Space Ventures

A biodiesel-powered flying car

2008-12-04T12:37:00.002-05:00

04 December 2008

Parajet, a British company has developed a prototype of the Skycar, the brainchild of Neil Laughton, an ex-Royal Marine Officer who has also served in the SAS, and is now an adventurer.

The skycar consists of a car frame attached to a paramotor, a giant fan powerful enough to propel - whatever it is strapped to - in this case the steel chassis. For lift, the car deploys a flexible wing, similar to a parachute, which can be folded into its trunk in minutes.

Parajet says recent advancement in aerodynamics and flexible-wing technology and parafoil design has been key to developing the skycar. ...

http://www.domain-b.com/automotive/2008/20081204_flying_car.html

Airlines pushing for homegrown jet fuel

2008-08-25T04:37:00.001-04:00

Coal-based blend is one possibility

By Chris Kahn, Associated Press • August 24, 2008

PHOENIX -- With the price of oil still above $100 a barrel, everything from wood chips to chicken fat is being scrutinized as an alternative to traditional fuel. But when it comes to airplanes, finding the right mix poses a special challenge. ...

The airline industry is aggressively pushing for homegrown alternatives to petroleum-based jet fuel, while leaning on customers with a variety of new travel charges to help control a projected $61 billion industrywide fuel expense this year. A number of alternatives to standard jet fuel have been studied for years, though aircraft manufacturers say the challenge is to find ideas that will work now. ...

http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080824/BUSINESS/808240460

Birdman Flies For 10 Minutes, Channel Next

2008-08-25T02:33:00.003-04:00

By The AVweb Editorial Staff
August 25, 2008

Yves Rossy (a.k.a. Birdman and FusionMan) last Wednesday covered 21 miles in 10 minutes with a 120-pound, eight-foot carbon-fiber wing strapped to his back, powered by four micro-turbine jet engines. The distance flown matches that of Calais, France, to Dover, U.K.

Rossy intends to fly across the English Channel Sept. 24 (weather permitting) following Louis Bleriot's 1909 route between those cities. For the test flight, Rossy exited a jump aircraft, unfolded his rigid wing and fired up four micro-turbines attached to its bottom side. He flew from about 7,500 feet above Bex Switzerland to Villeneuve, turned around and flew and back, reaching about 180 mph in clear skies and landing after deploying two parachutes -- one at 5,000 feet and the second at 4,000 feet. He landed with 2 litres of fuel left.

Rossy controls the aircraft by shifting his weight or simply turning his head and shoulders. He wears a heat-resistant suit to protect his legs from exhaust and has evolved his flight envelope to include rolls. Rossy, 48 (49 next week), has logged 1000 hours in the Mirage III and later flew for Swissair. He also has over 1000 parachute jumps to his credit.

Rossy's current project is sponsored by Hublot, the Swiss Watch maker, and his English Channel flight is to be broadcast exclusively by the National Geographic Channel and streamed live online at NatGeoTV.com.

Link to Full Article>

Skybike Under Development

2008-08-03T05:45:00.001-04:00

August 3, 2008
By The AVweb Editorial Staff

Among the latest ideas for roadable aircraft is Sam Bousfield's Skybike, a three-wheeled two-seat motorcycle that will convert itself, with the simple pull of a lever, into an airplane. Beyond its slippery bullet-shaped design, the most eye-catching piece of engineering on the vehicle will be its patent-pending telescoping wing which retracts the lifting surfaces into the fuselage aft of the cockpit. The stress-bearing fuselage will be made from carbon fiber and will house the derated 120 hp motorcycle engine (options being from Yamaha and Suzuki) neatly packed behind the cockpit.

Two ducts, positioned in front of the rear wheels, will feed the fan propelling the aerial configuration of the vehicle. A forward canard will provide flight control as well as limited use in road-going cornering. Tiperons will be used for flight control on the main wings. "We'd like to have a flying prototype by the summer of 2009," claims Bousfield who has contracted Swift Engineering, famed for their work on the Eclipse 400 as well as Indycar racecar designs, to assist with the development of the design. The Skybike is expected to be initially offered as a $50K kit and will be slip into the aviation sector as an LSA. ...

http://www.avweb.com/eletter/archives/avflash/1178-full.html

For Build A Plane Kids, It's Two Weeks To Taxi

2008-08-03T04:53:00.001-04:00

August 2, 2008
By The AVweb Editorial Staff

The folks at Build A Plane, who have been working hard to give school kids around the world a chance to build their own aircraft using donated wrecks and discards, will bring a half dozen kids to Arlington, Wash., next week, to build a brand-new Sportsman 2+2, which will then be donated to Build A Plane. "The kids will get very excited about this and have a great time, and at the end, of course, they'll have been tricked into learning a whole lot about math and science and engineering," Build A Plane's Lyn Freeman told AVweb on Friday morning at EAA AirVenture.

The Glasair program was announced here this week, and the effort continues to attract widespread support from the aviation world, from Snap-on Tools to the General Aviation Manufacturers Association to Cessna CEO Jack Pelton. Build A Plane donates aircraft projects to schools at no charge and supports their efforts to construct or rebuild the aircraft to flying condition. Many teachers team up with local EAA chapters to provide technical support.

More than 70 projects already are underway, and the number is expected to reach 100 by the end of this year. Freeman is always looking for more airplanes -- for more information, go to BuildAPlane.org or call (920) 279-3714. ...

http://www.avweb.com/eletter/archives/avflash/1177-full.html#198491

Branson's Private Commercial Airport On Track

2008-08-03T04:46:00.002-04:00

August 2, 2008
By The AVweb Editorial Staff

The U.S.'s first private airport designed to accommodate airliners will open in May of next year and will be a new wrinkle in air transportation. The $155 million airport, with a 7,200-foot runway designed for aircraft weighing up to 700,000 lbs. is entirely privately funded, even though spokesman Gene Conrad told AVweb the project would likely have qualified for millions in FAA funding. But if the FAA had written even the smallest check for the development, that would have imposed right of access rules that are not part of Branson's business plan.

