Space

What do aerospace and defense companies need to think of now as artificial intelligence spreads across the industry in earnest?

Rocket Lab’s Electron small-satellite launcher blasted off from New Zealand’s Mahia Peninsula on Jan. 20 for a second test flight.

Stephane Israel, Arianespace CEO, announced the anomaly at 6:24 p.m. EST, 64 min. after what appeared to be a flawless liftoff with the SES-14 and Al Yah 3 telecommunications satellites.

Rating commercial crew vehicles on their chance of flight fatality turns out to be a nuanced art and science.

The Google-backed $30-million contest to fly and operate a privately funded spacecraft on the Moon before March 31 is ending without any contestants ever blasting off.

The long-awaited engine test of SpaceX's new triple-core Falcon Heavy rocket will not proceed due to the suspension of non-essential U.S. government services.

With U.S. ferry flights on Russian Soyuz ending next year, pressure is on to get U.S. space taxis flying, without sacrificing safety.

NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson quickly puts her finger on two major challenges facing astronauts traveling to deep space destinations like the Moon and Mars.

The Italian space industry is driving Europe’s effort to have a reusable vehicle, with an original commercial target.

The growth in commercial space could allow NASA to hitch a ride to a port in GEO orbit from which to explore the Moon, Mars and the entire Solar System.

The company has pushed longstanding government contractors to rethink how they do business, move to drive down costs and improve quality to remain competitive.

The Falcon 9-launched satellite is rumored to have reentered after what SpaceX says was a successful launch.

He walked on the Moon, commanded the inaugural shuttle mission and was the first person to fly on six space missions. He also headed NASA’s astronaut office and was an outspoken advocate for astronaut safety.

“We have to move at the speed of business, not the speed of bureaucracy,” says 45th Space Wing Commander Wayne Monteith.

Companies such as Blue Origin, Orbital ATK, SpaceX and United Launch Alliance are jostling to be a part of the future U.S. military spacelift market. Photo: Orbital ATK

SpaceX said the Jan. 7 launch of the classified Zuma mission appeared to have been successful, but questions about the spacecraft’s health surfaced the following day.

SpaceX lofted the classified U.S. government spacecraft known as "Zuma" into low-Earth orbit on Jan. 7.

A maturity gate review confirmed that the industrial process of the Ariane 6 is mature enough to start construction of the first launcher.

At the Aviation Week Network, we’re already charging into 2018. But over the recent holiday break, I had time to reflect on some of my favorite memories from last year. Here are five of them.

NASA still needs to certify SpaceX Falcon 9 Full Thrust rocket for telescope’s planned March liftoff on high-priority science mission.

Spacecraft, sensors, systems and better prediction capability form focus for Aerospace Corp.’s drive to mitigate danger from collisions with orbiting objects.

Private industry teams up with the military to launch more than 700 high-resolution imaging satellites by 2022.

In addition to building and refurbishing New Glenn reusable rockets, the new plant also will house launch and mission control.

Inmarsat, Iridium and Cobham developing systems for improved broadband flight deck connectivity and advanced data link capabilities.

2018 shaping up to be pivotal year for U.S. launch industry, with resumption of human spaceflights and new rockets for small satellites.