Aerospace & Defense Roundup: Mar. 03

NetJets, FlightSafety Strike Deal With Aerion For Supersonic Bizjets, Training

Fractional ownership provider NetJets and training specialist FlightSafety International have signed a broad-ranging agreement with Aerion which includes purchase rights on 20 AS2 supersonic business jets and the establishment of a training academy for operators of the Mach 1.4 aircraft. NetJets has obtained purchase rights for the AS2s, bringing the value of Aerion’s order backlog to more than $10 billion, the companies announced. Credit: Aerion Supersonic

Volocopter Raises Funds For Commercial EVTOL Launch

German urban air mobility (UAM) startup Volocopter has raised €200 million ($241 million) to complete development and launch services with its Volocopter electric air taxi. The Series round takes cumulative funding raised to €322 million. Credit: Volocopter

TAS, ESA Sign Second-Generation Galileo Satellite Contract

Thales Alenia Space (TAS) and the European Space Agency (ESA) have signed a contract for six satellites in the second generation of the EU’s Galileo navigation constellation, after the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) lifted a suspension. ESA signed the €772 million ($926 million) agreement on behalf of the European Commission. ESA had announced the selection of Airbus and Thales Alenia Space in January. But it was forced to postpone both contract signings after loser OHB System filed a lawsuit with the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU), which, in an interim injunction, ordered to suspend them. Credit: Thales Alenia Space

AEDC Offers Help To Supersonic Transport Developers

U.S. companies developing supersonic transports now have access to the facilities and expertise of the Arnold Engineering Development Center (AEDC), the U.S. Air Force has announced. The Tullahoma, Tennessee-based AEDC signed a sponsorship agreement with the Program Executive Officer (PEO) for Presidential and Executive Airlift on Feb. 25. Credit: Aerion

South Korea, Israel Partner To Explore Loitering Munitions

South Korean and Israeli companies have partnered to consider developing new loitering munition systems for the Republic of Korea (ROK) Army. A memorandum of understanding announced jointly by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) and Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) on March 3 expands on cooperation between the two companies.

Venus Aerospace To Pursue Hypersonic Air Passenger Travel

Startup Venus Aerospace plans to proceed with the development, testing and production of a small hypersonic aircraft capable of transporting a dozen passengers or time-critical payloads between major continental destinations in an hour. Venus was the recipient of a $3 million round of seed funding from Prime Movers Lab and others announced on March 3. Credit: venusaero.com

Kelly Ortberg Leaves Executive Ranks Of Raytheon Technologies

Kelly Ortberg, the former head of Collins Aerospace who was a key leader in the supplier’s melt-up into Raytheon Technologies, has left its executive ranks, company representatives confirmed. In an internal message, Raytheon chairman, CEO and president Greg Hayes said Ortberg, most recently a special advisor to the office of the CEO and Raytheon board member, had decided to retire from his position as special advisor as of the end of February. Credit: Raytheon Technologies

Italian Carrier Hosts U.S. F-35s For First Sea Trials

Italy’s aircraft carrier Cavour has embarked F-35 Joint Strike Fighters for the first time in a milestone towards qualifying the ship to support the combat aircraft. Two instrumented short take-off and vertical landing F-35Bs from the U.S. Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division’s VX-23 test unit touched down on the 30,000-ton ship on March 1 in support of the sea trials taking place off the eastern seaboard of the U.S. Credit: Italian Navy via Twitter

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NASA Seeks Bids For Electrified Propulsion Demo

NASA plans an industry day on March 9 for the Electrified Power train Flight Demonstration project to flight test megawatt-class electric aircraft propulsion systems. Proposals for the program are to be submitted by April 20. Credit: NASA

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Starship Flies, Soft Lands, Then Explodes

SpaceX launched a full-scale Starship prototype on a high-altitude flight test on March 3, successfully demonstrating for the third time ascent, controlled unpowered horizontal descent, engine restart and a dramatic flip-up maneuver for a tail-first landing attempt. Credit: SpaceX