As a private airport, the investors can pick and choose which airlines serve Branson, who gets the rental car concession and every other commercial consideration at the facility. That means the airport can cut exclusive deals with airlines for specific routes. Conrad said the airport can even include fare caps in the deals it makes with airlines to prevent gouging. Despite the successful marketing of Branson as a tourism entertainment destination, the closest commercial airport is more than 60 miles away and airfares are high because of the connections required. Conrad said he expects the airport to be popular with business jets, too, and not just because of the celebrity traffic. "With our central location and the price of fuel, I can see how a lot of business aircraft will be based there," he said. The airport opens with an air show and concert in May. ...

http://www.avweb.com/eletter/archives/avflash/1177-full.html#198491

Boeing buys UAS specialist Insitu

2008-08-01T03:45:00.002-04:00

By Steve Trimble, FlightGlobal.com
July 22, 2008

Boeing has agreed to acquire the Insitu Group -- its long-time partner and specialist in the field of high-performance unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) -- only weeks after the Washington-based start-up decided to independently seek to win a major new contract.

Terms of the pending acquisition were not disclosed in Boeing’s announcement today. Insitu planned to collect $150 million in 2008 revenues, or a 70% increase from the previous year.

“This acquisition is part of a larger plan to aggressively grow our presence in the unmanned systems market,” said Chris Chadwick, president, Boeing Military Aircraft, in a statement.

The acquired company will operate as a separate subsidiary with an independent operating model under Boeing’s IDS division. ...

http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2008/07/22/225969/boeing-moves-to-buy-uas-specialist-insitu.html

Raburn Steps Down As Eclipse CEO

2008-07-30T23:45:00.002-04:00

by Russ Niles, AvWeb Editor-in-Chief
July 28, 2008

The enigmatic founder and long-time CEO of Eclipse Aviation, Vern Raburn, has stepped down and will be replaced by Roel Pieper, the chairman of the board of directors and president of ETIRC, a European company that poured more than $100 million into struggling Eclipse earlier this year. In a brief statement at a news conference at EAA AirVenture on Monday morning, Raburn said he believes Eclipse has fundamentally changed aviation but he acknowledged that the company's development did not occur as quickly or as smoothly as planned. He will remain an employee of the company as Vice Chairman of Internationalization of Eclipse.

Pieper said there will be new focus on efficiency and operational excellence as the company moves into its new phase. "I'm very confident we have adequate funding in place," Pieper said. In fact, Raburn's departure was a condition of Eclipse obtaining its most recent round of financing. "Under the terms of the commitment and agreements, Founder and CEO Vern Raburn will step down and veteran executive and Eclipse Aviation Chairman Roel Pieper will become acting CEO effective immediately," said Eclipse's news release. ...

http://www.avweb.com/news/airventure/EAAAirVenture2008_VernRaburn_EclipseAviation_ReplacedByRoelPieper_198412-1.html

Inventor unveils $100,000 jet pack

2008-07-30T21:54:00.002-04:00

OSHKOSH, Wisconsin (AP)
July 30, 2008

This isn't how a jet pack is supposed to look, is it?

An inventor demonstrated a personal jet pack this week at a Wisconsin air show. But will anyone want to buy one?

Hollywood has envisioned jet packs as upside-down fire extinguishers strapped to people's backs. But Glenn Martin's invention is far more unwieldy -- a 250-pound piano-sized contraption that people settle into rather than strap on.

As thousands looked on Tuesday, the inventor's 16-year-old son donned a helmet, fastened himself to a prototype Martin jet pack and revved the engine, which sounded like a motorcycle. Harrison Martin eased about three feet off the ground, the engine roaring with a whine so loud that some kids covered their ears.

With two spotters preventing the jet pack from drifting in a mild wind, the pilot hovered for 45 seconds and then set the device down as the audience applauded. ...

http://us.cnn.com/2008/TECH/ptech/07/30/jetpack.unveiled.ap/index.html?iref=hpmostpop

Alter-G Raises $2.5 Million VC Round

2008-06-23T17:49:00.005-04:00

VentureBeat reports:

Alter-G raises $2.5M more for anti-gravity treadmills

Chris Morrison | June 23rd, 2008

Alter-G, a Menlo Park, Calif. company whose first round of funding we reported last year, has taken an equal follow-on amount of $2.5 million to help roll out its “anti-gravity” treadmills for physical therapy.

The device assumes a portion of the patient’s load by use of a pressurized that reduces effective weight. If that sounds odd, further description isn’t likely to help; just check out this video of the machine in action.

The company says it will use the additional fund for marketing, clinical trials and product development. The first prototype was created for Nike almost three years ago.

A lead investor was not named, but participants in the round include Frog & Peach Investments, Astrolabe Ventures and Funk Ventures. Alter-G previously took $2.5 million as the first half of this investment round, from NASA’s Red Planet Capital and Hellman & Friedman; its total to date is $5 million.

ICON Aircraft Launches New Amphibious Sport Plane

2008-06-13T07:00:00.003-04:00

Automotive Design Cues Throughout Innovative Design

Aero-News.net
Thursday, 12 June 2008

There's another new light sport aircraft manufacturer aiming to capture a share of an already crowded market... but this one does 'sport' some interesting ideas. ICON Aircraft officially introduced the company and its inaugural product, the ICON A5, at a private unveiling Wednesday night in Los Angeles.

