EGNOS V3 will offer improved and secure Civil Aviation Safety of Life services for the next decade over Europe
Programme will ensure a full continuity of service and will be the first operational SBAS using both GPS and Galileo
Airbus has been selected by the European Space Agency (ESA) as the prime contractor to develop EGNOS V3, the next generation of the European Satellite Based Augmentation System (SBAS) planned to provide the aviation community with advanced Safety of Life services and new services to Maritime and Land users.
Developed by ESA on behalf of the European Commission and the European GNSS Agency (GSA), EGNOS V3 (European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service) will provide augmented operational Safety of Life services over Europe that improve the accuracy and availability of user positioning services from existing Global Navigation Satellite Systems (Galileo and GPS) and provides crucial integrity messages to EGNOS users with alerts within a few seconds in case of system degradation, consolidating EGNOS’ position as one of the leading edge GNSS Systems in the future.
EGNOS V3 will thus offer improved Safety of Life (SoL) services performances (where people’s lives are potentially at stake) over Europe to Civil Aviation community and new applications for Maritime or Land users, and will improve robustness against increasing security risks, in particular cyber-security risks.
EGNOS V3 will ensure a full continuity of service for the next decade and will be the first operational SBAS implementing the dual frequency and multi constellation world standard, with both GPS and Galileo, replacing EGNOS V2 which has been in operation since 2011.
“This programme is strategic for Airbus to strengthen our position in the Navigation field. The signature of this contract is the result of more than 5 years of intense team work and investment,” said Nicolas Chamussy, Head of Space Systems at Airbus. “With our Consortium, we bring a large pool of resources and experience in Europe covering the successful development of critical and secure ground segment. I am confident that we will make EGNOS V3 a success story.” As Prime contractor, Airbus will be leading a consortium with partners from France, Germany, Spain and Switzerland. Airbus will be responsible for the development, integration, deployment and preparation of EGNOS V3 operations, the overall performance of the system and the Central Processing Facility which is the heart of the real time navigation algorithms.
During the 6.5 year contract, around 100 people and 20 subcontractors will work on delivering the EGNOS V3 system. In 2023, the single frequency version will be available to replace the current operational version and, 18 months later, the final version in dual frequency will be delivered.
EGNOS is composed of a large network of about 50 ground stations deployed over Europe, Africa and North America, two master control centres located near Rome and Madrid, and a System Operation Support Centre in Toulouse. EGNOS will also use geostationary satellites navigation payload.
Read more...
Airbus to exhibit latest products, services, innovations in Singapore
Airbus will be the largest international exhibitor at the upcoming Singapore Airshow, showcasing a selection of its latest products, services and innovations in the commercial aircraft, defence, space and helicopter markets. The show takes place at the Changi Exhibition Centre in Singapore, 6-11 February.
The highlight at the static display will be the new long-range A350-1000 widebody aircraft, which will stop at the show as part of a three-week demonstration tour around the Asia-Pacific region. Set to enter commercial service in the coming weeks, the A350-1000 is the larger version of the A350 XWB Family, which has been especially successful with airlines in Asia.
Also on display will be the game-changing A400M, the new-generation military airlifter which has proven its capabilities by playing a critical role in humanitarian operations around the world. The aircraft at the show is operated by the Royal Malaysian Air Force.
Completing the line-up will be two of the company’s most popular helicopters – the H130 and H135. These single and twin engine rotorcraft offer unrivalled efficiency in the light-medium category for a wide range of operations, including public utility, tourism and private or corporate transportation.
At the Airbus stand in the main exhibition hall [stand #J23] scale models of the A350-1000, A400M, AstroBus-XS satellite and H145 helicopter will be on display. The exhibit will also feature a full size mock-up of a section of the new A330neo Airspace cabin, as well as an area dedicated to the company’s growing Services business. This will include information about the Skywise data platform and the Hangar of the Future project to digitalise the MRO business.
Another section of the stand will be devoted to Innovations. On display will be a prototype of the Skyways autonomous parcel delivery drone, which is at an advanced stage of development in collaboration with partners in Singapore. Visitors will also be able to take a virtual reality tour experiencing the world of Airbus today and a glimpse of what the future may hold. Airbus will also organise several media briefings during the show covering the commercial, helicopter and military aircraft markets, the fast-growing MRO and services business and unmanned aerial systems.
F-15 Eagle, F/A-18 Super Hornet, P-8A Poseidon, CH-47 Chinook, AH-64 Apache, and unmanned systems on display
737 MAX, 787 and 777X airplane models on exhibit
New Boeing Global Services exhibit highlights products that drive lifecycle innovation and efficiency
CHICAGO, Jan. 22, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Boeing [NYSE: BA] will showcase a wide range of products and services at this year's Singapore Airshow, Asia's largest aerospace and defense show, which runs Feb. 6-11. The scale of the company's presence at this year's show reflects the strong growth prospects and opportunities across its commercial, defense and services businesses in Asia-Pacific.
"Singapore is a global aviation hub and the headquarters for our Southeast Asia operations, where we have enjoyed 70 years of presence and partnership," said Skip Boyce, president, Boeing Southeast Asia. "As our product line-up and customer requirements continue to evolve, we are confident and committed to delivering enhanced capabilities to our customers while growing our regional presence."
The Asia-Pacific region is Boeing Commercial Airplanes' fastest growing market with a strong demand for both single and twin-aisle airplanes. In addition to models of the 737 MAX and 787 airplanes that have been delivered to numerous customers in the region, the Boeing exhibit will also showcase a model of the new 777X now in development and build.
Boeing Defense, Space & Security will have a robust line-up of Boeing and customer products on static display at the show. The Republic of Singapore Air Force will display the F-15SG multi-role fighter, and the CH-47 Chinook and AH-64 Apache helicopters. The U.S. Department of Defense will exhibit the P-8A Poseidon and the F/A-18 Super Hornet, alongside the Integrator unmanned aircraft system from Insitu. The Boeing exhibit will also include the Insitu ScanEagle, and the Wave Glider, an ocean surface robot with seabed-to-space autonomous capabilities from Liquid Robotics.
