In Pictures: Top Aerospace & Defense Stories, Mar 10, 2022

March 11, 2022

NASA’s Artemis Era To Enrich Exploration With Science

Credit: NASA


As it plans its Artemis lunar-exploration program, NASA is engaging the planetary-science community in ways not possible during the Apollo 11-17 missions that landed a dozen men trained primarily as test pilots on the lunar surface to gather samples for researchers on Earth.

Hermeus Secures $100M Funding Boost For Hypersonic Plans

Credit: Hermeus


U.S. hypersonic aircraft startup Hermeus has closed a $100 million Series B fundraising round, providing the funding to fly its first three Quarterhorse flight-test vehicles and advance design of its planned Darkhorse production aircraft. The funding round was led by entrepreneur Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI.

Pentagon Cites Systemic Failures In 2020 Attack On Kenya Airstrip

Credit: U.S. Air Force


Al-Shabaab fighters were able to overwhelm a remote U.S. airstrip in Kenya, killing three people and destroying seven aircraft due to a series of failures, some years in the making, Defense Department officials said.

Airspace Management Tests Begin For Paris UAM Trials

Credit: Boreal


On the path to implementing pre-commercial services during the Paris 2024 Olympics, a European demonstration program has completed its first field tests of U-space airspace services to support urban and intercity operations with unmanned and manned aircraft.

U.S. Says North Korea Tested New ICBM Twice Recently

Credit: Korean Central Television


The U.S. government has determined that North Korea tested a new intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) twice in recent weeks, with these initial launches designed to evaluate the system before an upcoming full-range test. The launches, which occurred on Feb. 26 and March 4 EST, were of an ICBM that North Korea unveiled during a Korean Workers Party parade in Pyongyang in October 2020. The upcoming test potentially will be disguised as a satellite launch.

SLS Rollout Confirmed For March 17 For Dress Rehearsal, Fueling Test

NASA
SLS

Embraer Recovery Driven By Commercial, Services, Executive Jets

Credit: Embraer


Embraer expects to expand output both in its commercial and executive jet businesses in 2022 in an effort to compensate revenue shortfalls in its struggling defense business, hit by a reduction of Brazil’s KC-390 military transport order. According to Embraer CEO Francisco Gomes Neto, Embraer is targeting 60-70 commercial aircraft and 100-110 executive jet deliveries in 2022.

Air Force Supports Electra’s eSTOL Flight-Controls Work

Credit: Electra.aero


Using distributed electric propulsion to blow air over the wing and flaps promises to enable ultra-short-takeoff-and-landing (ultra-STOL) capability but poses challenges for flight control because of the strong coupling between aerodynamics and propulsion, between generating lift and producing thrust.

Menlo Microsystems Raises $150M, Eyes U.S. Manufacturing Site

Credit: Menlo Microsystems


Menlo Microsystems, an Irvine, California-based company touting a device that marries a mechanical relay and a semiconductor switch but boasts lighter weight, greater speed and more reliability, has raised $150 million in Series C funding and is targeting end-users in aerospace and defense, among other key markets. Vertical Venture Partners and Tony Fadell’s Future Shape led the round.

Ozark Acquires T53 Turboshaft Product Line From Honeywell

Credit: Alamy stock photo


Missouri-based T53 maintenance and repair specialist Ozark Aeroworks plans to develop upgrades for the powerplant and even put the Eisenhower-era turboshaft back into production, after acquiring the entire product line from manufacturer Honeywell Aerospace. Although originally developed by Lycoming in the mid-1950s, the T53 continued to be improved and produced in large numbers to power several helicopter types including the Bell AH-1 and UH-1, Kaman HH-43 Huskie and K-MAX.

NASA Robotic On-Orbit Servicing Mission Passes CDR

Credit: NASA


A NASA program to demonstrate on-orbit servicing, assembly and manufacturing has passed its mission-critical design review (CDR) putting it on track for launch in 2025 at the earliest. A key objective of the OSAM-1 mission is to robotically refuel a satellite, Landsat 7, that was not designed to be serviced.

Enstrom Rescued From Bankruptcy By MidTex Aviation

Credit: Guy Norris/AWST


A Texas-based company has rescued Enstrom Helicopter Corporation from bankruptcy and plans to reopen the helicopter company’s factory in Menominee, Michigan, in late April. MidTex Aviation received formal approval for the acquisition on March 8, says Michael Dixon, MidTex’s aviation manager.

Private Equity Firm Buys Small Unmanned Avionics Startup UAvionix

Credit: uAvionix


Private equity firm DC Capital Partners has bought uAvionix, a seven-year-old developer and manufacturer of miniature avionics for communications, navigation and surveillance applications, including for unmanned aircraft. Financial terms of the deal were not provided in the March 9 announcement. Executives said in a prepared statement that the move will allow the Bigfork, Montana-based startup to grow.

Whisper Aero to Test Quiet Propulsor On ISR Drone, Study HSVTOL Uses

Credit: Whisper Aero


Whisper Aero plans to test its quiet propulsor technology on a 55-lb. intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) demonstrator drone as part of two Phase II Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) contracts. The startup recently completed validation testing of its propulsor design under two Phase I STTR contracts with the U.S. Air Force’s innovation initiative AFWERX.

From NASA’s Artemis Era to enrich exploration with science to Hermeus securing $100M funding boost for hypersonic plans. Take a look at these and more in our daily roundup of aerospace & defense news. 

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