Aerospace America

07/22/2024

To reach carbon emission targets for air transportation, the core machinery of jet engines will need to burn less fuel. NASA and GE Aerospace are combining their resources toward a planned demonstration of technology to do it.

To reach carbon emission targets for air transportation, the core machinery of jet engines will need to burn less fuel. NASA and GE Aerospace are combining their resources toward a planned demonstration of technology to do it. Keith Button spoke to those leading the effort.

07/15/2024

Neil Armstrong’s “small step for man” came eight years after JFK’s pledge to land on the moon. Here’s how the timeline for Apollo compares to the evolving one for NASA’s new lunar program.

07/12/2024

The exhibitor and corporate attendee list for the upcoming Farnborough International Airshow shows that five of the major electric air taxi developers around the world plan to attend the event outside London. None of the five, however, plan to fly their aircraft.

Organizers anticipate strong attendance fueled by defense, environmental issues

07/09/2024

The United States believes Russia is developing a nuclear weapon that could be put into orbit and detonated to knock out satellites. If that happened, what would you and I experience, and what would happen at a granular level to the satellites that are so central to modern life?

The United States believes Russia is developing a nuclear weapon that could be put into orbit and detonated to knock out satellites. If that happened, what would you and I experience, and what would happen at a granular level to the satellites that are so central to modern life? Mike Gruss set out t...

07/02/2024

The rocket part seen spewing orange v***r as it fell near a Chinese village in June was a spectacle that’s unlikely to ever occur in the West for two reasons.

Learn about aerospace industry developments in AIAA’s Aerospace America Magazine, the voice of the aerospace industry.

07/01/2024

The July/August issue is live. Inside: How a nuclear detonation in space would play out; the coming applications for quantum computing, two ideas to help FCC curb orbital debris, and more.
https://aerospaceamerica.aiaa.org/editions/july-august-2024/

06/28/2024

Get a head start on the July/August aeropuzzler before the weekend. How would you update this screenplay screen describing the shockwave created by a Falcon stage descending onto a droneship?

Learn about aerospace industry developments in AIAA’s Aerospace America Magazine, the voice of the aerospace industry.

06/27/2024

Over the decades, multiple nations have attempted to develop seaplanes for transporting troops and cargo more efficiently than today's ships. DARPA program manager Christopher Kent discusses the technology behind the latest U.S. effort to do so — and why he's optimistic about its chances of success.

Learn about aerospace industry developments in AIAA’s Aerospace America Magazine, the voice of the aerospace industry.

06/25/2024

"Beneath the celestial expanse of space exploration, where humanity’s boldest dreams converge with cutting-edge science, lurks a familiar and troubling human failing," Moriba Jah writes in his June column.

Learn about aerospace industry developments in AIAA’s Aerospace America Magazine, the voice of the aerospace industry.

06/24/2024

Undergirding an ongoing federally funded study of the energy infrastructure at U.S. airports is concern that charging and other technologies might not be ready or in place for air taxis, electric fixed-wing aircraft and other advanced air mobility designs.

Fast charging seen as tied to business success

06/22/2024

Electric air taxi developer Joby Aviation says it has received FAA certification for a suite of software applications that will provide information needed by pilots, passengers, maintenance crews and other personnel.

Software is tied to the planned start of service in 2025

06/21/2024

Archer Aviation plans to begin flying some of its employees aboard a Beechcraft Bonanza between Salinas Municipal Airport and other airports to establish flight procedures for its passenger service with its Midnight electric air taxis.

Flights are tied to award of air carrier certificate

06/20/2024

Q&A: Dave Thompson reflects on his tenure at Orbital Sciences Corp. and today’s commercial space industry.

David W. Thompson, co-founder and former chief executive of Orbital Sciences Corp.

06/18/2024

NASA plans to return humans to the moon in 2026. How real is that date? Here's the long to-do list.

NASA plans to return humans to the moon in 2026. How real is that date? Jonathan O’Callaghan looks at the long to-do list.

06/17/2024

It's the last day to answer the June AeroPuzzler. Send your 250-word answer by 12 p.m. Eastern June 18.

Learn about aerospace industry developments in AIAA’s Aerospace America Magazine, the voice of the aerospace industry.

06/13/2024

Tonight, the team for NASA's OSIRIS-REx mission received the 2023 Robert J. Collier Trophy for its retrieval of regolith from the asteroid Bennu. Here's the story of how the team prepared for the historic recovery last year.

A lot can go wrong when you’re trying to collect matter from deep space and bring it home. Your spacecraft could crash-land on its target, as a Japanese spacecraft did in 2005. Your capsule’s parachute could fail and the capsule could slam into the ground, breaking into thousands of pieces, as a...