For the first time at the Singapore Airshow, there will be a Boeing Global Services (BGS) exhibit booth. Launched in 2017, Boeing Global Services is the company's newest business unit and is poised for growth through innovative services and support for regional commercial and defense systems throughout the entire lifecycle. Asia-Pacific is an important growth market for the services business with a strong emphasis on engineering, modifications, upgrades, maintenance, Boeing AnalytX, digital services and training. The Boeing Training and Professional Services campus in Changi, Singapore is Boeing's largest pilot, technician and crew training facility in Asia.
Boeing will hold a series of media briefings during the show, as listed below. Members of the media should check the briefing schedule daily at the show Media Center for the latest updates. Read more...
The A350-1000, the newest member of Airbus’ leading widebody family, has embarked on a three-week demonstration tour to the Middle East and Asia-Pacific region.
The demonstration tour follows the completion of a successful flight test campaign, which lasted less than one year and culminated in joint EASA and FAA type certifications, demonstrating the aircraft’s excellent design, performance and maturity. The A350-1000 tour comes ahead of the first customer delivery to Qatar Airways in the coming weeks.
During the tour, the A350-1000 flight test aircraft (MSN065) will visit 12 destinations to demonstrate the aircraft’s exclusive features to airlines. The itinerary will see it travel over 30,000 nautical miles / 55,500 kilometres, with stops in Doha, Muscat, Hong Kong, Seoul, Taipei, Hanoi, Singapore, Bangkok, Sydney, Auckland, Tokyo and Manila.
The aircraft will stop for several days in Singapore, where it will be on static display from 6 to 8 February at the Singapore Airshow 2018.
MSN065 is one of three Airbus A350-1000 test aircraft and is equipped with a fully functional cabin (40 business class, 36 economy plus class and 219 comfort economy class seats). The demonstration flights will be operated by Airbus flight test crews.
The A350-1000 is the latest member of the A350 XWB Family, showing high level of commonality with the A350-900 with 95 percent common systems part numbers and the same Type Rating. As well as having a longer fuselage to accommodate 40 more passengers than the A350-900 (in a typical three-class configuration), the A350-1000 also features a modified wing trailing-edge, new six-wheel main landing gears and more powerful Rolls-Royce Trent XWB-97 engines. Along with the A350-900, the A350-1000 is shaping the future of air travel by offering unprecedented levels of efficiency and unrivalled comfort in its ‘Airspace’ cabin. With its additional capacity, the A350-1000 is perfectly tailored for some of the busiest long-haul routes. To date, 11 customers from five continents have placed orders for a total of 169 A350-1000s.
Follow the A350-1000 tour live on Twitter: @Airbus and #A350XWBTour
Update to research agreement will help Nissan develop the technology for prototype transportation services
LAS VEGAS – At CES 2018, Nissan North America, Inc., the U.S.-based subsidiary of Nissan Motor Co. Ltd., announced an agreement with NASA Ames Research Center in California's Silicon Valley to collaborate on research and technology development for future autonomous mobility services, including a working demonstration in Silicon Valley. This update to the existing research collaboration between Nissan and NASA builds on previous success to define a new scope of activities into 2019.
Under the terms of the five-year research and development partnership, researchers from the Nissan Research Center in Silicon Valley and NASA Ames have been working together to advance autonomous vehicle systems. In January 2017, at CES in Las Vegas, Nissan introduced Nissan Seamless Autonomous Mobility (SAM), a new platform for managing fleets of autonomous vehicles, developed from NASA technology. This new phase in the joint collaboration will build on that success to further develop the technology and test the use of SAM for managing autonomous transportation services, ahead of public implementations.
"We built SAM from technology NASA developed for managing interplanetary rovers as they move around unpredictable landscapes," said Maarten Sierhuis, director of the Nissan Research Center in Silicon Valley. "Our goal is to deploy SAM to help third-party organizations safely integrate a fleet of autonomous vehicles in unpredictable urban environments, for example ride-hailing services, public transportation or logistics and delivery services. The final stage of our existing research agreement with NASA will bring us closer to that goal and test SAM in a working demonstration on public streets."
"One of NASA's strategic goals is to transfer the technology developed to advance NASA mission and program objectives to broader commercial and social applications," said Eugene Tu, Center Director, NASA Ames. "Using NASA's work in robotics to accelerate the deployment of autonomous mobility services is a perfect example of how the considerable work required to advance space exploration can also pioneer advances here on Earth."
The research collaboration with NASA is part of Nissan's roadmap for the technology and business evolution of the automotive industry, called Nissan Intelligent Mobility. This roadmap consists of three workstreams of inter-related innovations in autonomous drive (Intelligent Drive), electrification (Intelligent Power) and infrastructure technologies (Intelligent Integration). SAM represents a major milestone in Nissan Intelligent Integration, providing the infrastructure to safely and seamlessly integrate autonomous mobility services into existing urban environments.
Read more...
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Researchers have demonstrated how to create a super-strong aluminum alloy that rivals the strength of stainless steel, an advance with potential industrial applications.
“Most lightweight aluminum alloys are soft and have inherently low mechanical strength, which hinders more widespread industrial application,” said Xinghang Zhang, a professor in Purdue University’s School of Materials Engineering. “However, high-strength, lightweight aluminum alloys with strength comparable to stainless steels would revolutionize the automobile and aerospace industries.”
New research shows how to alter the microstructure of aluminum to impart greater strength and ductility. Findings were detailed in two new research papers. The work was led by a team of researchers that included Purdue postdoctoral research associate Sichuang Xue and doctoral student Qiang Li.
The most recent paper was published online Jan. 22 in the journal Advanced Materials. The earlier paper was published in November in the journal Nature Communications.
The new high-strength aluminum is made possible by introducing “stacking faults,” or distortions in the crystal structure. While these are easy to produce in metals such as copper and silver, they are difficult to introduce in aluminum because of its high “stacking fault energy.”
A metal’s crystal lattice is made up of a repeating sequence of atomic layers. If one layer is missing, there is said to be a stacking fault. Meanwhile, so-called “twin boundaries” consisting of two layers of stacking faults can form. One type of stacking fault, called a 9R phase, is particularly promising, Zhang said.
