing together partners from across the industry – ranging from vehicle manufacturers, data analytics companies, service providers and others – to enable data-focused services at large scale," said Dirk Hoke, Chief Executive Officer of Airbus Defence and Space. "Using an integrated combination of assets, from UAS platforms to satellite imagery, Airbus Aerial is rolling out a wide range of new imagery services. In the future, additional pillars of the Airbus Aerial activities will be in the area of cargo drone services as well as providing connectivity via aerial assets."
The U.S.-based part of Airbus Aerial will be headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, and is led by Jesse Kallman, a UAS industry expert with more than 12 years of experience including research at Georgia Tech, federal policy at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), commercial UAS at Airware, and advocacy with groups like AUVSI (Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International). Kallman has served as a trusted adviser to executives at Fortune 500 companies, members of Congress, senior officials at the FAA and White House, and leading Silicon Valley Venture Capital groups.
"Drones are only a piece of a much larger picture for us," said Kallman. "Airbus Aerial brings together a variety of aerospace technologies – including drones and satellites – combines them in a common software infrastructure, and applies industry-specific analytics to deliver tailored solutions to our customers' biggest challenges."
Airbus Aerial imagery services targets a range of applications for commercial industries, such as insurance, agriculture, oil and gas, and utilities, as well as state and local governments.
Airbus Aerial starts operations with imagery services fusing drones, satellite images and software to bring deeper insights to commercial customers
Recruitment for positions in software development, data analytics and drone operations, among other roles, has begun. Airbus Aerial is also looking for new partnerships to help bring these new services to market. For more information on available positions with Airbus Aerial or to inquire about partnerships, please visit www.airbusaerial.com.
The world’s biggest plane may have a new mission: launching spacecrafts
The Soviet Union's Antonov An-225 was designed to transport the Buran space shuttle. It still flies sporadically today – but a Chinese plan could give it a new lease of life. Tucked away in a small section of a Soviet era air base on the outskirts of Kiev is the flagship aircraft of the legendary...
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http://flip.it/T7y3Is
Enviado a través de Flipboard, tu revista personal.
Consíguela gratis para mantenerte al día con las noticias que te interesan.
How Airbus can kill the Boeing 797 [feedly]
Airbus can kill the business case for the prospective Boeing 797, the New Midrange Aircraft also known as the Middle of the Market Airplane,
- Reuter's Tim Hepher has this story.
- CNN's Jon Ostrower has this story.
All it has to do is move first, instead of waiting for Boeing to launch the 797, something considered likely next year... If Airbus launched what is commonly called the A322, a larger, longer-range version of the A321neo... continue reading https://leehamnews.com/2017/05/10/airbus-can-kill-boeing-797/ Read more...
Passengers fight with Spirit Airlines employees, police after 9 flights canceled [feedly]
Passengers fight with Spirit Airlines employees, police after 9 flights canceled
https://www.dallasnews.com/business/airlines/2017/05/09/passengers-fight-spirit-airlines-employees-police-9-flights-canceled
Read more...
https://www.dallasnews.com/business/airlines/2017/05/09/passengers-fight-spirit-airlines-employees-police-9-flights-canceled
Fwd: Europe's largest offshore wind farm boots up in the Netherlands [feedly]
Europe's largest offshore wind farm boots up in the Netherlands
http://newatlas.com/gemini-wind-farm-netherlands-opens/49428/
-- via my feedly newsfeed
http://newatlas.com/gemini-
-- via my feedly newsfeed
The Hellenic Air Force Has Retired Its Last RF-4E Phantom Jets [feedly]
The HAF has bid farewell to its last "recce" Phantoms. On May 4, Larissa airbase, Greece, hosted the spotter day for the final flight of the Hellenic Air Force RF-4E, the last "recce" Phantoms in Europe. With the phase out of the last Greek RF-4E, Iran and Japan remain the last operators of the reconnaissance […]
https://theaviationist.com/2017/05/08/the-hellenic-air-force-has-retired-its-last-rf-4e-phantom-jets/
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https://theaviationist.com/2017/05/08/the-hellenic-air-force-has-retired-its-last-rf-4e-phantom-jets/
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The first flying prototype of the Irkut Russian MC-21 airliner has left the assembly room floor,
The first flying prototype of the Ikrut MC-21, a Russian twin-engine short-mid-range jet airliner with a capacity of 150-211 passengers, has left the assembly room floor, Russian media reports, citing sources in the aviation industry.
