Category: Space News (Page 2 of 9)

Microgrid solutions to support UK supply chain

January 4, 2024 / WIL BALDWIN

The UK supply chain is looking to become greener, investing in sustainable energy solutions to power everything from cargo transport to warehousing. At the same time, recent challenges from Brexit to the COVID-19 pandemic and the temporary obstruction of the Suez Canal have all impacted the import and export of essential products and highlighted inadequacies in national reserves.

All of this has caused a visible change in the UK landscape, with a ballooning demand for storage solutions that are both reliable and sustainable.

Developing a future proof solution

At Symmetry Park Biggleswade, industrial and logistics developer Tritax Symmetry has been working to develop such a solution with BasePower Ltd, a growing energy services developer focused on delivering sustainable, low-cost and high-efficiency solutions that enable the UK’s energy transition.

While strategically located to support customers’ needs, logistics parks are often located in areas where grid capacity is constrained and, in some cases, completely unavailable for new developments.

To future-proof the site and provide renewable, resilient power BasePower selected a Rolls-Royce Holdings PLC (London: RR) mtu microgrid solution that includes three mtu CHP units, two mtu EnergyPack battery containers, two mtu emergency gensets and the complete microgrid control system.

Not only does it promise to deliver…

Clickthe link below to read the full story!

Microgrid solutions to support UK supply chain

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release may contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including expected delivery dates. Such statements are based on current expectations and projections about our future results, prospects and opportunities and are not guarantees of future performance. Such statements will not be updated unless required by law. Actual results and performance may differ materially from those expressed or forecasted in forward-looking statements due to a number of factors, including those discussed in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Boom selects Honeywell Anthem Integrated Flight Deck for Overture

January 3, 2024 / WIL BALDWIN

Today Boom announced it has signed a supplier agreement with tier-one aerospace leader Honeywell International Inc (NASDAQ: HON), joining a growing network of global suppliers for Overture. As part of the agreement between the two companies, Honeywell’s next-generation flight deck and its modular avionics platform will be incorporated into Overture.

As a pioneer in integrated modular avionics, Honeywell has successfully matured multiple generations of flight deck technology. Honeywell’s unmatched expertise in the development and certification of large and complex avionics systems provides a foundation for the development and certification of a new generation of integrated avionics onboard Overture.

The Honeywell Anthem flight deck will be tailored for Overture’s specific mission requirements, helping to enable exceptional situational awareness and enhanced safety. The advanced avionics interface provides continuity to Boom pilots from initial flight training in a simulator, through to physical test flights. Anthem empowers pilots with advanced and intuitive features and capabilities that dramatically improve aircraft operability, including:

Enabling display and control customization, allowing pilots to modify their flight path, review the changes, and initiate the new path with ease.
Prioritizing improved situational awareness, streamlining the pilot’s primary tasks of aviating, navigating, and communicating. The platform leverages proven technologies, like conformal Synthetic Vision, to further integrate the pilot with the flight deck avionics. From visualizing energy management to increasing terrain awareness, the high resolution displays combine flight symbology with perspective terrain to make flying easier and safer.
Next-generation touchscreen interfaces that grant ready access to features like the radio interface and graphical flight planning on the map.

Forward-Looking Statements

NSPA awards COMLOG new Patriot missiles contract

January 3, 2024 / WIL BALDWIN

Luxembourg, January 3, 2024, PRNewswire – The NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA) has awarded COMLOG, a joint venture between Raytheon, an RTX business (NYSE: RTX), and MBDA, their first contract under the European Sky Shield Initiative, or ESSI. With a total value of up to $5.6 billion, the NSPA contract supports a coalition of nations, including Germany, the Netherlands, Romania and Spain, with a combined quantity of up to 1,000 Patriot® GEM-T missiles, if all options are exercised. The contract includes qualification of updated components, addition of new suppliers, test equipment, and spares to support future sustainment. To support delivery, COMLOG will expand the production capacity of GEM-T missiles in Europe.

GEM-T, the Patriot Advanced Capability 2 (PAC-2) missile interceptor enhanced for defeating tactical ballistic missiles, is a primary effector for the combat-proven Patriot air and missile defense system. The world’s battle-proven air and missile defense system, Patriot is relied upon by eight European nations, and Ukraine, for defense against cruise missiles, ballistic missiles, and enemy drones and aircraft.

