In Pictures: Top Aerospace & Defense Stories, May. 08 2023

Credit: Rocket Lab.

Less than a year after losing their ride to space, a pair of novel hurricane-tracking cubesats have been delivered into orbit for NASA, with another two due to lift off in two weeks. 

Credit: NASA.

The U.S. Space Force wants industry feedback on its new approach to buying satellites for its space test experiments.

Credit: U.S. Air Force.

The U.S. military’s top test facilities for hypersonic weapons are facing issues with equipment reliability and parts obsolescence linked to underfunding before the Pentagon renewed its focus on the missiles, a watchdog report says.

Credit: Momentus.

Momentus’ Vigoride-5 space tug has raised its orbit using its microwave electrothermal thruster, a propulsion system that uses distilled water as a propellant.

Credit: Kremlin.ru.

In less than 15 months, the string of Russian strategic defeats in Ukraine has included the sinking of the Moskva cruiser, the bombing of the Kerch Strait Bridge, routs of armies in Kyiv, Kharkiv and Kherson, and finally, a successful intercept of the Kinzhal air-launched ballistic missile (ALBM). 

Credit: Axiom Space.

While much of NASA’s future human exploration focus falls toward deep space, the agency is not turning its back on low Earth orbit (LEO).

Credit: Angus Batey/AWST.

The UK’s Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI) has outlined additional details about its Hydrogen Capability Network Phase 0 (HCNP0) project, announced last month. 

Credit: Transcend Air.

U.S. startup Transcend Air has partnered with Israel Aerospace Industries’ (IAI) North American operation to develop military applications for its planned Vy family of tiltwing vertical-takeoff-and-landing (VTOL) aircraft.

Credit: Airbus.

The first Airbus C295 destined for the Indian Air Force has conducted its first flight over Seville, Spain.