Aerospace & Defense Roundup: July 14

EHang Partners With Spanish Infrastructure Manager On UAM

Building on its concessions to manage highways, railways and tunnels in several countries, Spain’s Globalvia is expanding into urban air mobility (UAM) through a strategic alliance with Chinese autonomous passenger and cargo air vehicle developer EHang. Credit: EHang

Boeing Invests In SkyNRG’s Plans For U.S.-Based SAF Production

Boeing is to invest in the production of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) in the U.S. under a partnership with supply chain developer SkyNRG. The deal follows Boeing’s January commitment that all its commercial aircraft will be certified to use 100% sustainable fuel by 2030. Credit: Alaska Airlines

Russia To Develop Single-Orbit Flightpath To ISS

Russia’s Roscosmos is testing the elements of a single-orbit flightpath to the International Space Station (ISS). The change will reduce the flight time to the station from the current 3 hr. to 90-120 min. Credit: NASA

GKN To Research Hydrogen-Burning Turbine Engines For Narrowbodies

Aimed at enabling single-aisle airliners to burn carbon-free hydrogen in turbine engines, GKN Aerospace is leading a two-year Swedish-funded research project, H2JET, to develop technologies for hydrogen combustion engines. Credit: GKN Aerospace

Universal Hydrogen Signs Propulsion Retrofit Deals With Regional Airlines

Carbon-free propulsion startup Universal Hydrogen has signed agreements with Icelandair, Air Nostrum and Ravn Alaska to retrofit ATR 72 and de Havilland Canada Dash 8 regional turboprops with hydrogen fuel-cell power trains. Credit: Universal Hydrogen

Masten Works On GPS-Like Network For Lunar Surface

Masten Space Systems will demonstrate a prototype of a GPS-like positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) system on the Moon for the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), the Mojave, California-based company announced on July 13. Credit: Masten Space Systems

Defense Spending Bill Chides Space Force For Acquisition Plans

The House Appropriations Committee has passed a bill to provide $706 billion for national security in fiscal 2022, amid debate about whether that amount is enough to defend the nation. Credit: Raytheon

NASA Identifying, Addressing Spacesuit Development Challenges

NASA is making progress in the development of a new spacesuit design to return human explorers to the Moon’s surface and outfit a wide range of male and female astronauts. The agency hopes to accommodate astronauts who are scaling a crater wall at the lunar south pole or working outside the International Space Station (ISS) or a future commercial free-flying successor. Credit: NASA