The two-seat amphibious sport plane features retractable landing gear for flying off land and water, plus several patent-pending technologies -- including folding wings that allow the plane to be easily stored and towed on the road with a trailer.

"ICON Aircraft is bringing the freedom, fun and adventure back into aviation by building aircraft that evoke an emotional response like great sports cars do," founder and CEO Kirk Hawkins told a gathering of hundreds of guests that included astronaut Buzz Aldrin. "The sport is now back in flying."

The ICON A5 features a carbon-fiber airframe and is powered by a 100-hp Rotax 912 ULS engine that runs on both auto and aviation gasoline at an estimated top speed of 120 mph. Besides the folding wings, more unique features specific to the ICON A5 include a sports car-like cockpit with MP3 port, and patent-pending Seawing platform for easy access and docking on water.

"This is the beginning of a new era by bringing in, not thousands, not tens of thousands, but potentially hundreds of thousands of new pilots to aviation," said Vern Raburn, founder and CEO of Eclipse Aviation.

A team of automotive product designers contributed to the design of the ICON A5. A full-scale prototype is scheduled to begin flight tests this summer under the guidance of ICON's engineering team, which is comprised of former top engineers at Scaled Composites, producer of specialty aircraft like the Voyager, GlobalFlyer, and X PRize-winning SpaceShipOne.

The ICON A5 is designed to be predictable and easy-to-fly, with safety features such as a patent-pending Propeller Guard, Wing Angle of Attack indicator, and quick-deploying ICON Complete Airplane Parachute, or ICAP.

"The ICON A5 is extremely well suited for the sport pilot, but at the same time I think it appeals to the mass market," said pilot Kirby Chambliss, a five-time US Aerobatics Champion and Red Bull Air Race champion.

The standard ICON A5 model is amphibious with retractable landing gear and manual folding wings. The estimated price of the ICON A5 standard model is $139,000.

http://aero-news.net/index.cfm?ContentBlockID=c383b913-925d-49ef-b6f9-bc5c7d9eb892&;

First Flight of New Zeppelin Airship Completed

2008-05-24T05:43:00.003-04:00

Airship to enter commercial service in June, head for US in September 2008

Airship Ventures Press Release
May 21, 2008

Friedrichshafen, Germany and Moffett Field, California – May 21, 2008 – Zeppelin Luftschifftechnik and Airship Ventures today announced the successful first flight of the fourth, and latest, Zeppelin NT airship over Friedrichshafen, Germany.

Construction of the fourth Zeppelin NT airship having recently been completed, the ship was handed over to the flight test department to begin the testing phase. The hangar doors opened and the airship left the 360 foot long hangar for the first time since the start of airframe assembly in March 2007. ...

Two weeks earlier, May 7, Airship Ventures had announced successful completion of an $8 million Series A Preferred Stock financing, which has allowed the company to finalize preparations for commencement of operations in the US this fall.

http://www.airshipventures.com/pr_08_05_21.html

Air Taxis Fly Into Financial Turbulence

2008-05-23T23:20:00.002-04:00

Demand for air taxis is up, but the operators are frustrated

By JOE SHARKEY, New York Times
May 20, 2008

With fares rising and commercial air service increasingly unreliable for business travelers, Ed Iacobucci figured his plan for an air taxi service would be a no-lose proposition. So why is Mr. Iacobucci shaking his head in frustration?

The reason: Just as his company, DayJet, had proved that there was a business in using small jets for short-haul, on-demand service and was poised to expand its market, the credit market froze. DayJet was unable to raise $40 million it needed to grow, Mr. Iacobucci said. Expansion plans were postponed and the company laid off 100 of its 260 workers.

“All of the metrics are wonderful,” he said. “We’re getting repeat buys. We’re getting people buying at the price points we want. But we haven’t been able to raise the capital.”

The air taxi business is a relatively new phenomenon. The Air Taxi Association says there are about a dozen companies operating in various regions in the United States. ...

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/20/business/20taxi.html

X PRIZE Foundation Holds Team Summit, Introduces Official Contenders in Private Moon Race

2008-05-22T02:55:00.001-04:00

14 teams registered to compete in $30 Million Google Lunar X PRIZE

X-Prize Foundation Press Release

May 21, 2008, Strasbourg, France – The X PRIZE Foundation today announced four new teams in the Google Lunar X PRIZE, a robotic race to the Moon to win a remarkable $30 million in prizes, bringing the total number of registered teams to 14. This international group of teams will compete to land a privately funded robotic craft on the Moon that is capable of roaming the lunar surface for at least 500 meters and sending video, images and data back to the Earth.

At a Team Summit for the Google Lunar X PRIZE, held at the International Space University in Strasbourg, France, the 14 teams met with X PRIZE Foundation officials, the competition’s preferred partners, and potential future customers. The two-day event also included a Google Lunar X PRIZE-themed competition for university students from several European countries and the United States. ...

http://www.googlelunarxprize.org/lunar/press-release/x-prize-foundation-holds-team-summit-introduces-official-contenders-in-private-m

China establishes company to make its own jumbo jets

2008-05-18T03:37:00.000-04:00

May 11, 2008

BEIJING (AP) -- China has established a homegrown company to make passenger jumbo jets, state media reported Sunday - a step forward in the country's quest to become less dependent on Boeing and Airbus.

China Commercial Aircraft Co. was established in Shanghai with registered capital of 19 billion yuan $2.7 billion, the official Xinhua News Agency said.

It said the central government and the Shanghai government are among the major shareholders, as are China's two main aircraft manufacturing and servicing companies, China Aviation Industry Corp. I and China Aviation Industry Corp. II, which were split off from state-owned China Aviation Industry Corp. in 1999.