“It has been shown that twin boundaries are difficult to be introduced into aluminum. The formation of the 9R phase in aluminum is even more difficult because of its high stacking fault energy,” Zhang said. “You want to introduce both nanotwins and 9R phase in nanograined aluminum to increase strength and ductility and improve thermal stability.” (A YouTube video is available at https://youtu.be/Y3dYq-N4xSY)
Now, researchers have learned how to readily achieve this 9R phase and nanotwins in aluminum.
“These results show how to fabricate aluminum alloys that are comparable to, or even stronger than, stainless steels,” he said. “There is a lot of potential commercial impact in this finding.”
Xue is lead author of the Nature Communications paper, which is the first to report a “shock-induced” 9R phase in aluminum. Researchers bombarded ultrathin aluminum films with tiny micro-projectiles of silicon dioxide, yielding 9R phase.
“Here, by using a laser-induced projectile impact testing technique, we discover a deformation-induced 9R phase with tens of nanometers in width,” Xue said.
The microprojectile tests were performed by a research group at Rice University, led by professor Edwin L. Thomas, a co-author of the Nature Communications paper. A laser beam causes the particles to be ejected at a velocity of 600 meters per second. The procedure dramatically accelerates screening tests of various alloys for impact-resistance applications.
“Say I want to screen many materials within a short time,” Zhang said. “This method allows us to do that at far lower cost than otherwise possible.”
Li is lead author of the Advanced Materials paper, which describes how to induce a 9R phase in aluminum not by shock but by introducing iron atoms into aluminum’s crystal structure via a procedure called magnetron sputtering. Iron also can be introduced into aluminum using other techniques, such as casting, and the new finding could potentially be scaled up for industrial applications.
The resulting “nanotwinned” aluminum-iron alloy coatings proved to be one of the strongest aluminum alloys ever created, comparable to high-strength steels.
“Molecular-dynamics simulations, performed by professor Jian Wang’s group at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln, showed the 9R phase and nanograins result in high strength and work-hardening ability and revealed the formation mechanisms of the 9R phase in aluminum,” Zhang said. “Understand new deformation mechanisms will help us design new high strength, ductile metallic materials, such as aluminum alloys.”
One potential application might be to design wear- and corrosion-resistant aluminum alloy coatings for the electronics and automobile industries.
The research was mainly funded by U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Basic Energy Sciences, Materials Science and Engineering Division. The researchers have filed a patent application through the Purdue Research Foundation’s Office of Technology Commercialization.
The transmission electron microscopy work for the research was supported by a new FEI Talos 200X microscope facility directed by Haiyan Wang, Purdue’s Basil S. Turner Professor of Engineering; and the “in situ micropillar compression” work in scanning electron microscopes was supported by Purdue’s Life Science Microscopy Facility, led by Christopher J. Gilpin, director of the facility. These advanced microscopy facilities were made possible with support from Purdue’s Office of the Executive Vice President for Research and Partnerships.
The team included researchers from Purdue’s School of Materials Engineering, Department of Materials Science and NanoEngineering at Rice University, the Department of Engineering Physics at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, State Key Lab of Metal Matrix Composites, the School of Materials Science and Engineering at Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Department of Materials Science and Engineering at China University of Petroleum, California Institute of Technology, Louisiana State University and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. A complete listing of co-authors is available in the abstracts.
Light-weight aluminum (Al) alloys have widespread applications. However, most Al alloys have inherently low mechanical strength. Nanotwins can induce high strength and ductility in metallic materials. Yet, introducing high-density growth twins into Al remains difficult due to its ultrahigh stacking-fault energy. In this study, it is shown that incorporating merely several atomic percent of Fe solutes into Al enables the formation of nanotwinned (nt) columnar grains with high-density 9R phase in Al(Fe) solid solutions. The nt Al–Fe alloy coatings reach a maximum hardness of ≈5.5 GPa, one of the strongest binary Al alloys ever created. In situ uniaxial compressions show that the nt Al–Fe alloys populated with 9R phase have flow stress exceeding 1.5 GPa, comparable to high-strength steels. Molecular dynamics simulations reveal that high strength and hardening ability of Al–Fe alloys arise mainly from the high-density 9R phase and nanoscale grain sizes.
Read more...
Defeat for Trump administration could save thousands of jobs at aircraft maker's Belfast operation Bombardier has won its case against US proposals to impose large tariffs on imports of the company's C-Series aircraft. The UK government had feared the aerospace firm would lose the case, which wou...
That's akin to a medium-sized manned cargo plane. China's drone newcomer Tengoen Technology (also spelled Tengdun) has ambitious plans. The company promises to market armed drones for purchase. It also promises to build the world's biggest cargo drone. That's quite a slate for a company that was ...
27 engines all roaring and ready to go. We've been waiting for so long. SpaceX has managed to keep anticipation for its Falcon Heavy debut high since first announcing it back in 2011. Testing was delayed for years as engineers figured out what it would take to keep three Falcon-9 boosters—and the...
Improved cost-effectiveness and environmental friendliness of future passenger aircraft due to reduced weight of onboard equipment and lower maintenance costs are the main advantages of the so-called “more electric aircraft” (MEA) being developed today.
Currently, the staff of TsAGI (a member of the National Research Center “Zhukovsky Institute”) is testing MEA control system actuators.
Another pilot unit testing campaign was completed in December. At that time a dual-mode electrohydraulic drive with combined speed control for passenger aircraft elevation rudder was tested. TsAGI’s engineers experimentally determined static and dynamic performance of the unit, including under load.
Among other results, the tests showed mechanical impedance of the drive, i.e., its ability to maintain a given position under dynamic loading. This was the first time that such data for devices of this type were obtained in Russia.
“The main issues associated with such drives include excessive heat generation,” explained the chief project officer and engineer of TsAGI’s Flight Dynamics Department Anton Steblinkin. “We minimized this phenomenon by adjusting the algorithms. During the tests no critical heating occurred in any part of the unit.”
