Aerospace Daily & Defense Report

This week in Washington the clock is ticking on the stopgap spending measure funding the federal government, which expires Feb. 15.

Parsons, Pasadena, California, has been awarded a $94,359,257 firm-fixed-price contract for the Launch Manifest Systems Integrator (LMSI).

By Graham Warwick
Airborne wind energy developer Makani has graduated from X, the advanced research arm of Google parent company Alphabet.

By Mark Carreau
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) GOES West geostationary weather satellite has been declared operational, the agency declared Feb. 12.
Defense

By Lee Hudson
The Pentagon released its first-ever artificial intelligence (AI) strategy Feb. 12.
Defense

By Graham Warwick
Bye Aerospace has flown its electric-powered Sun Flyer 2 prototype fitted with the Siemens motor planned for production aircraft.

By Mark Carreau
NASA’s Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (Maven) climate research orbiter is embracing new duties.
Defense

By Tony Osborne
Oil-and-gas helicopter operator Bristow Group has abandoned its proposed takeover of Columbia Helicopters as Bristow struggles with financial issues.

By Steve Trimble
The U.S. Army has taken the first step to acquire four new battalions of ground-based defensive systems against fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters and large unmanned aircraft systems.
Defense

By Michael Bruno
Flir Systems is buying the former iRobot defense unit, one of the Pentagon’s top unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) providers, for $385 million in cash.
Defense

By Tony Osborne
UK mapping agency Ordnance Survey has revealed the first details of its partnership to develop a high-altitude pseudo-sat developed for the cartography mission.
Defense

By Irene Klotz
The Pentagon's Inspector General plans to evaluate whether the U.S. Air Force followed the rules when it certified SpaceX Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy rockets to launch national security payloads.
Defense

By Lee Hudson
Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.) is supportive of a $750 billion fiscal 2020 defense budget and does not care how the Pentagon gets there, even if it means using the wartime funding account.
Defense

India’s state-run defense agency has tested an indigenously developed ramjet propulsion technology for long-range, air-to-air missiles.
Defense

By Bradley Perrett
Costs of the Calt Long March 3A-series space launcher have dropped dramatically with an acceleration in usage, industry managers say.
Defense

By Michael Bruno
The international Starburst Accelerator group is partnering with worldwide networking group Techstars to launch a startup-business accelerator focused on new business models pursuing new space technologies.
Defense

By Molly McMillin
As expected, Embraer delivered 91 business jets in 2018, including 64 light and 27 large jets, missing earlier projections of 105 to 125 aircraft, the company said Feb. 11.
Business Aviation

By Mark Carreau
NASA’s Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel is sounding an urgent note as the agency’s Commercial Crew Program prepares for test flights of SpaceX and Boeing vehicles.
Space

By Mark Carreau
“Bowling pin,” then “snowman” and now “giant pancake” and “thick, dented walnut,” That’s how NASA’s New Horizons mission team has moved along with its description of Ultima Thule.
Defense

By Steve Trimble
Boeing delivered the fifth KC-46 aircraft to the U.S. Air Force on Feb. 8—the first to Altus AFB, Oklahoma.
Defense

By Thierry Dubois
Multinational aerospace engine and component company Safran has finalized the acquisition of Collins Aerospace’s electromechanical systems business unit.

By Bradley Perrett
Australia will begin upgrading its facilities next year at a Malaysian base from which it patrols the South China Sea and north Indian Ocean.
Defense

By Arie Egozi
The Israel state comptroller says he will investigate Israel’s Air Force One program, which is lagging behind schedule and eclipsing its original budget.
Defense

By Angus Batey
The UK's decision to leave the European Union could force a launch startup to move to Germany.
Defense

By Graham Warwick
The likelihood of using air taxis varies significantly among the four locations in which people were surveyed.