New NASA Competition Aims to Convert Carbon Dioxide into Exploration Sweet Success

HUNTSVILLE, Ala., Aug. 30, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- When astronauts begin exploring Mars, they'll need to use local resources, freeing up launch cargo space for other mission-critical supplies. Carbon dioxide is one resource readily abundant within the Martian atmosphere. NASA's new CO2 Conversion Challenge, conducted under the Centennial Challenges program, is a public competition seeking novel ways to convert carbon dioxide into useful compounds. Such technologies will allow us to manufacture products using local, indigenous resources on Mars, and can also be implemented on Earth by using both waste and atmospheric carbon dioxide as a resource.  More info: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/new-nasa-competition-aims-to-convert-carbon-dioxide-into-exploration-sweet-success-300705034.html

Spirit AeroSystems Recognizes 10 Suppliers for Superior Performance

Strategic Partner of the Year:
Inspiration Values Partner:

Nikkiso Co. Ltd. 
Meritrust Credit Union






Collaboration Values Partner: 
Performance Partner:

Cox Machine, Inc. 
Drewloong Precision, Inc.

GKN Aerospace 





Emergent Support Partner:

Transparency Values Partner: 
Axiom Engineering

Orizon Aerostructures Chanute Inc. 
Brek Manufacturing Co.

Quik Tek Machining, LLC





Indirect Supplier of the Year:



DM Tool & Fab, Inc.


more info:
https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/spirit-aerosystems-recognizes-10-suppliers-for-superior-performance-300705417.html

Lockheed Martin Begins Final Assembly on NASA's Orion Spaceship That Will Take Astronauts Further Than Ever Before



LM's Press release



Technicians have completed construction on the spacecraft capsule structure that will return astronauts to the Moon, and have successfully shipped the capsule to Florida for final assembly into a full spacecraft. The capsule structure, or pressure vessel, for NASA's Orion Exploration Mission-2 (EM-2) spacecraft was welded together over the last seven months by Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) technicians and engineers at the NASA Michoud Assembly Facility near New Orleans.

Orion is the world's only exploration-class spaceship, and the EM-2 mission will be its first flight with astronauts on board, taking them farther into the solar system than ever before.

"It's great to see the EM-2 capsule arrive just as we are completing the final assembly of the EM-1 crew module," said Mike Hawes, Lockheed Martin vice president and program manager for Orion. "We've learned a lot building the previous pressure vessels and spacecraft and the EM-2 spacecraft will be the most capable, cost-effective and efficient one we've built."

Orion's pressure vessel is made from seven large, machined aluminum alloy pieces that are welded together to produce a strong, light-weight, air-tight capsule. It was designed specifically to withstand the harsh and demanding environment of deep space travel while keeping the crew safe and productive.

"We're all taking extra care with this build and assembly, knowing that this spaceship is going to take astronauts back to the Moon for the first time in four decades," said Matt Wallo, senior manager of Lockheed Martin Orion Production at Michoud. "It's amazing to think that, one day soon, the crew will watch the sun rise over the lunar horizon through the windows of this pressure vessel. We're all humbled and proud to be doing our part for the future of exploration."

The capsule was shipped over the road from New Orleans to the Kennedy Space Center, arriving on Friday, Aug. 24. Now in the Neil Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building, Lockheed Martin technicians will immediately start assembly and integration on the EM-2 crew module.

About Lockheed Martin
Headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, Lockheed Martin is a global security and aerospace company that employs approximately 100,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services. This year the company received three Edison Awards for ground-breaking innovations in autonomy, satellite technology and directed energy.

Northrop Grumman Highlights Missile Defence Capabilities at MSPO 2018, Kielce, Poland



press release




MSPO takes place Sept. 4-7 in Kielce, Poland. The Northrop Grumman exhibits are at stand numbers F-27 and E-37. They include a demonstration of integrated air and missile defence (IAMD) and short-range air defence (SHORAD) capabilities.

“Northrop Grumman is committed to Poland and to helping create innovative solutions to meet Poland’s national security needs. Through the acquisition of IBCS, Poland will have the most sophisticated and technologically advanced integrated air and missile defence system that will enable the use of multiple sensors and effectors on a network. Poland’s WISLA integrated air and missile defence system will be capable of employing short range air and missile defence systems being considered for NAREW and will provide any sensor, best shooter engagements,” said Tarik Reyes, vice president, missile defence and protective systems, Northrop Grumman. “We are excited to offer our range of core capabilities and continue building our presence in Poland to deepen our relationships with our key customers so that we can provide effective support for in-country business development activities.”

The IAMD Battle Command System (IBCS) is a revolutionary command-and-control system developed to deliver a single, unambiguous view of the battlespace, as recently demonstrated over vast distances via the multi-node distributed test. This significantly enhances aircraft and missile tracking and improves the ability of combatant commanders and air defenders to make critical decisions within seconds. With a modular open systems architecture, IBCS allows integration of current and future sensors and weapon systems. IBCS enables “any sensor, best shooter” operations to optimize limited resources and facilitate flexible defense designs.

Northrop Grumman’s SHORAD capabilities protect U.S. and allied forces from a wide range of manned and unmanned air and missile threats. Our capabilities utilize sensors, weapons and command control to acquire, track, verify, engage and defeat incoming threats.

Northrop Grumman will also showcase its precision artillery, advanced tank ammunition and tactical missile capabilities that are well-suited to meet Poland’s modernisation needs.

The Northrop Grumman Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missile (AGM-88E) is a supersonic, medium-range, air-launched tactical missile that provides the U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps and Italian Air Force with the latest and most advanced weapon system for engaging and destroying enemy air defences and time-critical, mobile targets. AGM-88E is compatible with Poland’s airframes and can provide advanced strike capability.

