Aerospace & Defense Roundup: August 30

Akinci

Fledging small satellite launch provider Astra Space once again failed to reach orbit, but the booster managed 2 1/2 min. of flight time despite losing an engine less than 1 sec. after liftoff from Alaska’s Kodiak Island. The booster’s five kerosene-fueled Delphin engines ignited on Aug. 28 at 6:35 p.m. EDT (1:35 p.m. Alaska time), marking the startup’s third attempt to reach orbit. Credit: Astra Space

C-17

SpaceX’s 23rd NASA-contracted Dragon resupply mission capsule docked autonomously to the International Space Station’s (ISS) U.S. segment on Aug. 30. The Dragon delivered a more than 4,800-lb., COVID-19-constrained payload, including crew supplies and an assortment of science experiments and technology demonstrations. Credit: NASA

U.S. airlines' role of moving Afghan evacuees from intermediate transit points to the U.S. appears destined to extend for at least several more days, even as the U.S. military’s last flight departed Afghanistan at just before midnight Aug. 30 local time. Credit: American Airlines

Another new variant of a stealthy Lockheed Martin cruise missile has appeared to highlight the surging popularity of powered, expendable munitions and reveal a fundamentally vital new capability. An Aug. 18 presolicitation noticed referenced the “LRASM AGM-158C-2 Strike Capability” in the public domain for the first time. Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR), which authored the notice, responded to Aerospace DAILY’s questions about 10 days later, confirming the AGM-158C-2 is the U.S. Navy’s first air-launched, land-attack cruise missile since the Boeing AGM-84K Standoff Land Attack Missile-Extended Range (SLAM-ER) entered service 21 years ago. Credit: USAF

Embraer spinoff Eve Urban Air Mobility has brought together its growing ecosystem of partners to develop a concept of operations for Rio de Janiero. The first simulation under the project is planned by year’s end, using helicopters as surrogates for Eve’s electric vertical-takeoff-and-landing air taxi. Credit: Embraer

Launch of the Landsat 9 spacecraft, a joint project of NASA and the U.S. Geological Survey, is being delayed a week due to a pandemic-related supply issue. United Launch Alliance (ULA) is now targeting Sept. 23 for liftoff of an Atlas V rocket with the Landsat 9 spacecraft from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. Credit: NASA

Following a call to action from Airbus and Boeing, an advisory group under the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) is bringing together stakeholders to develop a global vision for future integrated air traffic management that meets the needs of all existing and emerging airspace users. Credit: Airbus & Boeing

Collins Aerospace, already one of the largest commercial aerospace suppliers—let alone as part of Raytheon Technologies—is buying high-profile flight-tracking data provider FlightAware, the companies announced late Aug. 30. Credit: AaronP/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images