NASA reveals what the final X-57 all-electric X-plane will look like

NASA has released three concept art images showing its X-57 Maxwell all-electric X-plane in its final configuration. The first manned X-plane from NASA in two decades, the X-57 is shown in its Modification iV (Mod IV) form, which includes a high-aspect… Continue reading NASA reveals what the final X-57 all-electric X-plane will look like→

Two remain in US Army’s FARA small attack helicopter competition

The US Army has reduced its Future Attack and Reconnaissance (FARA) competition to two contenders. Bell Helicopter Textron’s 360 Invictus and Sikorsky Aircraft’s Raider X have been given the green light to proceed to the prototype phase in search of a … Continue reading Two remain in US Army’s FARA small attack helicopter competition→

Coronavirus lockdown reaches space as ESA partially shuts down spacecraft

The coronavirus situation in Europe has forced ESA to temporarily suspend a number of its deep-space missions. To reduce the risk to space agency personnel from the virus, the European Space Operations Centre (ESOC) in Darmstadt, Germany is reducing on… Continue reading Coronavirus lockdown reaches space as ESA partially shuts down spacecraft→

US Department of Defense successfully tests hypersonic glide body

The US Department of Defense (DOD) has completed a successful test of a hypersonic glide body that will be the basis for a future class of hypersonic weapons. The US Army and US Navy jointly launched the Common Hypersonic Glide Body (C-HGB) from the Pa… Continue reading US Department of Defense successfully tests hypersonic glide body→

Mitsubishi SpaceJet MR90 jetliner final prototype makes maiden flight

The final test prototype of Mitsubishi Aircraft Corporation’s SpaceJet M90, in its certifiable baseline configuration, has made its maiden flight. On March 18, 2020, at 2:53 pm JST, Flight Test Vehicle 10 (FTV10) took off from Prefectural Nagoya Airpor… Continue reading Mitsubishi SpaceJet MR90 jetliner final prototype makes maiden flight→