In addition, TsAGI’s engineers carried out semi-realistic simulation: passenger aircraft flight was simulated using a full-scale drive and mathematical aircraft model. During the virtual flight the most challenging operating scenario for the unit under test was simulated, involving a high level of long-acting turbulence.
The tests generally confirmed the results of computational studies: weight, power and dynamic performance of the unit supports the potential for successful use of the equipment in transport aircraft control systems.
The next stage of the experiments is scheduled for the first half of 2018. TsAGI’s engineers will test the combined drive, designed to use an improved hydraulic circuit, and carry out additional studies of its fail-safety.
Specialists of the Zhukovsky Central AeroHydrodynamic Institute (TsAGI, a member of the National Research Center “Zhukovsky Institute”) completed one more stage of the Sukhoi Superjet 100 airframe endurance tests by undertaking 24 000 flight cycles. The aircraft was tested under multiple loads corresponding to all flight modes: takeoff and landing, cruise and ground.
The RRJ-95LR-100 model structure was the object of the tests. It is an extended-range version of up to 4578 km. According to the specialists of the Institute, the tests confirmed the initial reliability of the aircraft structure.
It is planned to simulate 162 000 flight cycles to prove a design life of 54 000 flights for the main load-carrying structure of the RRJ aircraft. The work was started in 2015 and will last for several more years.
Cooperation between Sukhoi Civil Aircraft and TsAGI within the framework of the Sukhoi Superjet 100 Project has been ongoing since 2001.
During this time, Institute specialists implemented a wide range of studies of aerodynamics, strength and control systems for the domestic aircraft.
The Sukhoi Superjet 100 (SSJ100) is a new-generation Russian civil aircraft designed and produced by Sukhoi Civil Aircraft Company (SCAC). The SSJ100 incorporates the most advanced aerodynamics, propulsion unit and avionics technologies ensuring the efficient operation and comfort of passengers. It is to operate on short- and medium-haul routes. The product range of SCAC are commercial airplanes SSJ100, Sukhoi Business Jet version and special-purpose aircraft. The SSJ100 has been in commercial service since 2011.
Sukhoi Civil Aircraft Company (SCAC) was founded in 2000 in order to create and develop new models of commercial aircraft. Today, the company’s main project is the design and development of the Sukhoi Superjet 100. Principal directions of the company’s activity are development, production, sales and maintenance support of the Sukhoi Superjet 100 aircraft. The company is headquartered in Moscow and the aircraft are assembled in the company’s branch in the city of Komsomolsk-on-Amur.
SAN DIEGO (NNS) -- San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock USS Anchorage (LPD 23) successfully completed test recovery operations of NASA's Orion test article, Jan. 23.
The Underway Recovery Test-6 (URT-6) is part of a U.S. government interagency effort to safely retrieve the Orion crew module, which is capable of carrying humans into deep space.
This marks the fourth completion of a URT aboard Anchorage. NASA engineers worked alongside Sailors from the Anchorage, the San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock USS New Orleans (LPD 18), Special Boat Team 12 and Navy divers from Explosive Ordinance Disposal Mobile Unit 3 to test recovery operations of the Orion test article. Tests were conducted in varying sea states, during the day and at night.
"Our crew has actually been training for several months closely with NASA on everything from planning conferences to onsite training to be ready for the mission," said Capt. Dennis Jacko, Anchorage commanding officer. "I think the ship and the crew are doing a great job for a historic tasking we have added to a very busy schedule as we prepare for deployment. Everybody stepped up and provided the best support with our NASA partners for a very successful test."
With their main role of conducting amphibious operations, San Antonio-class ships have unique capabilities that make them an ideal partner to support NASA's mission. One of the more important capabilities is the ship's ability to recover the test capsule using the ship's well deck, which was designed to launch and recover amphibious craft. Anchorage also has the ability to carry and deploy multiple small boats to aid in the recovery process of the capsule and contains an advanced medical facility ideal for treating the returning astronauts.
URT-6 consisted of releasing the test capsule from the well deck, then carefully maneuvering the ship alongside the capsule at slow speed. Once the test article was far enough from the ship, the lines attaching the capsule to the ship were released. Then, divers attached a stabilization ring designed by NASA that would help in sustaining the astronauts in the capsule for up to three days. Divers then removed the collar, attached lines from the small boats to steady and guide the capsule toward Anchorage, where Rigid Hull Inflatable Boats (RHIB) would then assist in attaching lines from a NASA-designed winch which then hauled the capsule into the well deck.
The whole recovery is a high risk evolution, especially when the capsule is being towed closely behind the ship, but NASA took our inputs and modified the equipment for this URT mission," said Chief Petty Officer Beau Lontine, a Navy diver assigned to Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit 3. "There are so many things that could go wrong if just one person isn't paying attention. We've conducted training with the hardware and rigging to allow for a safe recovery of the capsule. It might seem like a basic recovery, but it is far from a simple evolution."
The tests allowed NASA and the Navy to continue to demonstrate and evaluate the recovery processes, procedures, hardware and personnel in real, open-ocean environment before conducting actual recovery operations.
Also aboard Anchorage to observe the URT for the first time is NASA Astronaut Stephen Bowen, who is also a retired Navy captain.
"I'm very pleased with what I've seen so far," said Bowen. "The reason you do this is to better understand. You realize you don't have all the answers right now. There will be changes made; things are going to evolve, and they should get better over time."
URTs have been conducted since 2014 and will continue to be until NASA engineers believe the recovery process is without error. The next URT, URT-7, is scheduled to be on the San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock USS Somerset (LPD 25) in October 2018 when NASA will conduct the validation and verification of the recovery hardware.
According to NASA's Recovery Director Melissa Jones, future tests will ensure NASA and the Navy arrive at a safe and more efficient way to recover the capsule for an early 2020's mission involving a flying crew.
"Testing this week went very well," said Jones. "We've actually shaved about 15 minutes off our timeline already with one run, which is important to us because when we recover crew, we have to get them out as quickly as possible."
The Orion spacecraft is designed to meet the evolving needs of our nation's deep space exploration program for decades to come. It will serve as the exploration vehicle that will carry the crew to space, provide emergency abort capability, sustain the crew during the space travel and provide safe re-entry from deep space return velocities.
