In a joint venture between Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) and Boeing, a $990 million order was placed for three 777-300ERs. Known as an extended range aircraft, the 777-300ER is a twin-aisle aircraft with fuel and cost-effective capabilities. It can hold a total of 386 passengers and travel up to 7,825 nautical miles on a non-stop route. This is following another order between the two companies for six of these aircraft in 2013.
Learn MoreInvented by Roger Shawyer, the EmDrive is a theoretical propulsion system that supposedly could propel objects to near-relativistic speeds. However, the system is being met with much skepticism as it seems to clearly violate the laws of physics. Shawyer explains that it works by repeatedly bouncing microwaves back and forth in a chamber with the idea of creating a propellant-less thruster that can move a spacecraft at extraordinary speeds if enough pressure is applied. He claims that it could gain 3 tons of thrust with 1 kilowatt of power input by essentially moving the particles around the chamber of the thruster in a vacuum.
Learn MoreThe Chinese company DJI has become a leader in the civilian market for drones after raising over $75 million from the venture capital firm Accel Partners. This deal, along with the $30 million investment by Sequoia Capital last year, puts DJI’s value at approximately $8 billion as well as having the distinction of being one of Accel’s largest investments ever.
Learn MoreNASA’s Langley Research Center has been in the process of developing a drone that looks to combine the best qualities of fixed-wing airplanes and rotary-wing helicopters. With a goal of building an aircraft with considerable speed, cargo capability, excellent maneuverability, and no need for large runways, NASA has developed a new drone prototype, the GL-10 Greased Lightning.
Learn MoreThe United States Air Force has given a contract worth $80 million to Lockheed Martin for the training and advancement of C-130 aircrew.
Learn MoreLockheed Martin has been awarded a contract by Arabsat and King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology to produce two A2100-based communications satellites. Valued at $650 million, the contract stands as Lockheed Martin’s first new commercial satellite contract since 2011 when it completed a deal with the Australian satellite company NewSat.
Learn MoreIn April 2015, Aerojet Rocketdyne announced that they have been selected by NASA to design an electric propulsion system to power its future manned spaceflights to cislunar space and beyond to Mars. The company will soon begin negotiations to finalize contract terms. The scope of the contract will include Aerojet Rocketdyne developing a 100kW hall thruster system, including its 250kW multi-channel nested hall thruster (NHT).
Learn MoreNASA has created the world’s first copper rocket engine part through the new technology of 3D printing. The combustion chamber liner was constructed using GRCo-84, which is a copper alloy created by the scientists at Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, Ohio.
Learn MoreRaytheon has been awarded a $103 million contract from the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to develop a more accurate GPS.
Learn MoreIn April 2015, Thales Alenia Space signed a contract with the Korean satellite service operator KTSAT to design and build two telecommunications satellites, the Koreasat-7 and Koreasat-5A. As the program’s prime contractor, Thales Alenia Space is in charge of the design, production, testing and On Ground Delivery (OGD) of the satellites. It will also take charge of the launch campaigns, the launch and early operations phase (LEOP) and in-orbit tests (IOT).
Learn MoreIn 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.
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