Aerospace

Our roundup of the main aerospace and defense stories making the news this week.

The Defense Innovation Unit’s (DIU) Hybrid Space Architecture program has issued several contracts to companies to develop and demonstrate a space-based network architecture for communications across commercial and government satellites in multiple orbits.

Iris Automation and Sagetech Avionics have partnered to bring cooperative and noncooperative traffic detection and collision avoidance capabilities to drones operating beyond visual line of sight.

Stellar Solutions, a global aerospace and systems engineering services firm, has unveiled Stellar Ventures, a woman-led venture capital firm investing in the next generation of space entrepreneurs, the company said July 7.

The European Space Agency (ESA), its commercial partners and potential customers are eagerly awaiting the inaugural launch of the Vega-C rocket.

Overair is using prepreg carbon fiber from Toray Composite Materials to build the full-scale prototype of its Butterfly tilt-rotor electric vertical takeoff and landing air taxi.

The AeroDelft student team from Delft Technical University, the Netherlands, has flown a subscale prototype under its Project Phoenix to convert a light general aviation aircraft to liquid-hydrogen propulsion.

Roscosmos State Space Corp. is eager to launch new Angara modular rockets from its Vostochny commercial spaceport in 2023.

Daher, the French-based maker of TBM turboprops and the Kodiak 100 utility aircraft, closed July 1 on Triumph Group’s 400,000-ft.² metallic and composite aerostructures facility in Stuart, Florida, a move that expands its U.S. industrial presence.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has stepped down after a series of scandals prompted nearly 50 ministers to resign in just two days.

“China poses a far more complex and pervasive threat to businesses than even most sophisticated company leaders realize,” FBI Director Chris Wray said.

The aircraft-maker, confident the 737-10 will be greenlighted for service without flight-crew alerting system, may end program if mandate is applied.

Aviation Week editors talk with Airbus CEO Guillaume Faury about all things commercial and defense, but his focus is on sustainability.

Daher, the French-based maker of TBM turboprops and the Kodiak 100 utility aircraft, has purchased Triumph Group’s metallic and composite aerostructures facility in Stuart, Florida.

Virgin Galactic has signed an agreement to partner with Boeing subsidiary Aurora Flight Sciences to build two new White Knight Two jets to carry its air-launched passenger suborbital spaceships.

Vertical Aerospace has partnered with Taiwan’s E-One Moli Energy to supply lithium-ion battery cells for its VX4 electric vertical takeoff and landing air taxi.

Carroll K. Lane to Corporate Senior Vice President and President-Air Vehicles and Precision Products of Kaman Corporation.

Stephen Koo to Chief Financial Officer of Skyryse, El Segundo, CA; Justin Ryan was named Chief Operating Officer.

Jasmine Koh to Inside Sales-Asia, based in Singapore, of C&L Aerospace.

Steve Jones to Chief Executive Officer of Celestia Group, The Netherlands. Juan Becerro to Chief Operating Officer.

IBS SOFTWARE was selected by Air PREMIA, South Korea to provide its iCargo Management solution. Air PREMIA has one 787 with two on order.

HAECO CABIN SOLUTIONS was selected by Air New Zealand to supply Vector economy class seats for 22 787s.

Midway through 2022, the priority for advanced air mobility companies is on certifying aircraft, but just as important is sizing the future market and where the vehicles will be located.

It was another tough week for the Advanced Air Mobility Stock Composite, with the index falling to $40 for the week ending July 1, down from $43.08 a week ago.

The partners in a project to convert the Cessna Caravan to electric propulsion have formed a new company to develop and offer battery-electric and hydrogen-electric powertrain retrofits for a range of turboprop commuter aircraft.