Europe's Airbus has forecast that China's domestic market will increase fivefold by 2026. Airbus and Chicago-based rival Boeing dominate the market for commercial airplanes carrying 100 or more people.

Xinhua said Commercial Aircraft Co. will be able to make planes with more than 150 seats. ...

http://news.wired.com/dynamic/stories/C/CHINA_JETS?SITE=WIRE&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

Astrium to acquire Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd.

2008-04-08T13:47:00.002-04:00

From: SpaceToday.net
April 7, 2008

Europe's largest satellite manufacturer has announced an agreement to purchase a majority stake in the continent's leading developer of smallsats. EADS Astrium will acquire 80 percent of Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd. (SSTL) for an estimated £40-50 million (US$80-100 million), the companies reported Monday.

Astrium is best known as a manufacturer of large government and commercial satellites, including GEO communications satellites. SSTL, by contrast, builds small satellites weighing no more than a few hundred kilograms. SSTL was spun out of the University of Surrey in the UK, and it is university that is cashing out its stake in the company.

SSTL will remain a separate operating entity with with access to the greater resources of Astrium. The deal is subject to regulatory approvals.

http://www.spacetoday.net/Summary/4153

A Billion GPS Chips Expected To Ship In 2013

2008-03-24T05:35:00.002-04:00

by GPS News Staff Writers, London, UK
March 20, 2008

Satellite-based navigation is a very popular technology with consumers, and the upsurge in purchases of GPS (Global Positioning System) devices is fuelling a similar growth in the market for GPS receiver chipsets. A new study from ABI Research forecasts GPS IC shipments to reach one billion annually in 2013. Average Selling Prices (ASPs) will continue to fall, but the effect on vendors' revenue streams will be more than offset by this strong growth in volume.

Industry analyst Jamie Moss comments, "Three factors will intersect to shape the future of the GPS IC market. The average price of the chipset will fall to $3.50 or below by the end of 2008, permitting a true mass market adoption. This fall in ASP is driven by manufacturers' goal of producing receivers that can be included in lower-margin devices such as mobile phones: handset-based GPS will be critical to strong market penetration.

"The benefits will filter down to more traditional GPS uses such as in-car navigation. Meanwhile, we're seeing growing numbers of acquisitions: large chip manufacturers buying up specialist fabless GPS IC vendors in order to include their technologies in solutions that combine GPS with varied wireless RF product offerings, especially Bluetooth."

Significant examples of such acquisitions in the second half of 2007 include Global Locate, acquired by Broadcom; GloNav by NXP; and u-Nav by Atheros. ...

http://www.gpsdaily.com/reports/A_Billion_GPS_Chips_Expected_To_Ship_In_2013_999.html

Space planes 'to meet big demand'

2008-03-18T07:16:00.002-04:00

Aerospace giant EADS says it will need a production line of rocket planes to satisfy the space tourism market

By Jonathan Amos
Science reporter, BBC News
March 17, 2008

The European company's Astrium division, makers of the Ariane rocket, has plans for a commercial vehicle to take ticketed passengers above 100km.

Its market assessment suggests there would be 15,000 people a year prepared to part with some 200,000 euros (£160,000) for the ride of a lifetime.

Astrium anticipates it be will be producing about 10 planes a year.

"To satisfy the market you will need more planes than you think, because once there is regular operation, the price will decrease which means there will be more customers," Robert Laine, chief technical officer (CTO) of the pan-European company, told BBC News.

"It will develop towards a classical aeronautical business model. Someone will build the planes; somebody will operate them; somebody will sell the tickets; somebody will provide the accommodation - like any tourism."

He was speaking in London at the Institution of Engineering and Technology, where he was delivering the 99th Kelvin Lecture.

Astrium does not intend to run a space tourism marketing operation itself. Rather, it intends simply to supply vehicles to those who will. ...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7298511.stm

GPS Constellation Grows With 6th Modernized GPS Sat Launch

2008-03-18T04:36:00.001-04:00

Satellite Built By Lockheed Martin Successfully Launched From Cape Canaveral

Aero-News Net
March 18, 2008

A US Air Force modernized Global Positioning System Block IIR (GPS IIR-M) satellite was successfully launched Sunday from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station aboard a United Launch Alliance (ULA) Delta II launch vehicle. The satellite, designated GPS IIR-19M, is the sixth in a line of eight GPS IIR satellites that Lockheed Martin Navigation Systems, Valley Forge, Pa. has modernized for its customer, the Global Positioning Systems Wing, Space and Missile Systems Center, Los Angeles Air Force Base, Calif.

The most recent mission represented the third successful launch of a GPS IIR-M satellite in under five months and is one of the final three Block IIR-M satellites planned for launch in 2008 to sustain and improve the GPS constellation. Each IIR-M satellite includes a modernized antenna panel that provides increased signal power to receivers on the ground, two new military signals for improved accuracy, enhanced encryption and anti-jamming capabilities for the military, and a second civil signal that will provide users with an open access signal on a different frequency. ...

http://www.aero-news.net/index.cfm?ContentBlockID=313c2d5d-d973-4201-8838-fee79600578c&;

Air Taxi Upstart Postpones Public Stock Offering

2008-03-18T04:28:00.002-04:00

IPO Is A No-Go For POGO

Aero-News Net
March 18, 2008

Blame it on the market. Given Monday's announcement of a bargain-basement bailout of investment firm Bear Stearns by JPMorgan Chase, and continued unrest within the world's financial markets stemming from fiscal crises in the United States... now's probably not the best time for air taxi provider POGO Jet to try to seek public investment capital.

