RAF Planning October Deployment Of Typhoons, MRTT To Southeast Asia
The UK Royal Air Force (RAF) is looking to deploy its Eurofighter Typhoons as well as the Airbus A330 Multi Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) Voyager to Southeast Asia in October to participate in a milestone edition of Exercise Bersama Lima. This will be RAF’s first major deployment to the East in five years, after a “round the world” trip in 2016. The RAF did not reveal the number of aircraft going; eight Typhoons and one Voyager took part in the 2016 detachment. Credit: UK Ministry of Defence 2021
Voyager Space Holdings Takes Over Nanoracks And Parent
Voyager Space Holdings, the rapidly expanding umbrella startup for new-space companies, has acquired the majority stake in X.O. Markets and its major subsidiary Nanoracks, which recently launched the commercial Bishop airlock to the International Space Station (ISS). Credit: Nanoracks
NASA
ISS
Osiris-Rex Starts Long Journey Back To Earth
Osiris-Rex, NASA’s first asteroid sample return mission, departed Bennu, the primitive Solar System body that has served as the long mission’s home for nearly 2 1/2 years, on May 10. It is carrying a scientific bounty that could help explain how the Earth and other rocky planets obtained their water and organics, the chemical building blocks for life. Credit: NASA/Goddard/University of Arizona
OneWeb
OneWeb
The Weekly Debrief: NATO Goes To Space
Gen. Andre Lanata, Supreme Allied Commander Transformation, dropped by the command’s ostensibly temporary Colorado headquarters at Peterson AFB. Lanata’s visit signaled no new policy or announcement by NATO in space. The arrival of the French general instead reflected a growing appreciation by U.S. allies in Europe and Asia of the importance of space in ongoing and future military operations.
NASA Raises Price Of Private Astronaut Missions
NASA has increased the cost of its private astronaut missions to the International Space Station (ISS), a move to accurately reflect actual expenses while still striving to facilitate the commercialization of low Earth orbit. The agency is prepared to support two such missions annually up to a maximum of 30 days each under the new pricing policy, which is effective immediately. Credit: NASA
Royal Mail To Fly Drone Deliveries To Scilly Isles
British parcel carrier Royal Mail is to fly uncrewed mail flights between the UK mainland and the Scilly Isles and perform inter-island deliveries with a vertical takeoff and landing unmanned aircraft system (UAS) to test technologies that could better link remote communities. Credit: Windracers
Zipline Expands Medical Drone Delivery In Africa
Zipline is to provide on-demand drone delivery of medical supplies to health facilities across Nigeria’s Cross River State. This follows a similar agreement to partner with Nigeria’s Kaduna State. Credit: Zipline
NASA raises price of private astronaut missions, RAF planning October deployment of Typhoons and MRTT to Southeast Asia and more. A roundup of aerospace, space and defense news.
