Aerospace & Defense Roundup: Jan. 07

Arianespace Opens Door To Microlaunchers

Arianespace is willing to operate microlaunchers if the opportunity arises, either as a way to meet demand or as proof of concepts for heavier launchers, CEO Stephane Israel said. Speaking Jan. 7 at the company’s annual press conference, held remotely this year, he gave his position on a joint Franco-German statement highlighting microlaunchers, much smaller than those currently part of Arianespace’s offerings. Credit: Arianespace

SDB Teaming Demo Makes Link, But Bad Software Spoils Plan

Two glide munitions used a new in-flight collaboration payload to plan a new mission profile in response to a simulated GPS jamming system in a recent test, but an improper software load prevented the munitions from using that information, the Air Force Research Laboratory said Jan. 7. Credit: Air Force Research Laboratory

DOD Publishes Counter-Drone Strategy

A newly published strategy sets a broad agenda for dealing with one of the newest threats facing the U.S. Defense Department: small unmanned aircraft systems (UAS). Credit: Skycatch

Former Rep. Horn: Congress Must Act To Reauthorize NASA

A new bipartisan authorization bill is critical to NASA’s path forward under the Joe Biden administration, according to former U.S. Rep. Kendra Horn, the Oklahoma Democrat who chaired the U.S. House space and aeronautics subcommittee until her re-election defeat and the swearing in of a new Congress earlier this week. Credit: House Creative Services

Ham Radio Links MQ-9A To Over-The-Horizon Ground Station

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. (GA-ASI) has controlled an MQ-9A Reaper unmanned aircraft system (UAS) flying beyond line of sight (BLOS) of a ground control station using a commercial high-frequency (HF) datalink marketed to amateur shortwave radio hobbyists instead of through a satellite connection. Credit: GA-ASI

SDA Reaffirms Satellite Awards After Raytheon Protests

The U.S. Space Development Agency (SDA) reaffirmed the Oct. 5 selection of L3 Harris and SpaceX to build missile tracking satellites after a series of protests filed by losing bidders. Credit: U.S. Space Development Agency

Virgin Galactic Gets To Root Of SpaceShipTwo Flight Test Abort

Virgin Galactic has completed post-flight inspections and root cause analysis of last month’s thwarted suborbital flight test of SpaceShipTwo (SS2), the company said on Jan. 7. Credit: Virgin Galactic

SpaceX Opens ’21 With Launch Of Turksat Satellite

Following its record-setting 26 launches in 2020, SpaceX kicked off the new year with delivery of the Turksat 5A broadband satellite into orbit on Jan. 7. The 229-ft. tall Falcon 9 lifted off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 9:15 p.m. EDT and headed east over the Atlantic Ocean, aiming to put the 7,500-lb. Airbus-built Turksat 5A spacecraft into a geostationary transfer orbit. Credit: SpaceX

Jurczyk Prepares To Take Helm Of NASA

NASA Associate Administrator Stephen Jurczyk, the agency’s highest-ranking civil servant, will take on the role of acting administrator following the departure of NASA chief Jim Bridenstine on Jan. 20. Credit: NASA

UN Report Calls For Action On Airliner Shoot Downs

The United Nations is calling on member states to reduce the potential risk of civilian aircraft being shot down while flying in conflict zones or regions of military tension. Credit: UN