Aviation Week & Space Technology

As Senior Space Editor Frank Morring says, companies are looking for "pots of gold" in space. That gold could come from commercial efforts that would extend the life of the International Space Station or to mine water from the Moon. Civilian space agencies might benefit as well—working with each other to reach the Moon and ultimately charting a path to Mars. Frank joins Mark Carreau and Jen DiMascio at the annual space symposium in Colorado Springs and discuss the latest efforts to explore—and profit from—outer space.

The U.S. Air Force’s UAS fleet is in constant demand, but keeping it flying is taking a toll on its pilots.

In preparation for a U.S. Army competition for a counter-rocket, artillery and mortar interceptor, Lockheed Martin flight tests its enhanced Miniature Hit-to-Kill missile.

There is long list of technology demonstrations behind the idea of an unmanned combat aircraft, but no requirements for an operational system have emerged. Now Europe has a try.

Polish and Turkish companies are among those developing and selling loitering munitions, aka lethal small unmanned aircraft.

Fighter aircraft for “Make in India”; North Korea shows long-range air defense system; Pratt & Whitney F135 engines contract; UAE-Stratcom space data accord.

Rep. Jim Bridenstine (R-Okla.) is proposing legislation to tackle a broad range of space issues, foremost is ending the use of the Defense Department to manage space traffic.

Boeing, Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman vie for the next-generation satellite work.

Some irate citizens of New York and New Jersey have petitioned, successfully, to curb the amount of helicopter tours that can be offered in the city.

Deploying “ChipSats” could significantly alter the face of missions to seek signs of life on Jovian moon Europa—and other planetary research.

Sales prices for Airbus A320s and Boeing 737s over the past 15 years have barely budged, even as fictional list prices have marched steadily upward.

A gear-up touch-down by severely fatigued pilots of a Sukhoi Superjet 100 during flight testing at Keflavik, Iceland, reveals numerous flaws in air and ground procedures.

Dublin is in an enviable position for airport expansion, having approvals in hand for an additional runway. But clauses tied to overnight usage could hamper overall operational growth.

AirAsia was forced onto the defensive last year, but since then its management and founders have strengthened the carrier’s financial standing and boosted market confidence.

Airbus Group and Siemens have signed a long-term collaboration agreement to develop hybrid-electric propulsion for small airliners, building on work already done on light aircraft.

Darpa contract for Northrop Grumman will develop MEMS-based miniature inertial measurement units to a level where they can replace ring-laser and fiber-optic gyros for guidance of precision weapons when GPS is denied.

Darpa spaceplane heads toward flight; Reusable hypersonic testbed needed; Carter touts faster CarterCopter; Battelle’s DroneDefender proves popular; Local Motors to crowdsource UAV for Airbus; Micro-UAS rules recommended to FAA

Ultra-long-haul flying from the point of view of customers and crew | Advocating for more artificial gravity research | Lessening supersonic overflight restrictions | Single-aisle aircraft comparison request | Miscaptioned early aircraft correction

Air Transport World’s Karen Walker and Aviation Daily’s Madhu Unnikrishnan discuss regulatory hurdles to $2.6-billion deal and whether it marks the end of U.S. airline consolidation.

Scientist and former astronaut Janet Kavandi (see photo) has been named director of the NASA Glenn Research Center, Cleveland. She is a veteran of thre e Space Shuttle missions and has served as NASA’s Deputy Chief of the Astronaut Office.

High-speed medium-rotorcraft demonstrators are taking shape, but the budget-strapped U.S. Army has yet to make clear its plans for the way ahead.

Given the scale of the challenges for big aerospace companies, one wonders how anyone succeeds.

The preliminary design review of a U.S.-European ocean-monitoring mission has been delayed by several months as part of a risk-reduction effort following the failure of a radar instrument aboard another climate-science mission.

The carrier is primarily owned by three foreign airlines, so the potential exit of one would have major ramifications.

Alaska wanted more share on the West Coast, so it is buying Virgin America. The jury is out on whether this will work.