Anchorage is homeported in San Diego and is part of U.S. 3rd Fleet. Third Fleet leads naval forces in the Pacific and provides realistic, relevant training necessary for an effective global Navy.
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Human waste may one day be a valuable resource for astronauts on deep-space missions. Now, a Penn State research team has shown that it is possible to rapidly break down solid and liquid waste to grow food with a series of microbial reactors, while simultaneously minimizing pathogen growth.
"We envisioned and tested the concept of simultaneously treating astronauts' waste with microbes while producing a biomass that is edible either directly or indirectly depending on safety concerns," said Christopher House, professor of geosciences, Penn State. "It's a little strange, but the concept would be a little bit like Marmite or Vegemite where you're eating a smear of 'microbial goo.'"
The researchers' study addresses multiple challenges facing deep-space missions to Mars or beyond, which would likely take months or years. Bringing enough food from Earth takes up volume and increases the mass and fuel cost of the spacecraft, while growing food in route using hydroponic or other methods would be an energy- and water-intensive process that takes up valuable room.
To test their idea, the researchers used an artificial solid and liquid waste that's commonly used in waste management tests. They created an enclosed, cylindrical system, four feet long by four inches in diameter, in which select microbes came into contact with the waste. The microbes broke down waste using anaerobic digestion, a process similar to the way humans digest food.
"Anaerobic digestion is something we use frequently on Earth for treating waste," said House. "It's an efficient way of getting mass treated and recycled. What was novel about our work was taking the nutrients out of that stream and intentionally putting them into a microbial reactor to grow food."
The team found that methane was readily produced during anaerobic digestion of human waste and could be used to grow a different microbe, Methylococcus capsulatus, which is used as animal feed today. The team concluded that such microbial growth could be used to produce a nutritious food for deep space flight. They reported in Life Sciences in Space Research that they grew M. capsulatus that was 52 percent protein and 36 percent fats, making it a potential source of nutrition for astronauts.
Because pathogens are also a concern with growing microbes in an enclosed, humid space, the team studied ways to grow microbes in either an alkaline environment or a high-heat environment. They raised the system's pH to 11 and were surprised to find a strain of the bacteria Halomonas desiderata that could thrive. The team found this bacteria to be 15 percent protein and 7 percent fats. At 158 degrees Fahrenheit, which kills most pathogens, they grew the edible Thermus aquaticus, which consisted of 61 percent protein and 16 percent fats.
"We also explored dramatic changes to how much waste was produced, for example, if the spacecraft had a larger load than usual, and the system accommodated that well," said House.
The team's compact design drew inspiration from aquariums, which use a fixed-film filter to treat fish waste. These filters use a specially designed, bacteria-covered film material with high surface area.
"We used materials from the commercial aquarium industry but adapted them for methane production," said House. "On the surface of the material are microbes that take solid waste from the stream and convert it to fatty acids, which are converted to methane gas by a different set of microbes on the same surface."
The team removed 49 to 59 percent of solids in 13 hours during their test. This is much faster than existing waste management treatment, which can take several days. House said their system is not ready for application yet — this initial study explored the various components in isolation and not a fully integrated system.
"Each component is quite robust and fast and breaks down waste quickly," said House. "That's why this might have potential for future space flight. It's faster than growing tomatoes or potatoes."
Today, astronauts aboard the International Space Station recycle a portion of water from urine, but the process is energy intensive, said House. Solid waste management has been a bigger hurdle. This currently is ejected into the Earth's atmosphere where it burns up.
"Imagine if someone were to fine-tune our system so that you could get 85 percent of the carbon and nitrogen back from waste into protein without having to use hydroponics or artificial light," said House. "That would be a fantastic development for deep-space travel."
Two additional researchers collaborated on this work: Lisa Steinberg, postdoctoral astrobiology researcher at Penn State at the time of the study, now a science lab supervisor at Delaware County Community College; and Rachel Kronyak, former Penn State undergraduate geosciences student, now a graduate student at the University of Tennessee.
This work was funded by NASA through the Ralph Steckler/Space Grant Space Colonization Research and Technology Development Opportunity and by the Penn State Astrobiology Research Center through the NASA Astrobiology Institute.
Dublin, Ireland, January 22nd, 2018 – As the E190-E2 new generation narrow-body jet approaches certification, Embraer announces some final results from flight tests confirming that the aircraft is better than its original specification and even more efficient than other single aisle aircraft. In fuel consumption, the E190-E2 proved to be 1,3% better than originally expected, which represents a 17,3% improvement when compared to the current generation E190, and nearly 10% better than its direct competitor.
The E190-E2 also becomes the most environmentally friendly aircraft in the segment, with the lowest level of external noise and emissions. The cumulative margin to ICAO Stage IV noise limit increases from 17 to 20 EPNdB, which results in 2 EPNdB better than its direct competitor.
Rodrigo Silva e Souza, Marketing VP, Embraer Commercial Aviation, said, “this means that when our first operator , Widerøe, operates its inaugural E190-E2 flight on April 24th from Bergen to Tromsø, it will be the first in-service flight of the world’s most efficient and eco-friendly narrow-body jet. This is an immense achievement for our team and means additional value delivered to our customers.”
Flight test results also confirmed the E190-E2 to be better than its original specification in takeoff performance. The aircraft’s range from airports with hot-and-high conditions, such as Denver and Mexico City, increases by 600 nm compared to current generation aircraft. Its range from airports with short runways, such as London City also increases by more than 1,000 nm allowing the aircraft to reach destinations like Moscow and the north of Africa.
E190-E2 also becomes the aircraft with the longest maintenance intervals in the single aisle market with 10,000 flight hours for basic checks and no calendar limit in typical E-Jets utilization. This means additional 15 days of aircraft utilization in a period of ten years compared to current generation E-Jets. Another key program target where the E190-E2 obtained better results than initial expectations is in pilots transition training time. Pilots of Current generation E-Jets will need only 2.5 days of training and no full flight simulator to fly an E2. “Decreasing the training burden for pilots transitioning from E1 is another huge reduction in both time and cost for our operators. This coupled with the E2 family’s world leading fuel efficiency and lowest noise footprint, make the E2 the most cost effective aircraft in its segment by every measure”, explained Silva. Embraer is the world’s leading manufacturer of commercial jets with up to 150 seats. The Company has 100 customers from all over the world operating the ERJ and the E-Jet families of aircraft. For the E-Jets program alone, Embraer has logged more than 1,800 orders and 1,400 deliveries, redefining the traditional concept of regional aircraft by operating across a range of business applications.
