NASA’s Cislunar Autonomous Positioning System Technology Operations and Navigation Experiment (Capstone) small satellite successfully separated from its orbital Photon propulsion stage early July 4, beginning a pioneering journey to near-rectilinear halo orbit (NRHO) around the Moon.
Researchers at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University have received a $371,000 grant from the FAA for a study to inform the development of standards and requirements for the accuracy of detect-and-avoid systems for uncrewed aircraft systems.
Electric short takeoff and landing aircraft developer Electra believes a 500-600 kW turbogenerator will allow its in-development nine-passenger aircraft to fly 30% more fuel efficiently that a similar-sized aircraft.
More details of the architecture of the Lilium Jet electric regional air taxi have emerged as the German startup has named Astronics to develop the power distribution system.
Europe’s Sesar 3 Joint Undertaking public-private partnership for air traffic management research has awarded grants for two projects for operational demonstrations that support the Digital European Sky vision to modernize the region’s aviation infrastructure.
Europe’s aviation safety agency on June 30 issued a proposed regulatory framework for operations of new vertical takeoff and landing-capable aircraft over cities.
Guardian Agriculture, a U.S. startup developing an autonomous crop protection aircraft, has secured a multimillion-dollar partnership with Wilbur-Ellis, a manufacturer of agriculture products and chemicals.
Australian regional airline Skytrans has partnered with local startup Stralis Aircraft to convert a 19-seat Beech 1900D turboprop to hydrogen-electric propulsion for flight trials in 2025.
China’s Duofo Group has acquired Italian ultralight helicopter manufacturer Fama Helicopters with the goal of expanding into uncrewed aircraft and electric vertical takeoff and landing vehicles.
OneWeb, in partnership with the European Space Agency and UK Space Agency, says it demonstrated a 5G link between low Earth orbit satellites, a geostationary satellite and a mobile ground terminal on June 28.
Korea Aerospace Industries is to build a subscale model of a hybrid-electric vertical takeoff and landing air taxi for flight testing by 2024 as a precursor of a full-size vehicle that would enable the company to participate in the Seoul government’s push to commercialize urban air mobility beginning in 2025.
Startup launch company Relativity Space has signed a multiyear, multiflight launch services agreement with OneWeb to deliver its next-generation broadband satellites into orbit beginning in 2025.
