In April 2015, Northrop Grumman’s X-47B Unmanned Combat Air Vehicle Demonstrator successfully completed an autonomous aerial refueling (AAR) test by plugging into an aerial refueling basket behind an Omega Air KC-707. The Salty Dog 502, one of the two UCAS-D aircraft of the X-47B program, was the aircraft that performed the test off the coast of Maryland. Originally, the aircraft was not going to receive funding for aerial refueling, but the money ended up coming through for what is slated to be the final test of the historic X-47B.
Learn MoreRocket Lab, the Lockheed Martin-funded start up, has revealed their new Rutherford engine. The Rutherford is made up of mostly 3D-printed components, powered by battery and electric turbo pump, and can thrust 4,600 pounds. Powered by a mix of kerosene and liquid oxygen, the engine’s key feature is the use of a battery to power brushless DC motors in the turbo pump. Usually, pressurized gas is used to power a turbine. However, the Rutherford’s innovative electric motor that powers the pump is only the size of a soda can and has approximately 50 horsepower.
Learn MoreIn April 2015, a Boeing-manufactured RC-135U aircraft was intercepted by a Russian SU-27 Flanker fighter jet while flying over the Baltic Sea. The encounter was more than just unsafe. According to US officials at the Pentagon, the Russian pilot’s actions were “unsafe and unprofessional due to the aggressive maneuvers it performed in close proximity to their aircraft and its high rate of speed." Pentagon spokesman Mark Wright said the Pentagon and State Department will "file the appropriate petition through diplomatic channels" with Russia.
Learn MoreThe Asteroid Impact & Deflection Assessment mission is a joint effort by the United States’ NASA and the European Space Agency to investigate the threat of an asteroid collision with our planet. The first mission, dubbed the Asteroid Impact Mission (AIM), is set for October 2020 in which a spacecraft will enter and observe the Didymos binary asteroid system. Didymos is 800 meters wide and is orbited by a 170 meter wide asteroid, the “Didymoon”. The Didymoon is the selected target for NASA and ESA. Although the exact nature of the space agencies’ experiments is still being decided, ESA may possible make contact with the smaller asteroid using a lander. CubeSats will be used to gather initial data, including optical and thermal maps.
Learn MoreIn April 2015, the Boeing-Lockheed Martin joint venture United Launch Alliance (ULA) announced the details of its Vulcan platform, a next-generation launch system intended to end US reliance on Russian-built rocket engines. The goal of this new reusable rocket, which is planned to take flight in 2019, is to make future launch services affordable and accessible. Vulcan will have the capabilities to facilitate missions from low-Earth orbit all the way to Pluto.
Learn MoreLockheed Martin announced in April 2015 that they have awarded American aerospace and defense company Orbital ATK a USD$90 million contract to provide the attitude control motor (ACM) for Orion's launch abort system (LAS). With the new LAS, the capsule gets separated from the launch vehicle in the case of an in-flight emergency, allowing the astronaut crew to safely escape. Orbital ATK Defense Systems group president Mike Kahn said in a statement:
Learn MoreFor the fourth year in a row, NASA will be holding the Space App Challenge event in multiple locations across the globe. Part of the NASA incubator innovation program, the Space App Challenge is a three-day coding competition in which over 10,000 participants develop applications, software, hardware, and data visualization platforms which address 35 challenge areas provided by NASA. This year, the competition’s main themes are: outer space, earth, humans, and robotics.
Learn MoreIn April 2015, Raytheon, the 4th-largest American defense contractor by revenue, has been awarded a contract for Patriot air and missile defense system enhancements. Granted by the United States Army Aviation and Missile Command, the USD$212 million contract calls for Raytheon to provide a series of services which include software development, systems analysis, testing and logistics support, and country-specific systems requirements.
Learn MoreGorgon Stare, a remote-controlled, aircraft-based persistent wide area airborne surveillance (WAAS) system developed by Sierra Nevada has received operational clearance from the United States Air Force. Gorgon Stare is a spherical array of nine cameras installed onboard the General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) that provides real-time situational awareness for both soldiers and commanders involved in large scale operations. The upgraded system, known as Increment 2, provides a four-fold increase in area coverage and a two-fold improvement in resolution compared to its predecessor, the Increment 1.
Learn MoreIn March of 2015, the US Army announced that they will be installing a new communications capability onto a select few of their Boeing C-17 Globemaster III transport aircraft. Beginning in May, an in-flight technology known as enroute mission command capability (EMC2) will allow soldiers to communicate via internet, rather than solely rely on conventional voice and data communications. Although commercial airliners have been offering Wi-Fi technology to passengers for a long time, this marks the first occasion that military aircraft will be equipped with internet connectivity to this extent. From EMC2, the aircraft will communicate with satellite terminals and pilots will be able to access a range of applications.
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