"POGO Jet, Inc. announced today that it has postponed the initial public offering of common shares of the company due to current market conditions," said the company in a release to ANN Monday.

POGO is in the development stages towards launching service as a private jet operator. The company hopes to launch air taxi and charter service in the second quarter of 2009, utilizing a fleet of Eclipse 500 VLJs.

Led by former AMR Corp. Chairman and CEO Robert Crandall, POGO recently added two industry heavyweights to its board of directors: former Federal Express president Theodore L. Weise, and Carol B. Hallett, former head of the Air Transport Association.

"Ted and Carol are respected leaders and international authorities on matters of air transport, logistics, trade and security," Crandall said upon their appointments in February. "They are ideal additions to our board, and their industry knowledge and business insight will be invaluable as we accelerate toward the launch of air service in 2009."

http://www.aero-news.net/index.cfm?ContentBlockID=2c8390b4-2f6e-4186-a651-965de3335120&;

FAA to detail NextGen requirements in three months

2008-03-17T09:27:00.002-04:00

By David Learmount, Flight International
March 13, 2008

US carriers, and those who use US airspace, will learn about the Federal Aviation Administration's aircraft equipage requirements for its future air traffic management system - NextGen - within three months, according to the FAA's Ronald Stroup, chief system engineer air traffic organisation. There seems to be a great deal of uncertainty, even in the agency itself, however, about what the mandate will demand.

The consultation period on what airborne equipment should be mandated for NextGen's automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B)-based plans has just closed, Stroup pointed out.

One of the greatest areas of uncertainty at this point is what system will be mandated for controller-pilot datalink communications (CPDLC), but Stroup, speaking at the Avionics 08 conference in Amsterdam, refused to be drawn on this issue, except to hint that FANS datalink equipment installed by airlines flying oceanic routes would only be a temporary solution for overland datalink.

Boeing senior technical fellow David Nakamura told conference delegates that he "has not seen enough of NextGen to understand what its objectives will be on datalink so as to be able to commit to equipage". ...

http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2008/03/13/222179/faa-to-detail-nextgen-requirements-in-three-months.html

Earth Observation Satellites On the Rise

2008-03-17T02:15:00.001-04:00

Source: Space News
March 14, 2008

Earth observation satellite operators are expected to launch 29 satellites over the next 10 years, compared to just five in the previous decade, according to a market assessment by Euroconsult of Paris.

The private-sector involvement in Earth observation is part of a broader boom in the construction of Earth observing satellites expected between now and 2016 as more governments launch their own systems, Euroconsult says in the survey, "Satellite-Based Earth Observation, Prospects to 2017."

The next 10 years are expected to see 199 Earth observation satellites placed into orbit, including 48 spacecraft dedicated to meteorology and located in both geostationary and polar low Earth orbit, according to the survey -- nearly double the number of Earth observation satellites launched in the decade ending in 2006.

Fifty-four of the non-meteorological satellites will be launched by governments that are well-established in the sector, including the United States, Russia, France, India, Israel and China.

Joining these veteran government Earth observation agencies will be 52 satellites to be financed by governments that, until recently, had no independent Earth observation capacity. Among these nations are Algeria, Chile, Iran, Nigeria, Turkey and South Africa.

Euroconsult classes 16 satellites to be launched in the next decade as dual use, meaning for both military and commercial customers. In this category are Italy's four Cosmo-Skymed radar satellites, and the two French Pleiades spacecraft.

Adam Keith, a senior analyst at Euroconsult and the principal author of the survey, conceded that it is often difficult to determine whether a satellite should be classed as a private-sector or government initiative, especially since some future systems will be built as part of government-industry partnerships.

http://www.space.com/spacenews/spacenews_briefs.html

Continental, Boeing Aim For 2009 North American Biofuel Flight

2008-03-14T04:55:00.002-04:00

GE Aviation Also Onboard In Search For Sustainable Energy Sources

Aero-News Network
March 14, 2008

Continental Airlines, Boeing and GE Aviation announced this week plans to conduct a biofuels demonstration flight in the first half of 2009, in an effort to identify sustainable fuel solutions for the aviation industry. Continental is the first major US carrier to announce plans to highlight technological advancements in sustainable biofuels that can help to further reduce carbon emissions.

"Exploring sustainable biofuels is a logical and exciting new step in our environmental commitment. For more than a decade, we have been focused on reducing fuel consumption and carbon emissions, while providing industry-leading service to the places our customers want to go," said Mark Moran, Continental Airlines executive vice president of operations. "Boeing and GE Aviation have been frontrunners in pioneering technology that will benefit the aviation industry, customers, and the environment, and we are pleased to benefit from their expertise in this venture."

As ANN reported, Boeing and GE partnered with Virgin Atlantic earlier this year for the flight of a 747-400 on a biofuel blend composed of babassu oil and coconut oil. The companies noted both oils are economically and socially sustainable, and can be found in everyday cosmetic products including lip balm and shaving cream -- but that doesn't mean the 2009 flight will use the same fuel. ...

http://www.aero-news.net/index.cfm?ContentBlockID=5899325b-ceea-4008-b7f9-02f342273bea&;

Does space need air traffic control?

2008-03-13T20:38:00.003-04:00

As more countries race to launch satellites and manned craft, some warn of a space jam.

By Peter N. Spotts Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor
March 14, 2008 edition

The way Kirk Shireman describes it, the International Space Station is fast becoming the O'Hare International Airport of low Earth orbit.

The shuttle Endeavour docked with the station Wednesday night, and shares it with a Russian Progress resupply craft that arrived in February. The shuttle is slated to leave March 24. Europe's robotic cargo ship arrives April 3. Four days later Progress leaves, while a Russian Soyuz craft arrives April 10 for a crew swap. And next year, Japan is expected to add its automated resupply ship to the mix.

