Defense

By Mark Carreau
A second attempt at collecting a sample of the Martian surface is planned for September.
Space

By Steve Trimble
Airbus has said the partnership’s Bridge Tanker proposal will be based on the Airbus A330 Multi-Role Tanker Transport (MRTT), but comments from a Skunk Works executive suggest advanced upgrades could be added for the U.S. version of the international best-seller.
Multi-Mission Aircraft

By Antoine Gelain
Raw data from space assets is valuable now, but may become commoditized as constellations grow.
Commercial Space

By Jen DiMascio
Joint Staff industry day; Hypersonic test center; Avalon Airshow nixed; U.S. picks launch companies; Smallsats ready for servicing role.
Budget, Policy & Operations

By Guy Norris, Steve Trimble
As part of longer-term KC-46A upgrade plans aimed at current aircraft as well as the U.S. Air Force’s upcoming Bridge Tanker requirement, Boeing has flown two test aircraft to demonstrate tracking technology for future autonomous air-to-air refueling (A3R) capability.
Aircraft & Propulsion

ROLLS-ROYCE NORTH AMERICA has completed 6-year, $600m program to modernize facilities and manufacturing at its Indianapolis Operations Center.
Aerospace

By Steve Trimble
PALMDALE, CALIFORNIA—Lockheed Martin will build the first rocket-boosted hypersonic gliders for the U.S. Air Force at the Skunk Works facilities here
Missile Defense & Weapons

LOCKHEED MARTIN and SPIRIT AEROSYSTEMS unveiled new Polaris digital engineering/advanced assembly solution, including Full Size-Hole Determinant
Aerospace

By Michael Bruno
TransDigm Group is bidding 13% more for Meggitt than Parker Hannifin, the first two companies revealed Aug. 11.
Manufacturing & Supply Chain

By Jen DiMascio
Within the month, the Joint Staff plans to hold an industry day, according to U.S. Air Force Gen. John Hyten, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Budget, Policy & Operations

By Steve Trimble
Lockheed Martin has confirmed a secret customer has ordered the Speed Racer flight vehicle that the Skunk Works unveiled a year ago as a technology demonstrator.
Missile Defense & Weapons

By Tony Osborne
Northrop Grumman will support NATO’s new fleet of Alliance Ground Surveillance Global Hawks for the next five years.
Program Management

By Steve Trimble
PALMDALE, CALIFORNIA—To a soundtrack of “Levitating” by English pop singer Dua Lipa, about 100 suit-clad dignitaries filed into Building 658 on the
Aircraft & Propulsion

By Tony Osborne
Leonardo and Babcock have formally team to combine their offers to provide Canada’s Future Aircrew Training program.
Maintenance & Training

By Chen Chuanren
The Korean Coast Guard (KCG) has procured two Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) KUH-1CG Surion search and rescue helicopters.
Aircraft & Propulsion

By Mark Carreau
The Cygnus carries nearly 8,210 lb. of crew supplies, science experiments and technology development projects.
Space

By Guy Norris
The bill calls for the intelligence community and the Pentagon to relay all data related to unidentified aerial phenomena “immediately to the Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Task Force and to the National Air and Space Intelligence Center.”
Budget, Policy & Operations

By Jen DiMascio
The U.S. Army’s next installment of Project Convergence—an experiment that seeks to link disparate military platforms—will involve all three services and focus on maximizing the use of data and sharing it across the joint force, according to the deputy commander of Army Futures Command.
Missile Defense & Weapons

By Mark Carreau
Efforts by NASA to develop a next-generation spacesuit face significant cost and schedule challenges that will push back its availability to April 2025 at the earliest, according to audit by the agency’s inspector general.
Space

BOEING completed first flight of first of five P-8A Poseidon aircraft for NORWAY.
Defense

By Michael Bruno
The U.S. Space Force’s Rocket Systems Launch Program Office has added ABL Space Systems, Astra Space and Relativity Space to work toward a quick-launch effort under the Orbital Services Program-4.
Space

By Guy Norris
Plans for the center will be welcomed by the U.S. high-speed systems development community, which for years has highlighted the shortage of adequate centralized hypersonic test facilities.
Aircraft & Propulsion

By Chen Chuanren
The organizers of the Australian International Airshow, better known as the Avalon Airshow, have canceled this year’s event as they acknowledged the “unpredictable environment” brought about by the Delta strain of COVID-19.
Aircraft & Propulsion

By Tony Osborne
Eurofighter nations green-light incremental upgrade package; LTE midlife update plans still await agreement.
Aircraft & Propulsion

By Mark Carreau
NASA and Russian federal space agency Roscosmos are assembling teams of experts to assess the unanticipated thruster firings of Russia’s Nauka module following its docking with the International Space Station.
Space