06/13/2024

If NASA’s VIPER rover safely arrives at the lunar south pole next year as planned, the race will be on to find water and hydrogen ice before the moon’s winter stops the rover in its tracks. Pausing to debate each leg of its journey would be a terrible waste of time, so operators have turned to artificial intelligence.

If NASA’s VIPER rover safely arrives at the lunar south pole next year as planned, the race will be on to find water and hydrogen ice before the moon’s winter stops the rover in its tracks. Pausing to debate each leg of its journey would be a terrible waste of time, so operators have turned to a...

06/11/2024

There's one week left to answer the June AeroPuzzler. In 250 words, explain whether ancient features on Mars would be buried under meters of material, like natural features and ancient cities on Earth have been.

Learn about aerospace industry developments in AIAA’s Aerospace America Magazine, the voice of the aerospace industry.

06/06/2024

The zest to open space to you and me means that the next generation of spacesuits might not be worn by only the usual clientele of professional astronauts. That possibility is inspiring some innovations. Our June cover story explores the design considerations.

The zest to open space to you and me means that the next generation of spacesuits might not be worn by only the usual clientele of professional astronauts. That possibility is inspiring some innovations. Cat Hofacker spoke to the designers.

06/05/2024

There’s a lot more riding on Boeing’s Starliner capsule than the two astronauts who are now headed to the International Space Station. Today’s launch could have implications for NASA’s mission costs and its resilience.

Here’s what it means

06/05/2024

Slingshot Aerospace and DARPA revealed today that they spent 10 months developing an artificial intelligence tool for discriminating a spy satellite from surrounding spacecraft and predicting its intentions.

Software aims to pierce the fog of megaconstellations

06/04/2024

"A sizable chunk" of our June issue, "31%, is devoted to telling you about work funded under NASA’s Artemis moon program," Editor-in-Chief Ben Iannotta writes in his Editor's Notebook column. "If that sounds like a lot, it happens to be the same percentage of the NASA budget that will be spent on Artemis this fiscal year."

Learn about aerospace industry developments in AIAA’s Aerospace America Magazine, the voice of the aerospace industry.

06/03/2024

Welcome to June. This month, catch up on work funded under NASA's Artemis program: tomorrow's spacesuits, VIPER's AI assistant and the long to-do list for Artemis III. Plus, meet DARPA's seaplane and read Dave Thompson's account of the early days of Orbital Sciences Corp.
https://aerospaceamerica.aiaa.org/editions/june-2024/

05/31/2024

Electra earlier this month began short-takeoff-and-landing tests with its demonstrator, a step toward proving the technique for the planned nine-passenger production model.

Plans call for larger versions to rely on its ‘blown lift’ technology

05/28/2024

U.S. researchers want to figure out how to make rotorcraft drones that can be folded up and launched from the standard-issue gr***de launchers carried by many U.S. and allied troops.

U.S. researchers want to figure out how to make rotorcraft drones that can be folded up and launched from the standard-issue gr***de launchers carried by many U.S. and allied troops. Keith Button has the story.

05/24/2024

Get a head start on the June AeroPuzzler today: Would ancient features on a lifeless planet like Mars (if indeed it lacks life) become covered with meters of material, as we know happens on Earth with ancient cities and even natural features?

Learn about aerospace industry developments in AIAA’s Aerospace America Magazine, the voice of the aerospace industry.

05/23/2024

"The writing is on the wall" for the commercial space situational awareness market, Moriba Jah writes in his May column. "Governments are starting to operationalize the fact that it is primarily their responsibility, and not that of the satellite operators, to make space a safe venue for the growing legions of commercial satellites."

Learn about aerospace industry developments in AIAA’s Aerospace America Magazine, the voice of the aerospace industry.

05/21/2024

For the aviation sector, shifting to sustainable biofuels and new battery technologies will bring positive climate impacts sooner than hydrogen. Former NASA scientist Dennis M. Bushnell provides his analysis.

For the aviation sector, shifting to sustainable biofuels and new battery technologies will bring positive climate impacts sooner than hydrogen. Former NASA scientist Dennis M. Bushnell provides his analysis.

05/16/2024

Spaceflight labs in China have devised concepts for Martian rotorcraft, including a quadcopter and an octocopter capable of scouting terrain and gathering samples. The designs could figure into whether China beats the U.S. in the quest to be first to deliver bits of Mars to Earth.

Spaceflight labs in China have devised concepts for Martian rotorcraft, including a quadcopter and an octocopter capable of scouting terrain and gathering samples. The designs could figure into whether China beats the U.S. in the quest to be first to deliver bits of Mars to Earth. Paul Marks analyze...

05/15/2024

It's the last day to answer the May AeroPuzzler. How would you fill in the script for this notional children's cartoon about aerodynamic lift?

Learn about aerospace industry developments in AIAA’s Aerospace America Magazine, the voice of the aerospace industry.