"That's quite a traffic flow. We're thinking about launching an air-traffic controller soon to keep it all straight," quips Mr. Shireman, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's deputy program manager for the International Space Station.

His jest, during a recent prelaunch briefing, nevertheless highlights what several specialists see as an emerging issue for spaceflight in the 21st century: a need to overhaul the way people manage traffic in space – from human-tended craft and satellites to the long-standing problem of space debris.

Some say it may be time to set up an international body similar to the International Civil Aviation Organization to establish common standards and practices. Others suggest that individual nation-to-nation agreements could be enough.

Whatever the approach, aerospace traffic management "is getting to be a hot topic," says Ben Baseley-Walker, a consultant for the Secure World Foundation, a space-policy think tank based in Superior, Colo. Meetings on the subject that drew a few dozen academics two or three years ago are now drawing crowds of nearly 200 from around the world, he says. And several of the newer attendees are wearing military uniforms. ...

http://www.csmonitor.com/2008/0314/p01s02-usgn.html

SpaceX Signs Contract with DoD – Falcon 1 to Launch ORS Satellite

2008-03-11T05:01:00.002-04:00

SpaceX Press Release
March 10, 2008

Hawthorne, CA – March 10, 2008 – Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SpaceX) announced that it has signed a contract with the Department of Defense’s Operationally Responsive Space (ORS) Office to carry their first Jumpstart mission payload onboard the upcoming Falcon 1 launch.

Scheduled for flight in June 2008 from the SpaceX launch complex in the Central Pacific Marshall Islands’ Kwajalein Atoll, t he Jumpstart mission aims to establish a preliminary framework for responsive contracting, and to demonstrate the ability to rapidly integrate and execute a mission, from initial call-up to launch.

SpaceX will demonstrate its ability to perform responsive mission integration for three separate candidate ORS payloads. The actual flight payload will be determined by the ORS Office at or before the SpaceX Flight Readiness Review for the Falcon 1 Flight 003 (F1-003) vehicle, which typically occurs two weeks before launch. ...

http://www.spacex.com/press.php?page=39

NASA Offers Microgravity Rides for SBIR/STTR Projects

2008-03-11T04:48:00.004-04:00

Parabolic Aircraft Reduced-Gravity Environment Testing Opportunity for NASA SBIR/STTR Companies

Responses Due By March 28, 2008

Details of Opportunity

The Innovative Partnerships Program (IPP) and Strategic Capabilities Assets Program (SCAP) are offering an opportunity for companies with NASA SBIR/STTR Phase I and II contracts to conduct reduced-gravity testing of their technology aboard parabolic aircraft flights. Technologies must be within the TRL 4-6 range and should be ready for microgravity environment testing.

This is an initial capability demonstration of parabolic aircraft flights to support technology demonstration activities. The FAST project in IPP will be offering opportunities for technology demonstration subsequent to this activity.

Parabolic aircraft flights can provide near zero gravity conditions, partial gravity conditions at lunar (.16 g), and martian (.38 g) gravity levels, as well as other partial gravity levels. The aircraft can also provide sustained hyper-gravity conditions, up to 1.8 g in 0.10 g increments, for periods of up to 1 minute in duration. ...

http://spacereport.blogspot.com/2008/03/parabolic-flight-opportunity-notice.html

USN Expands Global Reach and TT&C Service Offerings with Significant Acqusition

2008-03-08T02:36:00.002-05:00

Adds Assets of Honeywell's DataLynx Systems

Universal Space Network Press Release
February 19, 2008

NEWPORT BEACH, CA (February 19, 2008) — Universal Space Network, Inc. (USN), a leading provider of space operations and ground control and communications services, announced today that it has acquired the assets of Honeywell Technology Solutions Inc.'s (HTSI) DataLynx systems, which consists primarily of satellite Telemetry Tracking and Command (TT&C) antennae and related equipment located in Poker Flat, Alaska, as well as related monitor and control equipment at the DataLynx control center in Columbia, Maryland. As part of this transaction, USN also received a contract to provide TT&C services to HTSI for over 20 NASA orbiting satellites. Near Earth LLC, a New York based investment banking firm, acted as advisor to USN on this transaction.

Deal terms were not announced. ...

http://www.uspacenetwork.com/0012.html

USN Announces Combined Equity and Debt Financing of $18M

2008-03-08T02:33:00.002-05:00

Enables Company to Further Their Outsourced Space Operations Services Business Model

Universal Space Network Press Release
February 11, 2007

NEWPORT BEACH, CA (Feb 11 2008) - Universal Space Network, Inc. (USN), a leading provider of outsourced space operations and ground control and communications services, announced today that it has closed a $13M equity financing round and a $5M debt facility. The proceeds will pave the way for future growth and will be used near term for a planned acquisition and expansion of the company's ground station network. The equity round was completed with existing shareholders led by Warburg Pincus, the global private equity firm, Swedish Space Corporation and Pistol Creek. In addition, the Frost Group, LLC and the Cycad Group, LLC increased their ownership positions in USN. Comerica Bank provided the debt financing. Near Earth LLC served as financial advisor to USN for these transactions.

"The completion of this financing round and associated acquisition will help our company continue on its aggressive growth plan," said Bruce R. McCaw, USN Founding Director. "After several years of market development, USN is now providing commercial ground network Telemetry Tracking and Command (TT&C) services to most of the global space industry. From a financial perspective, we are particularly pleased with the long-term nature of our TT&C services contracts, which provide a strong foundation of recurring cash flows for continued growth." ...

http://www.uspacenetwork.com/0011.html

SatNAV start-up companies at CeBIT 2008

2008-03-07T01:51:00.002-05:00

Galileo satellite system

European Space Agency (ESA) article
March 4, 2008

CeBIT 2008, the world’s largest information technology trade fair, is taking place this week in Hanover, Germany. One of the many exhibition halls is dedicated to satellite navigation where several start-up companies, members of ESA’s business incubation programme, will present innovative products and solutions that will benefit from Galileo, the European SatNav project.

