European Commission Gives €205M To Defense Development Projects
EuroDrone Credit: Dassault Aviation
Projects including the development of a low-observable tactical unmanned air system, research into high-resolution observation payloads for satellites and work on a European-developed detect-and-avoid system for the future EuroDrone air system have been awarded financing through the Preparatory Action on Defense Research (PADR) and the European Defense Industrial Development Program (EDIDP), the commission announced on June 15
Blue Canyon To Build LEO Buses For DARPA’s Blackjack Demo
Optical inter-satellites will connect the autonomous Blackjack satellites. Credit: DARPA
DARPA has awarded Blue Canyon Technologies (BCT) a $14.2 million contract to provide commercial satellite buses for the Blackjack program to demonstrate a military constellation of autonomous satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO) connected by a high-speed network.
Lueders Third Person To Lead NASA’s Lunar Leap
Kathy Lueders Credit: NASA
Fresh off a major milestone in a difficult 10-year effort by NASA to establish a U.S. commercial capability to transport astronauts to and from the International Space Station (ISS), Kathy Lueders has taken over leadership of an accelerated effort by the agency to return human explorers to the Moon’s surface in 2024.
Beta Relocates Alia EVTOL Prototype To Expand Flight Testing
Fixed-pitch lift rotors and pusher propeller are used for simplicity and reliability. Credit: Eric Adams/Beta Technologies
Beta Technologies took the wraps off its Alia electric vertical-takeoff-and-landing aircraft in spectacular fashion on June 12, when the prototype was airlifted by helicopter across Lake Champlain to begin flight testing from Platsburg International Airport in New York.
Rocket Lab Resumes Flights With NASA, NRO Launch
"Don't Stop Me Now" mission launch. Credit: Rocket Lab
After an 11-week hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Rocket Lab resumed launch operations on June 13 by successfully launching a payload of small satellites for NASA, the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) and the University of New South Wales Canberra Space into low Earth orbit.
U.S. Export-Import Bank Back To Boosting Boeing, GE Sales
Credit: Boeing
The U.S. Export-Import Bank (EXIM) is back in the business of supporting Boeing and General Electric (GE)—leading aerospace and defense companies that served as the face of alleged corporate welfare to anti-bank critics in recent years.
Honeywell Forms Unmanned Systems, UAM Business Unit
A Volocopter 2X test aircraft flies over Marina Bay, Singapore, in October 2019. Credit: Nikolay Kazakov, Volocopter
Honeywell has established an Unmanned Aerial Systems business unit focused on growing its presence in the emerging markets for drones and urban air mobility (UAM) vehicles.
USAF
KC-46
Aneto-Powered AW189 Certified
Credit: Leonardo
Leonardo Helicopters has secured European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) certification for the Safran Aneto 1K-powered version of the AW189 super-medium helicopter. EASA’s AW189 Technical Data documentation confirms that certification of the helicopter was signed off on June 8 and follows EASA approvals for the engine in December.
Russian Helicopters Targets Ansat For Mexican Market
Ansat Credit: Russian Helicopters
Russian Helicopters is hoping to plant its flag in Mexico’s commercial light helicopter market with its Kazan Ansat twin-engine light rotorcraft.
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