Original, in Russian: https://ria.ru/economy/20170504/1493629349.html (and automatic translation, via Google here)
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Snipe Nano Quadrotor could reshape the battlefield
http://newatlas.com/aerovironment-snipe-nano-quadrotor-uas/49437/
http://money.cnn.com/2017/05/09/technology/drones-aerovironment/
https://youtu.be/8QRwX55riBs
press release. https://www.avinc.com/resources/press-releases/view/aerovironment-developer-of-the-nano-hummingbird-unveils-snipe-a-new-stealth
- Launched from the palm of a hand, Snipe™ is worn on operators’ clothing so it can spring into action immediately – first 20 systems delivered in April
- Difficult to detect, Snipe provides close-range intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR)
- Simple to use and requires no assembly; operates in challenging and rugged environmental conditions
- Builds on breakthrough robotic Nano Hummingbird developed by AeroVironment for DARPA
DALLAS, at AUVSI XPONENTIAL, May 9, 2017 – AeroVironment, Inc. (NASDAQ: AVAV), a global leader in unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) for both military and commercial applications, today officially unveiled the new Snipe Nano Quad, a miniature (“Class 0”) and field-rugged unmanned aircraft system designed to support close-range intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions. The first U.S. government customer delivery of 20 Snipe systems took place in April.
“Snipe’s tiny size belies its impressive capabilities,” said Kirk Flittie, AeroVironment vice president and general manager of its Unmanned Aircraft Systems business segment. “It is quick, quiet, fast, durable and packed with advanced features critical to helping our customers succeed in close-range missions.”
“Snipe enables operators to spring into action quickly,” Flittie said. “No assembly is required for the five-ounce (140-gram) nano-UAS, which is designed to be worn by its operator so it can be deployed in less than a minute.”
Equipped with electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR), low-light-capable and long-wave infrared (LWIR) sensors in an integrated tilt mechanism, Snipe can relay high-resolution images and record real-time video both day and night. In addition, Snipe’s integrated UHF radio provides for excellent non-line-of-sight operation. The software-defined radio (SDR) allows Snipe to be sold commercially.
With its quiet electric motors, flight speeds exceeding 20 mph and more than one-kilometer range, Snipe is difficult to detect in operating environments with even minimal ambient noise. Its rechargeable batteries power approximately 15 minutes of flight time. Despite its small size, the durable nano-UAS is capable of operating under challenging environmental conditions – including winds of 15+ mph with gusts up to 20 mph
“While Snipe’s stealthiness makes it ideally suited for military applications, it’s an invaluable asset for anyone needing a ‘Class 0’ UAS to support their missions,” Flittie said.
Snipe is controlled using an intuitive app on a standard, ruggedized (MIL-STD 810) touch screen controller with intuitive user interface and automated operation for ease of use.Other critical functions include Snipe’s ability to return to its operator automatically if it loses its radio link.
Snipe benefits from advances in nano unmanned technology achieved by the company in its development of the internationally recognized Nano Hummingbird. “The Nano Hummingbird, the world’s first unmanned aircraft capable of propulsion and control using two flapping wings, is an example of how our breakthrough innovation has spawned a valuable new capability in Snipe that now will help our customers proceed with certainty,” added Flittie.
AeroVironment’s Snipe Nano Quadrotor will be available to order Fall 2017. Operator training requires four hours only.
Read more...
Intel demonstrates drones' potential for automated infrastructure inspections
In New Atlas
http://newatlas.com/intel-drones-falcon-8-bridge-inspection/49452/
In Intel Newsroom
https://newsroom.intel.com/news/intel-auvsi-xponential-2017-intel-takes-flight-new-capabilities-solutions/
https://newsroom.intel.com/editorials/professional-grade-intel-falcon-8-system-offers-advanced-performance-business-critical-flights/
The next billion-dollar startup will be in aerospace
Late last month, 500 people from around the world gathered in Dallas at Uber’s inaugural Elevate Summit.
The invite-only conference was the next actionable step forward, post-Uber’s white paper published last fall, “Fast-Forwarding to a Future of On-Demand Urban Air Transportation,” to catalyze the emerging ecosystem around what Uber, along with partners in aerospace, aviation, and energy storage, see as the next unicorn transportation sector... continue reading https://techcrunch.com/2017/05/09/the-next-billion-dollar-startup-will-be-in-aerospace/
Airbus to carry out a definition study for the ground segment of the Syracuse IV satellite-based military telecommunications system
Paris, 2 May 2017– The French defence procurement agency (Direction Générale de l’Armement) has awarded Airbus Defence and Space a contract to carry out preparatory studies and definition work for the future ground segment of the Syracuse IV satellite-based military telecommunications system. The results of this study will help prepare for the Syracuse IV ground segment construction phase, scheduled to begin in 2018.
The purpose of this one-year study is to examine possible architectures for the Syracuse IV terrestrial network, as well as the new capacity required by the future system. It will scrutinise the pervasiveness of IP (Internet Protocol) technology and the exponential increase in the transmission-speed requirements of the Armed Forces in an ever more interconnected world, while at the same time maintaining security and a very high level of availability.