Even though Europe will have to wait until 2013 to make use of Galileo’s detailed and reliable navigation data, many European firms – including start-up companies – are already working on novel services and products that will exploit the full potential that Galileo will offer in the future. With their activities, they are tapping into a market that is expected to soar in the coming years. Experts estimate a market volume of €400 billion by 2025. ...

Altogether 12 start-up companies from the Business Incubation programme, including one from the European Space Incubators Network (ESINET) have grabbed at the chance to present their products and services to industry at CeBIT 2008. They can be found at the trade fair on stand D24 in Hall 15 from 4 to 9 March.

The companies are:

ESOC Business Incubator in Germany
samango GmbH
Verimatic GmbH
etamax space GmbH
punchbyte
ANLU Navigation GmbH

ESTEC Business Incubator in the Netherlands
emxys NL
Mobzili
Sport-track B.V.
Estrella Sat B.V.

ESRIN Business Incubator in Italy
BCAA S.r.l.
NAUTISAT SRL ESINET:
Qnet S.r.l. (located in Italy)

http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/TTP2/SEM6HCK26DF_0.html

Spy Agencies Could Fuel Commercial Satellite Boom

2008-03-07T01:45:00.002-05:00

by Robert Block, Orlando Sentinel
March 5, 2008

As Florida and other potential rocket launch sites around the country pray for a long-awaited boom in the commercial satellite market, U.S. spy agencies could start snapping up commercial satellites to boost the nation’s ability to snoop on enemies from space, according to a report published on Wednesday.

The unclassified report, entitled the “Independent Study of the Roles of Commercial Remote Sensing in the Future National System for Geospatial-Intelligence (NSG) , ” was prepared last year by a panel of experts called the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency Advisory Group.

It was obtained and published by Secrecy News, part of the Federation of American Scientists' Project on Government Secrecy, which works to reduce the scope of government secrecy and to promote reform of official secrecy practices.

The gist of the panel’s recommendation is that the government should start making bulk purchases of off-the-shelf commercial satellites and satellite services for their own use in espionage and intelligence gathering. If the government were to follow the advice of the panel, it could provide a huge boost to the commercial satellite market. ...

http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/news_space_thewritestuff/2008/03/spy-agencies-co.html

VA Governor Signs Zero Gravity, Zero Tax Into Law

2008-03-07T00:27:00.002-05:00

From Jack Kennedy's Spaceports blog:
March 5, 2008

Virginia Governor Tim Kaine signed into law the so-called 'Zero Gravity, Zero Tax' measure patroned by State Senator William C. Wampler, Jr. (R-Bristol) Sunday at the state capitol in Richmond.

Virginia will levy no income tax on business earnings that relate to human spaceflight training or actual space flights launched from the state's spaceport. The measure becomes effective July 1, 2008 for the tax year beginning January 1, 2009.

Governor Kaine signed the nation's first Spaceflight Laibility and Immunity law, sponsored by State Delegate Terry G. Kilgore (R-Gate City), last year. Florida is now seeking to duplicate Virginia's informed consent law with other states expected to follow.

http://spaceports.blogspot.com/2008/03/virginia-governor-tim-kaine-signs-xero.html

Lane Aviation and Waypoint to Launch New Air Taxi Service

2008-03-06T00:51:00.003-05:00

Joint Venture Will Offer Affordable, On-Demand Regional Air Travel

Press Release: Waypoint Corporation
February 14 , 2008

COLUMBUS, OHIO – Two central Ohio companies – Waypoint Corporation and Lane Aviation – have teamed up to launch a regional air taxi service with Very Light Jet aircraft that will operate from Port Columbus International Airport. Set to begin service by peak travel season this summer, the new on-demand travel option will be among the first of its kind in the nation.

“Waypoint’s air taxi service is as convenient as hailing a cab. Imagine a small business jet for your own use at the price of airline travel,” said Waypoint President and CEO Steven Brechter.

The service will provide an affordable option for business and leisure travelers and will complement existing travel options, including commercial airlines. “Travelers can go on their own schedule, from anywhere to anywhere, with short notice, in a private jet aircraft that belongs just to them for the duration of their trip,” said Brechter.

http://www.flywaypoint.com/news.php

Virgin Charter Launches Online Marketplace

2008-03-06T00:34:00.002-05:00

Booking Service Now Open To All Customers

Aero-News Network
March 4, 2008

It's out of beta... but will it work? This week, Virgin Charter announced its online marketplace is now open to the public, offering those looking for business charter operators another option for selecting their next flight.

Virgin Group launched a closed beta period for its charter website in June 2007 with a small group of customers and providers. In October, Virgin expanded that offering by launching a Charter Member Program, offering access for selling, purchasing and booking charter flights on private aircraft on an invitation-only basis.

As of Monday, however, Virgin Charter's marketplace is free to join.

"Virgin Charter has brought tremendous innovation to the charter market," said Virgin Group founder Sir Richard Branson. "Virgin's brilliant customer service and aviation expertise combined with unprecedented technology prowess has resulted in a winning formula."

