NASA is transitioning long-running hypersonic technology studies increasingly toward potential commercial applications and has awarded two new contracts supporting high speed design and propulsion work to Aerion Supersonic and GE Aviation respectively.
Sustainable Aero Lab will explore development of new technologies to improve aviation’s impact on climate change—including initiatives developed within MRO.
Electric aircraft pioneer Pipistrel has teamed with unmanned aircraft specialist C-Astral Aerospace to expand the capability of the in-development Nuuva V20 cargo drone to encompass intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance.
NASA is preparing for the in-orbit demonstration of a propulsion system for small satellites that combines the safety of using water as the propellant with the performance of a chemical rocket.
Rocket startup BluShift Aerospace launched its inaugural commercial mission Jan. 31, claiming the titles of the first commercial launch of a rocket with a “bio-derived” fuel and the first commercial launch from Maine.
A South Korean team including an airport operator, air-taxi developer and communications provider has been formed to commercialize urban air mobility in the country beginning in 2025.
The FAA expects to certify the first of a new generation of advanced or urban air mobility (AAM/UAM) aircraft later in 2021 and says regulations will be in place in time for initial piloted electric vertical-take-off-and-landing (eVTOL) operations to begin as early as 2023.
