Aerospace & Defense Roundup: Sep. 14

T-7

BoeingT-7

Astra Rocket 3.1 Booster Flight Test Cut Short

California-based Astra, a startup vying to get into the small-satellite launch business, conducted a flight test of its Rocket 3.1 booster, but the mission ended prematurely when the vehicle started to head off course due to a guidance system problem. Credit: Astra/John Kraus

German Army Receiving Asgard33 Upgrades For Tiger

The German Army has begun to take delivery of Airbus Tiger attack helicopters with a new upgrade that will act as a baseline for Tiger Mk. 3 development. The Asgard33 program will upgrade 33 of the Army’s Tiger helicopters from the current Asgard (Afghanistan Security German Army Rapid Deployment) configuration, which was developed to support the Tiger’s deployment to Afghanistan in 2012. Credit: Cpl. Oliver Carter, Australian Department of Defense.

Boeing Fires Up Engine For Airpower Teaming System

Boeing Australia has fired up the commercial turbofan engine on the unmanned Airpower Teaming System (ATS) demonstrator aircraft, the company announced. Credit: Boeing Australia

USAF Opens Market Survey For Nuclear Microreactor

The U.S. Air Force has started the market research phase to demonstrate by 2027 a 1-5-megawatt, fixed-site microreactor that could provide an alternative to the civilian electric power grid on military bases. The effort, led by the Air Force’s Office of Energy Assurance (OEA), complements a separate effort by the Strategic Capabilities Office (SCO), which is seeking to demonstrate a mobile microreactor in the same power class. Credit: Energy Department

USAFMQ-9

Ampaire Flies Second Hybrid Prototype Before Hawaii Route Trials

Ampaire has flown a second prototype of its Electric EEL, a Cessna 337 Skymaster modified to hybrid-electric propulsion. The aircraft will be operated later in 2020 on test routes on Maui, Hawaii. The demonstration flights will be conducted jointly with Hawaiian regional carrier Mokulele Airlines. Credit: Ampaire

UAS Freight Flights To UK’s Scilly Isles In Works

Britain’s Scilly Isles could receive regular freight deliveries using unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) through a new partnership between FlyLogix and the Isles of Scilly Steamship Company. Credit: FlyLogix

Hurricane Laura Delays SLS Static Test Fire

Work stoppages due to Hurricane Laura, the Category 4 storm that came ashore in Louisiana last month, will delay the long-awaited static test fire of the Space Launch System (SLS) core stage at NASA’s Stennis Space Center until late October or November. Credit: NASA/Stennis

Dronemaker Volansi Wins $50M In Venture Financing

California-based startup Volansi said on Sept. 15 it has secured $50 million in venture funding to further develop its line of hybrid vertical-takeoff-and-landing (VTOL) delivery drones. Credit: Credit: Volansi

DassaultRafale

FAA’s Commercial Space Office Experiences Busiest Year

Even during the COVID-19 pandemic, the FAA is busier than it has ever been licensing commercial space launches, officials said Sept. 14. Credit: SpaceX

C-17 Airdrops JASSM As Prelude To Missile-Firing Demo

A U.S. Air Force Boeing C-17 airdropped a palletized Joint Air-To-Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM) last month as a prelude to a future test of a C-17-fired palletized missile, the head of Air Mobility Command said on Sept. 14.

Walmart Announces Drone Delivery Trial With Zipline

Walmart on Sept. 14 revealed its second drone delivery project in five days, saying it has partnered with Zipline to fly health and wellness products to select houses near the U.S. retail giant’s headquarters in Bentonville, Arkansas. Credit: Zipline