Aerospace Daily & Defense Report

TCOM L.P. has $978.9m U.S. Army contract for Persistent Surveillance System tethered surveillance balloon.

Airbus founding father and visionary Robert Béteille died on June 14 at age 97, Airbus announced June 25.

The New Zealand Space Agency (NZSA) is evaluating a regulatory platform, developed jointly with LeoLabs, that is the first to enable regulators to monitor whether commercial satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO) are operating in compliance with their licenses.

Kaman Corp. announced June 26 that it has struck a deal to sell its Distribution division—about half of its company—to Littlejohn & Co. for $700 million.

Christopher Calio will take over aerospace engine maker Pratt & Whitney from Bob Leduc after the latter retires in early 2020, parent UTC announced June 25.

A neuroscience program funded by the French armament procurement agency (DGA) is studying how to determine whether two pilots are coordinating well, and what to do if they are not on the same page.

Boeing is to collaborate with eVTOL developer Cora, a division of startup Kitty Hawk that is flight testing an autonomous air taxi.

The FAA this month has issued multiple waivers allowing operators to fly parachute-equipped drones over people.

The head of the DOD's research and engineering has selected Derek Tournear to helm the nascent Space Development Agency until a permanent director is chosen.

RAYTHEON has $96.6m U.S. Special Operations Command contract modification for production of Silent Knight Radar system.

This week the U.S. Senate will debate the annual defense policy bill while President Trump meets with G20 leaders in Osaka, Japan, for their annual summit.

India’s national space agency has held a series of lunar science meetings as it prepares for the country’s second Moon mission.

DTechLogic LLC, a joint venture, Huntsville, Alabama, has been awarded a competitive cost-plus-award-fee, cost-plus-fixed-fee, and cost-reimbursable contract.

Sikorsky’s HH-60W Combat Rescue Helicopter (CRH) for the U.S. Air Force has passed 30 hr. of flight testing.

Providing constant, predictable federal appropriations for the U.S. human space exploration effort is the most important message Congress needs to hear, legacy contractors responsible for the late and overbudget programs told Capitol Hill aides recently.

NASA has hired Bechtel National of Reston, Virginia, to design and build a second mobile launch platform for the long-delayed Space Launch System.

Satellite communications provider Viasat and avionics manufacturer Teledyne Controls have partnered to support inflight streaming of flight deck data for airline operational and maintenance uses.

Dassault Aviation wants a large share of the Space Rider program, a reusable spaceplane that may be given the go-ahead.

The Russian Defense Ministry has kept its promise to reveal the new Sukhoi S-70 Okhotnik (Hunter) UCAV at its Army 2019 military exhibition.

India will buy 10 more Boeing P-8I Poseidon long-range maritime patrol aircraft through the U.S. foreign military sales program.

Sikorsky has transitioned its S-97 Raider tech demo to the team developing its proposal for the U.S. Army’s Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft Competitive Prototype program.

The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency’s Hayabusa 2 asteroid sample return team has decided to touch down on the surface of Ryugu for a second time on July 11.

A SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket lifted off from Kennedy Space Center on June 25 to deliver 24 payloads into three different orbits during a trial run for the U.S. Air Force.

Three International Space Station crewmembers ended a 204-day mission late June 24.

Britain has carried out the first operational missions of its Lockheed Martin F-35s flying with Eurofighter Typhoons over Syria.