Through this contract, Patriot user nations will realize significant benefits. The bundled procurement, in the spirit of the ESSI, offers economies of scale and supports the expansion of production capacity for new Patriot GEM-T missiles to meet increasing demand. The new production capacity for Patriot GEM-T missiles in Europe enhances security of supply and will contribute to the replenishment of Patriot air defense missile inventories. Finally, the initiative strengthens cooperation among NATO allies in alignment with the ESSI.

Forward-Looking Statements

Boeing X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle embarks on seventh mission

December 29, 2023 / WIL BALDWIN

Kennedy Space Center, Florida, December 29, 2023, PRNewswire – The Boeing (NYSE: BA) X-37B autonomous spaceplane launched yesterday aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket, marking the beginning of its seventh mission.

As it has with every mission, the Orbital Test Vehicle will validate new technologies, fostering innovation and pushing the boundaries of space exploration and utility. On this seventh flight, the X-37B will test future space domain awareness technology experiments that are integral in ensuring safe, stable and secure operations in space for all users of the domain.

Since its inaugural launch in April 2010, the X-37B has consistently set new endurance records, surpassing the initial design mission duration of 270 days. Its sixth mission set a new record with an impressive 908-day journey before returning to Earth in November 2022.

Forward-Looking Statements

Virgin Galactic launches into 2024with January commercial flight window

December 28, 2023 / WIL BALDWIN

Orange County, California – Virgin Galactic Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: SPCE)* today announced the ‘Galactic 06’ flight window will open January 26, 2024. This will be the Company’s 11th spaceflight to date and will follow a year of unprecedented human spaceflight achievements that included six suborbital spaceflights in six months. Four private astronauts from three different countries will journey to space on Virgin Galactic’s sixth commercial spaceflight.

The private astronauts onboard the ‘Galactic 06’ mission will include:

Astronaut 023 – Private Astronaut from Ukraine and Las Vegas, United States
Astronaut 024 – Private Astronaut from Texas, United States
Astronaut 025 – Private Astronaut from Austria
Astronaut 026 – Private Astronaut from California, United States

The Virgin Galactic crew will include:

VSS Unity Commander CJ Sturckow and pilot Nicola Pecile
VMS Eve Commander Michael Masucci and pilot Dan Alix

Watch the 2023 Virgin Galactic Year In Review video below!*

*Forward-Looking Statements

Saab receives order from NATO for RBS 70 Bolide missiles

December 23, 2023 / WIL BALDWIN

SAAB AB ser. B (London: 0GWL) has received an order for RBS 70 Bolide missiles from the NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA). The order value amounts to SEK 350 million and deliveries will take place during 2027.

The RBS 70 system has an installed base in more than 19 countries, with 1,600 RBS 70 systems and more than 18,000 missiles delivered. The Bolide missile is the 3rd generation, all-target, short-range air defence missile from Saab. With the Bolide missile, the RBS 70 system targets a complete threat spectrum: from fixed and rotary wing aircraft, down to small targets such as cruise missiles and UAVs, with a range of more than 9 kilometres and with altitude coverage in excess of 5,000 metres.

Forward-Looking Statements

Boeing delivers first Orca undersea vehicle to U.S. Navy

December 23, 2023 / WIL BALDWIN

Huntington Beach, California, December 20, 2023— Boeing (NYSE: BA) has delivered the first Orca Extra Large Uncrewed Undersea Vehicle (XLUUV) to the U.S Navy following acceptance testing completion this month. The XLUUV, designated by the Navy as “Orca,” is a new class of autonomous submarine that can perform long duration critical missions to achieve undersea maritime dominance in changing environments and contested waters.

With the partnership of the Navy, Orca has undergone several phases of at-sea testing, including above and below surface maneuvers to demonstrate the vehicles’ unique capabilities.

Orca is the result of more than 50 years of Boeing experience building and operating undersea vehicles. In 2012 Boeing initiated the design and development of Echo Voyager, a proof-of-concept XLUUV that began at-sea testing in 2017 and was a precursor to the US Navy’s Orca XLUUV competition. Echo Voyager – the world’s only vehicle of its size and capability – has spent over 10,000 hours operating at sea and transited hundreds of nautical miles autonomously.