Read more...
US regulator awards amended type certificate to newest member of super-efficient airplane family
Deliveries scheduled to start in first half of 2018
EVERETT, Wash., Jan. 22, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Boeing [NYSE: BA] announced today the 787-10 Dreamliner received an amended type certificate (ATC) from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), clearing the airplane for commercial service.
The awarding of ATC caps a successful flight test program that began in March 2017 and involved three flight test airplanes that accumulated about 900 test hours. Boeing's flight test program team took the airplanes through a series of tests to confirm the airplane's handling, systems and overall performance met internal requirements and certification standards to ensure safety of flight.
"We are pleased to have met the rigorous standards set forth by the FAA and are eager to bring the airplane to market for our valued customers," said Brad Zaback, vice president and general manager of the 787 program. "After years of design and testing, our team has proven the quality, safety and reliability of the newest member of the Dreamliner family and we look forward to seeing the airplane in service later this year."
Other aviation regulatory agencies are expected to follow the FAA's lead and certify the airplane before it enters service.
The 787 Dreamliner is a family of super-efficient airplanes with new passenger-pleasing features. As a stretch of the 787-9, the 787-10 retains over 95 percent commonality while adding seats and cargo capacity, setting a new benchmark for fuel efficiency and operating economics at 25 percent better fuel per seat and emissions than the airplanes it will replace. The airplane can fly 330 passengers, in a typical two-class configuration, up to 6,430 nautical miles (11,910 km).
To date, Boeing has over 170 orders for the 787-10 from nine customers worldwide. First delivery is expected to Singapore Airlines in the first half of 2018.
Read more...
F-15 Eagle, F/A-18 Super Hornet, P-8A Poseidon, CH-47 Chinook, AH-64 Apache, and unmanned systems on display
737 MAX, 787 and 777X airplane models on exhibit
New Boeing Global Services exhibit highlights products that drive lifecycle innovation and efficiency
CHICAGO, Jan. 22, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Boeing [NYSE: BA] will showcase a wide range of products and services at this year's Singapore Airshow, Asia's largest aerospace and defense show, which runs Feb. 6-11. The scale of the company's presence at this year's show reflects the strong growth prospects and opportunities across its commercial, defense and services businesses in Asia-Pacific.
"Singapore is a global aviation hub and the headquarters for our Southeast Asia operations, where we have enjoyed 70 years of presence and partnership," said Skip Boyce, president, Boeing Southeast Asia. "As our product line-up and customer requirements continue to evolve, we are confident and committed to delivering enhanced capabilities to our customers while growing our regional presence."
The Asia-Pacific region is Boeing Commercial Airplanes' fastest growing market with a strong demand for both single and twin-aisle airplanes. In addition to models of the 737 MAX and 787 airplanes that have been delivered to numerous customers in the region, the Boeing exhibit will also showcase a model of the new 777X now in development and build.
Boeing Defense, Space & Security will have a robust line-up of Boeing and customer products on static display at the show. The Republic of Singapore Air Force will display the F-15SG multi-role fighter, and the CH-47 Chinook and AH-64 Apache helicopters. The U.S. Department of Defense will exhibit the P-8A Poseidon and the F/A-18 Super Hornet, alongside the Integrator unmanned aircraft system from Insitu. The Boeing exhibit will also include the Insitu ScanEagle, and the Wave Glider, an ocean surface robot with seabed-to-space autonomous capabilities from Liquid Robotics.
For the first time at the Singapore Airshow, there will be a Boeing Global Services (BGS) exhibit booth. Launched in 2017, Boeing Global Services is the company's newest business unit and is poised for growth through innovative services and support for regional commercial and defense systems throughout the entire lifecycle. Asia-Pacific is an important growth market for the services business with a strong emphasis on engineering, modifications, upgrades, maintenance, Boeing AnalytX, digital services and training. The Boeing Training and Professional Services campus in Changi, Singapore is Boeing's largest pilot, technician and crew training facility in Asia.
Boeing will hold a series of media briefings during the show, as listed below. Members of the media should check the briefing schedule daily at the show Media Center for the latest updates.
Brazil has ordered an additional Airbus C295 search and rescue (SAR) aircraft that will eventually take to 15 the number of C295s in service with the Brazilian Air Force (FAB).
This latest order constitutes the firming of an option included in an earlier contract in 2014. It was signed at the end of last year and will therefore be included in the 2017 orderbook. The three SAR aircraft will serve alongside 12 transport-configured C295s already delivered.
The first of the three SAR aircraft was delivered last year and performed a successful five week tour through four continents before arriving in Brazil. The aircraft demonstrated its maritime patrol and search and rescue capabilities in a wide range of environments and recorded 100% availability during the tour.
The second FAB C295 SAR will be delivered in 2019 and the third in 2020.
More than 200 C295s have now been ordered by 26 countries. In the Latin American region, more than 100 Airbus military transport aircraft of all kinds are now in operation.
Read more...
First two new-build aircraft to be delivered in P1Eb FW configuration
Madrid, 23 January 2018 – Airbus Defence and Space has delivered to the Spanish Air Force the first two Eurofighter Typhoons to be produced in the latest configuration with enhanced air-to-surface capabilities.
The aircraft were manufactured at the Getafe Final Assembly Line in the P1Eb FW (Phase 1 Enhanced Further Work) configuration which marks a key step in the overall Eurofighter evolution plan.
This same configuration is being retrofitted to in-service aircraft by other Eurofighter nations. It provides increased integration of a variety of air-to-surface weapons and enhanced targeting among other improvements.
