The Hypersonic International Flight Research Experimentation Program (HIFiRE) launches an experimental hypersonic scramjet vehicle from the Pacific Missile Range Facility in Hawaii during a recent research flight. Credit: AFRL

By Kathy Barnstorff
NASA Langley Research Center

A team that includes NASA and the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) is celebrating the successful launch of an experimental hypersonic scramjet research flight from the Pacific Missile Range Facility on the island of Kauai, Hawaii.

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AIA PR — The Aerospace Industries Association strongly urges Congress to pass the bipartisan agreement reauthorizing the Export-Import Bank.  With the May 31 deadline swiftly approaching, it is imperative that Congress act quickly.

“This agreement helps level the playing field versus foreign competitors who receive substantial financing from their own governments,” said AIA President and CEO Marion C. Blakey.  “We can’t expect American companies to compete with one hand tied behind their backs.”

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Indian media are reporting that ISRO conducted a successful test firing of an indigenous cryogenic engine on Saturday, helping to pave the way for a test flight in September. “The acceptance test of the indigenous cryogenic engine for the forthcoming GSLV-D5 flight was conducted successfully for 200 seconds at 5:10 pm….The performance of the engine was as predicted,” according to an ISRO statement quoted by Indian media. The test comes […]

The construction of the Cyclone-4 assembly and test facility. (Credit: HCA)

Approximately 1,200 workers are busy building the new Cyclone -4 launch complex at Brazil’s Alcantara Launch Center, according to a press release from the National Space Agency of Ukraine (HCA).

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Jacksonville, FL (May 9, 2012 — Space Florida PR) – Today, Space Florida and The Florida Chamber of Commerce honored Senate President and Representative of District 26 (Melbourne) Mike Haridopolos and Speaker of the House and Representative of District 35 (Winter Park) Dean Cannon for prioritizing the Space Industry over this years budgeting process. Over the past three legislative sessions, President Haridopolos and House Speaker Cannon have delivered over $80 million to Florida’s Space Industry and passed countless laws to aide economic development entities, such as Space Florida.

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ESA's IXV re-entry test vehicle.

CHARLOTTE, NC (CWC PR) – Curtiss-Wright Controls, Inc. today announced that it has received a contract from Alenia Aermacchi S.p.A. to supply rugged data acquisition subsystems for use in the Intermediate eXperimental Vehicle (IXV). Under the contract, Curtiss-Wright Controls will supply Alenia Aermacchi with its Acra KAM-500, Acra PCM recorder and Acra network switch for the re-entry vehicle data handling and telemetry subsystem. The Curtiss-Wright Controls Avionics & Electronics (CWC-AE) division’s data acquisition, networking and recording products will enable the IXV mission to acquire data to test new re-entry vehicle technologies.

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Ottawa (Ontario), May 8, 2012 (AIAC PR) – The Aerospace Industries Association of Canada (AIAC) is pleased to announce the addition of Lucie Boily to its team as Vice President of Policy and Competitiveness, effective May 22, 2012.

“We are very happy that Ms. Boily has agreed to join the AIAC team,” said Jim Quick, AIAC’s President and CEO. “Lucie has a deep understanding of the aerospace industry that has come from years of experience in both the private and public sector. Her ability to develop and articulate forward-thinking, strategic policy will be of immense value to the AIAC, our members, and the Canadian aerospace industry.”

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Artist's rendering of Space Florida's Launch Complex 36

Cape Canaveral, FL (Space Florida PR) – Space Florida will finalize an Environmental Assessment (EA) this summer that will enable the expansion of its two launch sites at Cape Canaveral Spaceport, Launch Complexes 36 and 46.

The EA supports the expansion of LC-36 – specifically Pad B – to enable static test firing of all varieties and sizes of rocket motors and launch of university-developed or other small sounding rockets. It will also assist the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in approving both LC-36 and LC-46 for a joint Launch Site Operators License. The EA is being conducted by Florida-based RS&H, and was made possible by a Defense Infrastructure Grant allotted to Space Florida for this fiscal year.

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Elon Musk ‏ @elonmusk Landing gear of the mega thrust propulsive landing rocket done (next gen Falcon). First hops soon. Making large scale rocket propulsion landing work well is a critical step towards a fully reusable Mars transport system … which is the critical breakthrough needed for life to become multiplanetary. (Tip of the hat to Clark Lindsey at Hobby Space for finding this picture.)

An ATK video on the Liberty launch system.