Aerospace Daily & Defense Report

By Mark Carreau
An anomaly resolution team continues to pursue the source of a worrisome water blob that formed in the helmet of the NASA spacesuit worn by U.S. astronaut Tim Kopra during a Jan. 15 spacewalk outside the International Space Station.
Space

By Guy Norris
Sixty days after Blue Origin achieved its first milestone vertical landing with the New Shepard suborbital launch vehicle, the company has repeated the feat with the same rocket.
Defense and Space

French President Francois Hollande and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi say they have reached a political agreement on the sale, but negotiations on price continue
Defense and Space

By Guy Norris
As part of SpaceX’s plan to develop a human-rated version of a Dragon crew capsule capable of precision-powered landings on the ground, the company has revealed the first images of propulsive hover tests.
Defense and Space

The French army and defense procurement agency DGA are preparing to purchase the Sagem Patroller tactical UAV.
Defense and Space

By Jen DiMascio
The Air Force on Jan. 25 updated the baseline configuration of SpaceX’s Falcon 9 launch system to the Falcon 9 Upgrade for national security missions.
Defense and Space

The U.S. Navy recently tested its newly developed Common Control System (CCS) with a submersible unmanned vehicle during a series of underwater missions at the Naval Undersea Warfare Center Keyport in Puget Sound, Washington.
Defense and Space

By Guy Norris
The first fuel transfer from a Boeing KC-46A tanker to a receiver aircraft was completed on Jan 24.
Defense and Space

By Guy Norris
As part of SpaceX’s plan to develop a human-rated version of the Dragon crew capsule capable of precision powered landings on the ground, the company has revealed first images of propulsive hover tests undertaken in late November at its McGregor, Texas facility.
Space

By Guy Norris
Sixty days after Blue Origin achieved its first milestone vertical landing with the New Shepard sub-orbital launch vehicle, the company has repeated the feat with the same rocket.
Space

U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT approved possible $1.95b ...

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Inspector General (DOT IG) is slamming the FAA...

The U.S. Navy and Marine Corps’ RQ-21A Blackjack unmanned aircraft system (UAS) received ...
Defense and Space

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By Graham Warwick
Airbus Group plans a pilot project with ridesharing network Uber that will enable users to connect air and ground transportation, CEO Tom Enders says.

By Graham Warwick
Startup XTI Aircraft has launched a formal stock offering after the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) qualified its crowdfunding campaign to assess interest in backing development of its TriFan 600 vertical-take-off-and-landing business aircraft.

The program is still on track for an unmanned trip around the Moon in the fall of 2018 with some extra features enabled in part by a $174 million congressional funding boost.
Defense and Space

As the U.S. and its coalition partners intensify the pace of airstrikes against Islamic State targets in Iraq and Syria, the Pentagon plans to bolster Baghdad’s arsenal with nearly $2 billion in weaponry, equipment and logistics support for Iraqi F-16s.
Defense and Space

By Maxim Pyadushkin
Russia’s United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) has started production of the first prototypes of the Ilyushin IL-112V light military transport.
Defense and Space

U.S. and Japanese naval aircraft figured heavily in the recent Guam Exercise, an annual bilateral training exercise between the U.S. Navy and Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force.
Defense and Space

With a new Pentagon clarion call ringing for additional and more realistic wargaming, the Naval Postgraduate School has started to get its officer students designing, executing and evaluating scenarios just now being developed by the Navy brass.
Defense and Space

U.S. Navy Secretary Ray Mabus launched the service’s “Great Green Fleet” earlier his month, touting the big move toward alternative fuels as a way to save money, make ships better in combat and increase the Navy’s ability to innovate.
Defense and Space

Based on initial indications, the problem occurred due to an apparent failure to follow procedures during an operational test of the port and starboard main propulsion diesel engines, the Navy says.
Defense and Space

THALES ALENIA SPACE , AIRBUS DEFENSE & SPACE , ESA chose SNECMA PPS5000 plasma thruster for Neosat telecommunications satellites program; summer 2017 delivery.

Austria-based aerospace composites manufacturer FACC on Jan. 20 acknowledged falling to a cyber hack with around $55 million in damages. “Today, it became evident that FACC AG has become a victim of a crime act using communication and information technologies,” an online statement says. “The management board has immediately involved the Austrian Criminal Investigation Department and engaged a forensic investigation. The correct amount of damage is under review. The damage can amount to roughly EUR 50 million.