Spanish procurement agency DGAM took delivery of the aircraft on 22 December and they were subsequently ferried to Albacete air force base to enter service. The remaining six of the 73 aircraft currently contracted by Spain will be delivered to the same P1Eb FW standard during 2018 and 2019.
Airbus Operating Officer, Military Aircraft, Alberto Gutierrez said: “The smooth introduction of these enhanced features is a vital element of Eurofighter’s evolution. It is a big tribute to the Airbus and Spanish customer teams that they achieved this on-time through effective collaboration and clearly demonstrates the rich manufacturing capability here at Getafe.”
DGAM Head of Aeronautical Systems Gen Léon Antonio Machés said: “The entry into service of these aircraft is the outcome of strong collaborative activity between our personnel and those of Airbus. It is an excellent illustration of the technical expertise that will support many more years of Eurofighter industrial activity in Spain.”
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, and is one of the world’s leading space companies. In helicopters, Airbus provides the most efficient civil and military rotorcraft solutions worldwide.
About Eurofighter Typhoon
Eurofighter Typhoon is the most advanced swing-role combat aircraft currently available on the world market. Eight customers (Germany, United Kingdom, Italy, Spain, Austria, Saudi Arabia, Oman and Kuwait) have already ordered the Eurofighter Typhoon. With 623 aircraft ordered, Eurofighter Typhoon is currently the largest military procurement programme in Europe. Its high technology strengthens the position of European aerospace industry in the international market. The programme secures more than 100,000 jobs in 400 companies. Eurofighter Jagdflugzeug GmbH manages the programme on behalf of the Eurofighter Partner Companies, Airbus Defence and Space in Germany and Spain, BAE Systems in the UK and Leonardo in Italy, which are the most important aviation and aerospace companies in Europe.
Read more...
Airbus has increased the average list prices of its aircraft by two percent across the product line, effective from January 1st 2018.
John Leahy, Chief Operating Officer Customers, Airbus Commercial Aircraft said: “Our new 2018 pricing reflects Airbus’ continuous investments into its aircraft programmes to maximise their value for our customers’ satisfaction – with the winning combination of performance, operating economics and passenger experience.”
AIRBUS AIRCRAFT
2018 AVERAGE LIST PRICES* (USD millions)
A318
77.4
A319
92.3
A320
101.0
A321
118.3
A319neo
101.5
A320neo
110.6
A321neo
129.5
A330-200
238.5
A330-800 (neo)
259.9
A330-200 Freighter
241.7
A330-300
264.2
A330-900 (neo)
296.4
A350-800
280.6
A350-900
317.4
A350-1000
366.5
A380
445.6
* Price depends on design weights, engines choice and level of selected customisation.
Dubai-based Emirates Airline has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to acquire up to 36 additional A380 aircraft. The agreement was signed this morning at the airline’s headquarters in Dubai by HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive, Emirates Airline and Group, and John Leahy, Chief Operating Officer - Customers, Airbus Commercial Aircraft. The commitment is for 20 A380s and an option for 16 more with deliveries to start in 2020, valued at US$16 billion at latest list prices.
Sheikh Ahmed said: “We’ve made no secret of the fact that the A380 has been a success for Emirates. Our customers love it, and we’ve been able to deploy it on different missions across our network, giving us flexibility in terms of range and passenger mix. He added: “Some of the new A380s we’ve just ordered will be used as fleet replacements. This order will provide stability to the A380 production line. We will continue to work closely with Airbus to further enhance the aircraft and onboard product, so as to offer our passengers the best possible experience. The beauty of this aircraft is that the technology and real estate on board gives us plenty of room to do something different with the interiors.”
"I would like to thank Emirates, HH Sheikh Ahmed, Tim Clark and Adel Al-Redha for their continued support of the A380,” said John Leahy, Chief Operating Officer - Customers, Airbus Commercial Aircraft. “This aircraft has contributed enormously to Emirates' growth and success since 2008 and we are delighted that it will continue to do so. This new order underscores Airbus’ commitment to produce the A380 at least for another 10 years. I’m personally convinced more orders will follow Emirates’ example and that this great aircraft will be built well into the 2030s.”
Following delivery of its first A380 in July 2008, Emirates took its 100th A380 on the 3rd November 2017 in Hamburg, Germany.
The A380 is an essential part of the solution to sustainable growth, alleviating traffic congestion at busy airports by transporting more passengers with fewer flights. The A380 is the best way to capture growing world air traffic, which doubles every 15 years. The A380 flies 8,200 nautical miles (15,200 kilometres) non-stop and can accommodate 575 passengers in four classes.
The spacious, quiet cabin, smooth and most comfortable ride have made the A380 today’s passenger favourite, resulting in higher load factors wherever it flies. The A380 is the world’s largest passenger aircraft, with two full widebody decks, offering the widest seats, wide aisles and more floor space. The A380 has the unique capability to generate revenue, stimulate traffic and attract passengers, who can now specifically select the A380 when booking a flight via the innovative iflyA380.com website. To date, over 200 million passengers have already enjoyed the unique experience of flying on board an A380. Every two minutes an A380 either takes off or lands at one of the 240 airports around the world, ready to accommodate this magnificent aircraft. To date, 222 A380s have been delivered to 13 airlines.
Read more...
Airbus engineers study the natural world for modern aircraft design solutions
The growing science of biomimicry focuses on what humanity can learn from the world, and Airbus engineers are learning quite a lot about efficient solutions for aircraft design that nature has spent millions of years refining.
The traditional method of helping an aircraft cut through the air is to make every surface as smooth as possible, and the study of sharks suggests that there is even more to be done. Sharks are famed for their speed through the water, but rather than being smooth, sharkskin is covered in small, tooth-like riblets.
For the past two years, certain Airbus jetliners in airline service have been fitted with small ‘riblet’ patches – textured surfaces applied to the fuselages and wings that mimic the effect of sharkskin. These test surfaces have helped to demonstrate that the sharkskin concept is highly suitable for long-range aircraft, since its drag-reducing surface is particularly effective during high-speed cruise flight.