The company is also displaying its Bushmaster Chain Guns and medium calibre ammunition. The Mk44 chain gun is well established in the Polish Army and is integrated on the Rozomak ground combat vehicle, representing the largest installed base of the 30x173mm chain guns worldwide. Additionally, Northrop Grumman’s Precision Guidance Kit for 155mm artillery and Kinetic Energy Tungsten 120mm tank ammunition are compatible with Poland’s artillery projectiles and main battle tanks, and would provide advanced capabilities for those systems.

Information will be available on the AN/TPS-80 Ground/Air Task Oriented Radar, the ground-based multi-mission active electronically scanned array radar developed and now in production for the U.S. Marine Corps. The Marine Corps achieved AN/TPS-80 Initial Operational Capability in early 2018. AN/TPS-80 incorporates the latest high efficiency Gallium Nitride antenna technology and provides comprehensive 360 degree, multi-threat detection and tracking. The AN/TPS-80 architecture is designed to support integration with IBCS.

Northrop Grumman’s German subsidiary, Northrop Grumman LITEF, will highlight its range of Fibre Optic Gyros and Micro-electro-mechanical Systems Accelerometers as well as innovative Inertial Navigation and Reference Systems for air, land and maritime applications.

Northrop Grumman has a well-established presence in Europe with more than 2,200 employees in the U.K., France, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands.

Northrop Grumman is a leading global security company providing innovative systems, products and solutions in autonomous systems, cyber, C4ISR, space, strike, and logistics and modernization to customers worldwide. Please visit news.northropgrumman.com and follow us on Twitter, @NGCNews, for more information.

U.S. Navy Awards Boeing $805 million MQ-25 Contract



Boeing's press release



Boeing will provide the carrier-based unmanned aerial refuelers to extend the range of deployed fighters


ST. LOUIS, Aug. 30, 2018 — Boeing [NYSE: BA] will build the U.S. Navy’s first operational carrier-based unmanned aircraft, the MQ-25 aerial refueler, through an $805 million contract awarded today.

Boeing was awarded the engineering and manufacturing development contract to provide four aircraft. Boeing plans to perform the MQ-25 work in St. Louis.

“As a company, we made an investment in both our team and in an unmanned aircraft system that meets the U.S. Navy’s refueling requirements,” said Leanne Caret, president and CEO, Boeing Defense, Space & Security. “The fact that we’re already preparing for first flight is thanks to an outstanding team who understands the Navy and their need to have this important asset on carrier decks around the world.”

MQ-25 is designed to provide the U.S. Navy with a much-needed refueling capability. According to the U.S. Navy, the MQ-25 Stingray will allow for better use of combat strike fighters by extending the range of deployed Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornet, Boeing EA-18G Growler, and Lockheed Martin F-35C aircraft. MQ-25 will also seamlessly integrate with a carrier’s catapult and launch and recovery systems.

Boeing has been providing carrier aircraft to the U.S. Navy for more than 90 years.

‘Ocean’ satellite Sentinel-6A beginning to take shape






Airbus' press release



  • Sea levels are key indicators of climate change
  • Copernicus satellite is expected to be launched in 2020







Friedrichshafen, 30/08/2018 – The integration of Sentinel-6A, the first of two satellites to continue measuring sea levels from 2020, has reached a new milestone and its critical phase: the propulsion module has been “mated” with the main structure of the satellite at Airbus.

In a complex operation, the Airbus satellite specialists hoisted the approximately five-metre-high satellite platform with pin-point precision over the drive module, which had already been positioned. The two components were then fixed in place and assembled. Before this could happen, the propulsion module, which includes the engines, control devices and a 240-litre tank with an innovative fuel management system, had to undergo technical acceptance, since this subsystem can no longer be accessed once it has been integrated. The propulsion module now needs to be ‘hooked up’, which will then be followed by the system tests.

Two Sentinel-6 satellites for the European Copernicus Programme for environment and security, headed by the European Commission and ESA, are currently being developed under Airbus’ industrial leadership, each weighing roughly 1.5 tonnes. From November 2020, Sentinel-6A will be the first to continue collecting satellite-based measurements of the oceans’ surfaces, a task that began in 1992. Sentinel-6B is then expected to follow in 2025.

Sentinel-6 is a mission to carry out high-precision measurements of ocean surface topography. The satellite will measure its distance to the ocean surface with an accuracy of a few centimetres and, over a mission lasting up to seven years, use this data to map it, repeating the cycle every 10 days. It will document changes in sea-surface height, record and analyse variations in sea levels and observe ocean currents. Exact observations of changes in sea-surface height provide insights into global sea levels, the speed and direction of ocean currents, and ocean heat storage. The measurements made are vital for modelling the oceans and predicting rises in sea levels.

These findings enable governments and institutions to establish effective protection for coastal regions. The data is invaluable not only for disaster relief organisations, but also for authorities involved in urban planning, securing buildings or commissioning dykes.

Global sea levels are currently rising by an average of three millimetres a year as a result of global warming; this could potentially have dramatic consequences for countries with densely populated coastal areas.

Singapore receives first A330 Multi Role Tanker Transport (MRTT)



Airbus' press release




Singapore, 3 September 2018 – Airbus has delivered the Republic of Singapore Air Force’s (RSAF) first A330 Multi Role Tanker Transport (MRTT). The aircraft made its first official public appearance on Saturday 1 September 2018 at the RSAF’s 50th anniversary parade.



The new-generation A330 MRTT extends the endurance of the RSAF’s fighter aircraft, and ensures the service’s continued capability to provide air-to-air refuelling support.




It also provides the RSAF with greater cargo and passenger transport capabilities, and enhances its ability to contribute to international humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) and peace support operations.