Reusable spaceplane demonstrator completes 5 test flights in 3 days

Dawn Aerospace has successfully completed five test flights of its uncrewed Mk-II Aurora suborbital spaceplane in the skies over Glentanner Aerodrome on New Zealand’s South Island. The flights were conducted by the New Zealand-Dutch space transportatio… Continue reading Reusable spaceplane demonstrator completes 5 test flights in 3 days

MQ-25 Stingray drone refuels E-2D command and control aircraft in mid-air

Boeing’s MQ-25 T1 Stingray jet-propelled air tanker drone has successfully refueled a US Navy E-2D Hawkeye command and control aircraft. The test flight, which took place at the Mid America St. Louis Airport on August 18, was carried out by Navy pilots… Continue reading MQ-25 Stingray drone refuels E-2D command and control aircraft in mid-air

USAF funds testing of what will be the world’s fastest reusable aircraft

The US Air Force has awarded US$60 million to aerospace startup Hermeus to finance flight testing of its hypersonic Quarterhorse aircraft intended for military and commercial applications. Capable of flying at Mach 5 with a range of 4,600 miles (7,400 … Continue reading USAF funds testing of what will be the world’s fastest reusable aircraft

Skyborg combat drone’s “brain” flies for the first time

The US Air Force has flight tested the Skyborg combat drone’s Autonomy Core System (ACS) for the first time. The “brain” of the autonomous Skyborg was installed in a Kratos UTAP-22 tactical uncrewed vehicle at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida, and carri… Continue reading Skyborg combat drone’s “brain” flies for the first time

Flight tests 3D printing’s potential to repair forward deployed jets

Saab has flown a 3D-printed replacement part on the exterior of a Gripen fighter jet for the first time. The test flight over the company’s facility at Linköping, Sweden, on March 19, 2021, potentially paves the way for 3D-printed parts to be used to m… Continue reading Flight tests 3D printing’s potential to repair forward deployed jets

SpaceX Starship high-altitude test flight ends in another fiery finale

SpaceX has again blasted off from the launchpad with a prototype of its massive Starship vehicle designed for deep space exploration, and again brought it back to Earth in explosive style. Starship Serial Number 9, or SN9, performed a largely successfu… Continue reading SpaceX Starship high-altitude test flight ends in another fiery finale

Virgin Galactic prepares for another attempt to reach space

Virgin Galactic is looking to shrug off a failed flight in mid-December, with plans for another attempt to reach space in around a fortnight’s time. The company says it has investigated the reasons it came up short in its last outing, as it pursues its… Continue reading Virgin Galactic prepares for another attempt to reach space

FAA clears the path for supersonic flight testing over US soil

There’s a new crop of supersonic aircraft beginning to sprout, thanks to advances in engine, materials and satellite weather tracking that will enable aircraft to break the sound barrier over land without the disruptive noise pollution of a sonic boom … Continue reading FAA clears the path for supersonic flight testing over US soil

F/A-18 Super Hornet makes first launch from a “ski-jump” ramp

Boeing’s F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter jet has made its first launch from a “ski jump” ramp. No, it’s not a dare or some weird new winter sport but a demonstration conducted with the US Navy to show the Indian Navy that the Super Hornet can safely operat… Continue reading F/A-18 Super Hornet makes first launch from a “ski-jump” ramp