The albatross is also of interest to Airbus engineers: these seafaring birds can cover hundreds of kilometres with hardly a flap of their wings. Airbus engineer Tom Wilson noted that in addition to expertly utilising air currents, the aspect ratio of an albatross’ wings – the measurement of a wing’s span divided by its chord, or width – is significantly greater than the wings of Airbus aircraft today. Seeing the ways in which nature has solved the engineering problems that an aircraft manufacturer faces “gives us the feeling we are asking the right questions,” said Wilson.
Partnerships to further the research
Various departments across Airbus are applying the principles of biomimicry to their work and partnering with others to help advance the science. A publicly-funded research project led by Airbus with Lufthansa Technik and Bremer Werk für Montagesysteme continues to explore the use of sharkskin-like material on aircraft. The research team recently developed a technique that allows fully automated, large-area application of a thin riblet structure to wings, and Airbus is considering the introduction of a sharkskin-like coating to the wings and horizontal tails of A350 XWB jetliners beginning in 2020.
The company’s flight physics team recently ran an event with universities to consider a range of biomimicry applications. This includes a range of technologies ranging from sensors and actuation to modelling of aerodynamics.
Airbus is looking to launch incubation projects to see how bio-inspired insights might be further explored. “We want to see how we can learn from the things around us to potentially resolve the issues we face,” said Lee-Ann Ramcherita, Airbus’ technowatch and innovation manager in flight physics. “Understanding how insects, birds or bats detect and respond to fluctuations in the surrounding air flow may potentially help us identify opportunities to apply on our aircraft.”
Read more...
Passion for A380 and innovation come together for today’s globe-trotters
Airbus has launched a new iflyA380 iOS app that takes advantage of Apple’s latest technology to open the doors of its iconic A380 aircraft to more passengers worldwide. The new app enhances Airbus’ existing iflyA380.com booking assistant with more choices, features and content and new possibilities to interact with the A380, including taking a sneak peek at the cockpit.
Customers today increasingly expect to design their own experiences and the app gives them the power to do so. Booking flights and staying updated with real-time notifications is just the beginning. Travellers will also enjoy a wide range of exclusive innovative services linked to the A380, including the option to explore destinations based on geolocation and personal interests and cabin discovery in virtual reality. They will also enjoy a connected and immersive in-flight experience based on an augmented reality feature.
“Response to the iflyA380.com website has been fantastic,” said Marc Fontaine, Airbus Digital Transformation Officer. “The iflyA380 app is a new step for Airbus towards offering digital services that directly benefit consumers and allow them to design their own experiences.”
With this new app, Airbus is set to make the passengers’ favourite flying experience even more memorable, from travel inspiration to their final destination.
CAPUA – Tecnam announced today that Sevenair Academy, Portugal’s leading flight training organisation (FTO) has placed and order for 10 Tecnam P2008JC Mk II aeroplanes.
Sevenair currently operate a training fleet of 20 aircraft, which includes both the Tecnam P2010 and P2006T Twin. This new and significant investment is part of Sevenair’s commitment to continue to not only become one of Europe best and largest FTO’s but ensure potential commercial pilots are being trained on state-of-the-art aircraft such as on its wide range of Tecnam models.
2018 sees the Sevenair Academy celebrating 30 years of operations. Throughout this period, it has trained thousands of pilots, aircraft maintenance technicians and flight dispatchers which are now employed by some of the largest airlines in the world
Alexandre Alves, Chief Commercial Officer of Sevenair Group said: “The Tecnam P2008JC Mk II is without doubt the best replacement for our legacy trainers such as the Cessna 152, due to its design, superlative performance, technology and innovation. Our Tecnam aeroplanes have more than proven their value too in terms of operational capability, reliability, training advantages and cost effectiveness.”
Walter Da Costa, Tecnam Global Sales and Marketing Director said: “This major acquisition reaffirms the Sevenair Academy endorsement of the superlative range of Tecnam aeroplanes. Their Tecnam fleet enables Sevenair to offer their students the most cost effective training by employing state of the art aircraft, equipped with advanced avionics.”
Sevenair is the accomplishment of a pilots’ family dream who, in 1998, created in Portugal the first aviation school from ab initio to license, according to the new European legislation. An EASA ATO (Approved Training Organization) with Part 147 (Maintenance Technician) approval, we open classes several times a year in our training bases of Cascais and Portimão, where advanced training courses are taught by highly experienced professional instructors in modern facilities. Spanning 20 years of operation and thousands of flight hours, Sevenair has trained thousands of people with the dream of pursuing a career in aviation, and is a reference in providing human capital for the aviation market.
The US State Department has approved a possible foreign military sale of 34 Lockheed Martin F-35As to Belgium worth an estimated $6.53 billion, the agency announced this week. ----
Airbus Helicopters is pushing back the launch of its X6 heavy helicopter programme, citing continued market uncertainty and the inability of suppliers to deliver "disruptive technologies" at present
Copenhagen, Denmark (SPX) Jan 17, 2018 GomSpace has purchased a launch for several nanosatellites onboard a LauncherOne rocket from the California based company Virgin Orbit. The flight, which is bound for a low-inclination orbit, is scheduled to occur in early 2019. GomSpace will use the launch to further build out a constellation of small satellites that will use Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) and Automati ----
Development and delivery of the US Air Force s B-21 stealth bomber could stall if Congress passes yet another short term funding bill that would freeze the Pentagon s spending limit at previous fiscal year levels, a senior USAF official warns. ----
A U.S. Federal Aviation Administration unmanned aircraft system test site will soon be helping a Canadian-based drone company test the functionality and ability of a drone delivery system. ----
Insitu has successfully demonstrated a ground-based airspace system that provides commercial UAS operators with better situational awareness for beyond-visual-line-of-sight flying. The testing was conducted at Mississippi State University. ----
Boeing quietly raised its list prices by 4.1% for its commercial airplanes, the same day Airbus did (Monday)—but without the fanfare of an announcement, as did Airbus…
If Zuma is still up there, these are the people who might spot it. What the heck happened to Zuma? We know that the super-secret satellite was built by Northrop Grumman for an agency of the United States Government, and that SpaceX launched it on Sunday, January 7. But what we know is vastly outw...
Entradas