Forward-Looking Statements

U.S. Navy awards RTX $80 million advanced electronic warfare contract

December 19, 2023 / WIL BALDWIN

Goleta, California, December 19, 2023, PRNewswire – The United States Navy awarded Raytheon, an RTX (NYSE: RTX) Business, an $80 million contract in a down select to prototype Advanced Electronic Warfare, or ADVEW, for the F/A-18 E/F Super Hornet. This prototype will be considered as a replacement for the existing AN/ALQ-214 integrated defensive electronic countermeasure and AN/ALR-67(V)3 radar warning receiver with a consolidated solution that will deliver superior electronic warfare capabilities to the backbone of the Navy’s carrier air wing.

Raytheon’s Advanced Electronic Warfare offering will provide significant performance upgrades by modernizing existing electronic warfare systems into fewer components and incorporating government-defined open architecture. Development of this new solution will closely align and integrate with other combat-proven, radio frequency sensors and effectors employed by the Super Hornet. ADVEW will ensure F/A-18E/Fs maintain their operational electronic warfare advantage, while significantly improving survivability against advanced, complex threats.

Development and testing of ADVEW will mainly take place in Goleta, California. During the prototype phase, the system will undergo preliminary design review, critical design review, and flight testing over a 36-month period.

Forward-Looking Statements

Second successful live fire for RTX Raytheon Lower Tier Air & Missile Defense Sensor

December 13, 2023 / WIL BALDWIN

White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico, December 13, 2023, PRNewswire – Raytheon, an RTX (NYSE: RTX) business, completed another successful live-fire demonstration of the advanced, 360-degree Lower Tier Air and Missile Defense Sensor, known as LTAMDS. This tactical ballistic missile live fire represents the latest in a series of test event successes, closely following the cruise missile live fire test and the recently completed contractor verification testing. All milestones validate the radar’s performance and progression through developmental testing.

For this test event, conducted in partnership with the U.S. Army, a tactical ballistic missile surrogate was launched, flying a threat-representative trajectory. The target was acquired and tracked by LTAMDS, its track data was passed to the Integrated Battle Command System (IBCS) for launch command, and LTAMDS guided a PAC-3, Cost Reduction Initiative (CRI), missile to intercept.

Six LTAMDS radars are currently progressing through integration and test activities simultaneously at multiple government and Raytheon test sites. Formal testing will continue in 2024.

Forward-Looking Statements

An exciting new chapter for Rolls-Royce’s Trent 1000 engine

December 13, 2023 / WIL BALDWIN

Rolls-Royce Holdings PLC (London: RR) Trent 1000 engine fleet has surpassed 17 million in service flying hours on the Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft family, carrying more than 250 million passengers around the globe since its entry into service in 2011. During that time, the engine has consistently delivered world-class levels of reliability and availability, with more than 99.9% of flights taking off on time. But the journey for the Trent 1000 doesn’t end there.

Our engineers continually explore opportunities to improve the engine and in-service support, to ensure we always deliver value to our customers. We are therefore pleased to announce an exciting new chapter for the Trent 1000. So, what is new?

A new Durability Enhancement package

We are making great progress on a new Durability Enhancement package, due to be available in the third quarter of 2024, which will increase engine time on-wing (TOW) whilst also reducing emissions. A key element of this Durability Enhancement package is a re-engineered high-pressure turbine blade (HPTB) to improve durability. The package also includes improvements to reduce the emissions, which together with the exceptionally low fuel burn of the Trent 1000 TEN, is future proofing the engine for a more sustainable world.

A comprehensive testing program

We have successfully completed a rigorous engine ground test programme and pushed the engine beyond the certification requirements for the new HPTB to validate and gain confidence in our predictions of the benefits it will deliver in service. Our focus has now moved to aircraft-level certification in collaboration with Boeing, and flight testing is underway on a Boeing 787 flight test aircraft. Stay tuned for regular updates!

More about the Trent 1000

Capitalising on the three-shaft architecture of the Trent engine family and incorporating the latest in materials, component and subsystem design and technology, the Trent 1000 was specifically designed and optimised to power the more-electric 787 Dreamliner. It has the highest bypass ratio of any engine in the Trent family and is recognised for being one of the quietest widebody engines in service today.

Since entry into service in 2011, we have been continuously improving both the fuel efficiency and the capability of the Trent 1000.

Forward-Looking Statements

Developing a future proof solution

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