The study will include the sizing of the network, flow management and prioritisation, using the most advanced network management technologies. Backed by its unique experience of very high-speed satellite networks (in Ka band), Airbus Defence and Space will also examine the capacity optimisation of the future Syracuse IV satellites notably through the use of the latest generation of modems. This study should also make it possible to define the safeguards and resilience mechanisms needed to deal effectively with cyber threats.
The terrestrial and aeronautical mobility of on-board terminals is one of the major challenges for the Syracuse IV ground segment. The study will benefit from the experience and knowhow of Airbus Defence and Space in the field of transport aircraft, intelligence and surveillance, to propose secure high-speed solutions that are both innovative and mature.
The study will also cover the optimisation of through-life support and integrated logistical support for the Syracuse IV system, while guaranteeing a very high level of availability.
In France, Airbus Defence and Space is the supplier of the Comcept network, the first all-IP, very high-speed Ka-band satellite communication system and its 400 user ground stations. The Company is also involved in the construction of the Syracuse IV military satellites and provides satellite telecommunication services to the French Armed Forces, under the Astel-S agreement.
“Airbus is fostering its role as a partner of choice in the field of satellite-based military telecommunications in France. Our French teams will be pooling their expertise in the fields of networks, telecommunication satellites, military transmissions and cyber security,” said Eric Souleres, Head of the Communications, Intelligence & Security (CIS) Business Line in France at Airbus Defence and Space.
Apart from the user ground segment, which is the subject of this study, the Syracuse IV satellite communication programme includes the construction of two satellites that, by 2021- 2023, will replace the Syracuse 3A and Syracuse 3B satellites currently in orbit. It also comprises the construction of the ground control segment and the configuration of these new satellites, the construction of new Ka-band communication anchor stations and support for these resources for a period of 17 years as of the commissioning of the first satellite.
The satellites, working in X and Ka bands, will offer increased performance in terms of communication capacity, flexibility and jamming resistance in order to meet the future needs of the Armed Forces.
About Airbus
Airbus is a global leader in aeronautics, space and related services. In 2016, it generated revenues of € 67 billion and employed a workforce of around 134,000. Airbus offers the most comprehensive range of passenger airliners from 100 to more than 600 seats. Airbus is also a European leader providing tanker, combat, transport and mission aircraft, as well as Europe’s number one space enterprise and the world’s second largest space business. In helicopters, Airbus provides the most efficient civil and military rotorcraft solutions worldwide.
James Webb Space Telescope moving forward – latest milestone for Airbus contributions to the mission
May 8, 2017 - Press release
James Webb telescope and instrument module shipped by NASA from Goddard Space Flight Centre in Washington to Johnson Space Centre in Houston for final tests
Houston 08/05/2017 – OTIS (Optical Telescope Element and Integrated Science), the payload module hosting the telescope and the instruments for the giant James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has been shipped by NASA to the Johnson Space Centre (JSC) in Houston, Texas. OTIS includes two European instruments with major Airbus contributions, the near-infrared spectrograph NIRSpec built by Airbus and the mid-infrared instrument MIRI built with the support of Airbus.
NIRSpec, weighing 200kg, will be able to detect the faintest radiation from the most distant galaxies, observing more than 100 of them simultaneously. It will observe large samples of galaxies and stars at unprecedented depths across large swathes of the Universe and far back in time. Once launched, NIRSpec, known as the ‘super eye’, will operate at a temperature of -238°C. The instrument was developed by Airbus for the European Space Agency (ESA).
The MIRI instrument is a combined camera, spectrograph and coronagraph for mid-infrared wavelengths that will extend JWST’s observation capabilities to longer wavelengths, vital for the study of light from objects in the early universe or to peer inside dust clouds where stars and planetary systems are forming today. MIRI was developed by a European consortium of 21 institutes from 10 ESA member states as well as NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory and Goddard Space Flight Centre, led by the UK’s Astronomy Technology Centre with project management from Airbus.
“This is a fantastic next step for the James Webb Space Telescope – bringing it one step closer to launch on Ariane 5,” said Nicolas Chamussy, Head of Space Systems. “JWST will enable us to study the early Universe and peer inside dust clouds to study star formation. This spacecraft represents the pinnacle of technology for modern astronomy, and shows Airbus’ outstanding expertise in support of the scientific research that JWST will carry out.”
NASA, ESA, and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) are collaborating to develop JWST, designed to be the next step after the legendary Hubble Space Telescope. After its launch in 2018 on an Ariane 5 launcher from Europe’s spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana, JWST will be the largest astronomical telescope in space. It will be able to study key phases in the evolution of the Universe in great detail – from the formation of the first stars and galaxies only a few hundred millions years after the Big Bang to the formation of planetary systems in our own Milky Way galaxy today.
