95th Air Base Wing Public Affairs — 6/15/2011 – EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. — A second test of the X-51A Waverider flew June 13, 2011, in the Point Mugu Naval Air Test Range over the Pacific Ocean, bringing significant hypersonic research data in a less than successful flight test.
The hypersonic aircraft was successfully boosted to just over Mach 5, and the scramjet engine lit but failed to transition to full power.
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LOCKHEED MARTIN PR — DENVER, June 14th, 2011 — Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company, a major business area of the Lockheed Martin Corporation, announced today employment reductions designed to address affordability and improve its competitive posture.
Space Systems, which currently employs approximately 16,000 employees in 12 states, will implement a broad-based workforce reduction of roughly 1,200 employees by year-end. It is anticipated that middle management will be reduced by 25 percent, with significantly smaller percentage impacts in other levels and disciplines.
LaserMotive PR — Seattle, Wash. (June 13, 2011) – LaserMotive, an independent R&D company specializing in laser power beaming and winner of the 2009 NASA Power Beaming Challenge, today announced it has been invited to demonstrate its wireless power systems for unmanned aerial vehicles at the NASA Day on the Hill, Wednesday June 15 in the Rayburn Foyer, Rayburn House Office Building, Washington DC.
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VSS Enterprise drops from WhiteKnightTwo. (Credit: Clay Observatory)
VIRGIN GALACTIC PR — More exciting news from the Mojave Desert this morning with confirmation that SpaceShipTwo, VSS Enterprise, had completed two successful glide flights within 24 hours.
This was the quickest turnaround time yet between VSS Enterprise solo flights, reinforcing the unique and transformational ability of Virgin Galactic’s spaceflight system to undertake daily flights to space.
Boeing's CST-100 crew transport. (Credit: Boeing)
Commercial crew system on track for operational capability in 2015
BOEING PR — HOUSTON, June 13, 2011 — Boeing [NYSE: BA] on May 19 completed the Delta System Definition Review (SDR) of the company’s Crew Space Transportation (CST)-100 space capsule design. The milestone follows NASA’s award of a Commercial Crew Development Phase 2 (CCDev2) contract to Boeing in April.
The daylong review included representatives from NASA, the Federal Aviation Administration, and independent consultants. They examined the changes made to the CST-100 design since the initial SDR, which was conducted in October under the original CCDev agreement. (more…)
In The Space Review this week…. Skylon: ready for takeoff? The British Skylon RLV concept has received some recent attention after an ESA study found no showstoppers with its design. Jeff Foust explores the work on Skylon performed to date and identifies some challenges, both engineering and business, that it has yet to overcome. The irreplaceable Space Shuttle After next month’s launch of Atlantis, the Space Shuttle program will come […]
Pop star Justin Bieber and model Dree Hemingway Crisman film a commercial for Bieber’s “Someday” fragrance aboard Zero G Corporation’s G-FORCE ONE parabolic aircraft. The ad is set to air during the Christmas holiday season.
The Florida Times-Union reports that Jacksonville Aviation Authority will now be able to pursue state funding to upgrade Cecil Field to a spaceport: Space Florida officially designated Cecil as a “Space Territory” on June 9. Getting that designation means the Florida Department of Transportation now has legal authority to fund spaceport-related transportation facilities within Cecil to better accommodate horizontal launch space travel. JAA will now be able pursue funds to […]
It’s been a busy morning here at the Mojave Air & Space Port. SpaceShipTwo made another successful glide test this morning. Did not get a chance to see it, but I’m told it was about an 11 minute flight that apparently went well and landed safely. About three hours later, Masten Space Systems conducted an engine test of approximately 50 seconds. I had just finished interviewing Stuart Witt, who is […]
OSC PR – Dulles, VA 13 June 2011 – Orbital Sciences Corporation (NYSE: ORB) announced today that THAICOM Plc. (SET Index: THCOM) has awarded the company a firm contract for the Thaicom 6 communications satellite. Based on Orbital’s GEOStar-2™ satellite platform, the Thaicom 6 satellite will be designed, manufactured and tested at Orbital’s satellite manufacturing facility in Dulles, VA. The Thaicom 6 satellite is planned to be launched in mid-2013.
ESA lifting body entry vehicle on the cusp of final approval
Spaceflight Now
The European Space Agency should formally approve this summer the construction of an Italian-led demonstrator that will launch into space on a rocket, fly back to Earth like an airplane and parachute into the Pacific Ocean, according to the mission’s project manager.
Aerojet Unveils Novel Hypersonics Plan
Aviation Week
Aerojet is proposing development of a novel combined-cycle propulsion system for reusable hypersonic vehicles which packages current technology to achieve a seamless transition from a standing start to Mach 7 plus.
