MAY 6, 2021 - The U.S. Air Force has awarded the first airworthiness approval for a manned electric aircraft to BETA Technologies, a partner in the AFWERX Agility Prime program. This enables BETA to begin flying its ALIA aircraft in the Agility Prime program. The airworthiness award from the Air Force is the latest milestone in BETA’s test program after recently entering its … [Read more...]
Archives for May 2021
VIPs From Around World Visit Defender-Europe 2021 Exercise
MAY 6, 2021 - The annual Defender-Europe 2021 exercise distinguished visitor day, hosted by Albania yesterday, was attended by the Albanian President and Prime Minister, the U.S. Ambassador to Albania Yuri Kim and three four-star U.S. generals: U.S. European Command commander, Gen. Tod Wolters; U.S. Air Forces Europe and Africa commander, Gen. Jeffrey Harrigian; and U.S. Army … [Read more...]
“Astrobatics” Project Advances Spacecraft Robotics
MAY 6, 2021 - The Astrobatics project, led by Dr. Marcello Romano, aims at developing and testing new dynamic models, and guidance and control techniques for the maneuvering of autonomous robotic spacecraft. The project utilizes the NASA “Astrobee” free-flying robotic vehicle, inside the International Space Station. On March 17, Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) students and … [Read more...]
Space Force Unveils Its ‘Vision For a Digital Service’
MAY 6, 2021 - Building on formal guidance issued last fall by the Chief of Space Operations to “Create a Digital Service to Accelerate Innovation,” a new document outlining U.S. Space Force’s “Vision for a Digital Service” was released today. The Vision provides a clear description of what it means to be a “Digital Service” and outlines the four areas of focus essential to … [Read more...]
Skyborg Has Successful First Flight
MAY 6, 2021 - The Skyborg leadership team conducted a 2 hour and 10 minute flight test of the Skyborg autonomy core system, or ACS, aboard a Kratos UTAP-22 tactical unmanned vehicle at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida, April 29. Termed Milestone 1 of the Autonomous Attritable Aircraft Experimentation, or AAAx, campaign, the ACS performed a series of foundational behaviors … [Read more...]