About Airbus
Airbus is a global leader in aeronautics, space and related services. In 2016, it generated revenues of € 67 billion and employed a workforce of around 134,000. Airbus offers the most comprehensive range of passenger airliners from 100 to more than 600 seats. Airbus is also a European leader providing tanker, combat, transport and mission aircraft, as well as Europe’s number one space enterprise and the world’s second largest space business. In helicopters, Airbus provides the most efficient civil and military rotorcraft solutions worldwide.
Airbus Achieves Automatic Air-to-Air Refuelling Contact
Automatic AAR contacts with boom performed for first time ever
Madrid, 9 May 2017 - Airbus Defence and Space has successfully demonstrated automatic air-to-air refuelling (AAR) contacts with a fighter aircraft from a tanker’s refuelling boom – the first time in the world that this has been done.
Airbus’ A310 MRTT company development aircraft performed six automatic contacts with a F-16 of the Portuguese Air Force in a demonstration of a technique which the company believes holds great promise for enhancing in-service AAR operations.
The system requires no additional equipment on the receiver and is intended to reduce boom operator workload, improve safety, and optimise the rate of AAR in operational conditions to maximise combat efficiency. It could be introduced on the current production A330 MRTT as soon as 2019.
Initial approach and tracking of the receiver is performed by the tanker’s Air Refuelling Operator (ARO) as usual. Innovative passive techniques such as image processing are then used to determine the receiver’s refuelling receptacle position and when the automated system is activated, a fully automated flight control system directs the boom towards the receiver’s receptacle. The telescopic beam inside the boom can be controlled in a range of ways including: manually by the ARO; a relative distance-keeping mode; or full auto-mode to perform the contact.
In the 21 March flight off the Portuguese coast, the tanker performed the scheduled six contacts, at flight conditions of 270KT and 25,000ft over a 1hr 15min test period. Both crews reported a faultless operation.
David Piatti, Airbus Test ARO, or “boomer”, on the tanker, said: “The most important thing was that the system could track the receptacle. It was very satisfying because it worked perfectly and we could perform the contacts with the automation switched on as planned. It will certainly reduce workload, especially in degraded weather conditions.”
The F-16 pilot, known by his callsign “Prime”, said: “The test mission was pretty uneventful and accomplished with no unexpected issues – which is a good sign. From the moment that the boomer accepted the contact the boom was immediately in the correct spot. For the contact itself, it was very precise and expeditious. You can notice the difference – the less that you feel in the cockpit then the more precise you know the tracking is.”
Miguel Gasco, Head of Airbus Defence and Space’s Incubator Laboratory which coordinated the development, said: “This represents a fundamental advance in boom AAR operations, with the promise of increasing the rate of contacts, notably reducing operator workload, and enhancing safety. The automated boom operation is an important pillar of our Smart MRTT development that is already underway.”
The imaging technology underlying the Automatic AAR technique was originally used by Airbus’ Space division to develop solutions for refuelling satellites in space or for space debris removal and was further developed and applied by Airbus Defence and Space’s Incubator Laboratory for the tanking application.
The photo shows the first automatic contact between the A310 MRTT demonstrator and the F-16.
A video can be viewed and downloaded here: https://we.tl/yI7sDnc2zw
About A330 MRTT
The Airbus Defence and Space A330 MRTT is the only new generation strategic tanker/transport aircraft combat-proven and available today. The large 111 tonnes/ 245,000 lb basic fuel capacity of the successful A330-200 airliner, from which it is derived, enables the A330 MRTT to excel in air-to-air refuelling missions without the need for any additional fuel tank.
The A330 MRTT is offered with a choice of proven air-to-air refuelling systems including an advanced Airbus Defence and Space Aerial Refuelling Boom System, and/or a pair of under-wing hose and drogue pods, and/or a Fuselage Refuelling Unit.
Thanks to its true wide-body fuselage, the A330 MRTT can also be used as a pure transport aircraft able to carry up to 300 troops, or a payload of up to 45 tonnes/99,000 lb. It can also easily be converted to accommodate up to 130 stretchers for Medical Evacuation (MEDEVAC). To-date, a total of 51 A330 MRTTs have been ordered by nine nations (Australia, France, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Korea, the United Arab Emirates, and the United Kingdom), with two (Australia and Saudi Arabia) having already placed repeat orders.
About Airbus
Airbus is a global leader in aeronautics, space and related services. In 2016, it generated revenues of € 67 billion and employed a workforce of around 134,000. Airbus offers the most comprehensive range of passenger airliners from 100 to more than 600 seats. Airbus is also a European leader providing tanker, combat, transport and mission aircraft, as well as Europe’s number one space enterprise and the world’s second largest space business. In helicopters, Airbus provides the most efficient civil and military rotorcraft solutions worldwide. Read more...
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