Aerospace & Defense Roundup: June 02

Slower Start, Bigger Potential Forecast For Urban Air Mobility

A second major report projects a slower near-term growth of urban air mobility (UAM) but forecasts a larger market in the longer term. Updating its UAM global market forecast first released in 2019, Nexa Capital company UAM Geomatics has expanded its analysis to 84 cities worldwide from 74, and its timeframe to 25 years from 20. Credit: NASA concept

Joby Signs Deal To Turn Parking Garages Into UAM Hubs

Converting the rooftops of underused parking garages into vertiports is seen as an early opportunity to expand the ground infrastructure for urban air mobility (UAM) beyond the limited number of heliports now operating. Credit: Bradley Wentzel/Joby

U.S. Air Force Submits $4.2 Billion Unfunded List

Angelique PerezF-15J

Axiom Hires SpaceX For Three More ISS Missions

Houston-based Axiom Space has signed an agreement with SpaceX for three more private astronaut missions to the International Space Station (ISS)—pending NASA approval—aboard Crew Dragon spacecraft. Credit: SpaceX

NASA Heading Back To Venus

NASA has selected two missions to Venus for its next Discovery-class planetary science expeditions: Davinci+, which will send a probe into the planet’s thick atmosphere, and Veritas, which will map the planet’s surface. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

Brazil Reviews KC-390 Orders, Blames Pandemic Budget Cuts

The Brazilian Air Force says it may reduce the number of KC-390 airlifters it plans to purchase because of the effects of the coronavirus pandemic on the country’s defense budget. Credit: Wikimedia Commons

USMC Seeks $2.9B In Fiscal 2022 Unfunded Requirements

U.S. Marine Corps requests $2.9 billion in fiscal 2022 for unfunded priorities to support Force Design 2030, including dollars for two additional KC-130Js and two MQ-9s, according to a document obtained by Aerospace DAILY. Credit: U.S. Marine Corps

Russian Spacewalk Preps ISS For Nauka Laboratory Module

Spacewalking cosmonauts Oleg Novitskiy and Pyotr Dubrov continued preparations outside the Russian segment of the International Space Station (ISS) early June 2 for the anticipated arrival of the Nauka Multi-Purpose Laboratory. Credit: NASA