"Until now, booking on-demand charter has been a cumbersome process and flyers didn't always know what they were getting," added Virgin Charter CEO Scott Duffy. "We are bringing the power of Virgin to the industry and are now offering an entirely new way to book charter over the internet while setting new quality standards." ...

http://www.aero-news.net/index.cfm?ContentBlockID=f6a4c048-0dbe-4125-b295-c04da8f01db2&;

Device Uses Satellite Navigation Technology To Track Carbon Footprints

2008-03-06T00:13:00.001-05:00

RF Globalnet
February 27, 2008

Paris -- An innovation called Carbon Hero may help reduce global warming by making people more aware of their carbon footprint. Regional prize winner in the 2007 European Satellite Navigation Competition, sponsored by ESA’s Technology Transfer Programme, the device uses satellite navigation technology to track journeys.

Concerned about global warming, many people are now looking for ways to reduce their generation of carbon dioxide (CO2). One option is to use public transport and limit journeys by car and plane; however, although this can significantly reduce each person’s carbon footprint, until now the benefits have been difficult to measure.

“With Carbon Hero calculating your carbon footprint is easy,” explains Andreas Zachariah, a graduate student from the Royal College of Art in London and inventor of Carbon Hero. “This easy-to-use mobile system uses satellite navigation data to calculate the environmental impact of travel. With its specialist database and algorithm, it can determine the mode of transport and its environmental impact with almost no user input.”

It was back in 2006, that Andreas Zachariah came up with the idea of a small and practical device to track personal CO2 emissions during travel. It determines the carbon footprint of travellers using different modes of transport by using satellite navigation data to measure the distance, identify the type of transportation and calculate the amount of CO2 released into the atmosphere through travel. ...

http://www.rfglobalnet.com/content/news/article.asp?docid=ccf2d54f-3c82-4b35-b5a2-ba22c39e55ca&atc%7Ec=771%2Bs=773%2Br=001%2Bl=a&VNETCOOKIE=NO

Helicopter MRO market expected to grow to $6.8B by 2016

2008-03-05T23:57:00.002-05:00

Helicopter MRO Now at $5 Billion a Year

AviationWeek.com
February 23, 2008

The market for commercial helicopter maintenance, repair and overhaul is worth about $5 billion a year and is expected to grow at a compound annual rate of 3.1% over the next decade, reaching $6.8 billion by 2016, says Michigan's AeroStrategy (www.aerostrategy.com)

Put another way, civil helicopter operators spend more for MRO than any other operating expense category, although fuel costs could take the lead.

The good news? Newer helicopters are less maintenance intensive. Component reliability is improving, and the growing use of health and usage monitoring systems (HUMS) is helping to reduce unscheduled maintenance and produce longer maintenance intervals for dynamic components, according to AeroStrategy principal Hal Chrisman. Greater composite content is expected to reduce non-routine maintenance as aircraft age.

MRO represents about 25% of typical operating costs. The AeroStrategy analysis looks at engine overhaul, airframe MRO, components, and modifications. ...

http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/generic/story_channel.jsp?channel=mro&id=news/MROH02238.xml&headline=Helicopter%20MRO%20Now%20at%20$5%20Billion%20a%20Year

Virgin CEO predicts algae biofuel tests within year

2008-03-05T23:09:00.001-05:00

By Victoria Moores, FlightGlobal.com
March 4, 2008

Having successfully completed its first part-biofuel powered flight late last month, Virgin is hoping a trial can be performed using algae as a biofuel source within 12 months.

On 24 February a Virgin Atlantic General Electric CF6-powered Boeing 747-400 performed a biofuel test flight. One of the aircraft’s engines was powered by a 20% mix of a biofuel, composed of babassu oil and coconut oil, without any modification to the aircraft or engine.

Speaking during a media briefing in New York, Virgin Atlantic Airways president Sir Richard Branson said the initial test data from the trial is extremely good. ...

http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2008/03/04/221981/virgin-expects-algae-powered-test-flight-within-12-months.html

UAVs will eventually track, monitor severe storms, scientists say

2008-03-05T01:24:00.002-05:00

Hurricane hunters plan expanded use of drones

Posted by Anne Broache, CNet News.com
February 29, 2008

WASHINGTON--For decades, U.S. government scientists have sliced specially equipped planes through hurricanes and other severe weather on a quest for crucial data to fuel weather forecasts. But in the future, drones are expected to do more and more of that work.

In the coming years, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration envisions acquiring and leasing unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), a senior official said Friday at a conference here put on by the Association for Unmanned Vehicles International. They'll be tasked with monitoring everything from weather conditions and fires to ice melting in the Arctic and endangered marine mammals near Hawaii.

"We think the time has come," said Scott Ryder, chief of staff for NOAA's unmanned systems division. "We're going to do it with this technology, and we're on our way."

UAVs could prove a boon to NOAA's operations because traditional hurricane-hunting missions using manned WP-3D Orion or Gulfstream-IV jet aircrafts face numerous limitations, Ryder said. ...

http://www.news.com/8301-10784_3-9883280-7.html?tag=nefd.top

Athena Technologies, Inc. to be Acquired by Rockwell Collins

2008-03-05T00:42:00.001-05:00

Press Release: Athena Technologies, Inc.
March 3, 2008

(March 3, 2008) – Athena Technologies, Inc., a privately held company that develops and provides flight control and navigation solutions primarily to the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) market segment, announced today the intent to be acquired by Rockwell Collins, Inc. (NYSE: COL). Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

David Vos, Athena Technologies’ founder and CEO, said, “This new relationship with Rockwell Collins provides an exciting and enabling platform to leverage Athena’s successful navigation and controls systems to play a leading role in the future convergence of manned and unmanned aviation. It is a tremendous honor to join the Rockwell Collins team and continue to pioneer future aviation solutions and technology.”

“Athena Technologies’ proven track record in creating leading navigation and control solutions for UAVs, combined with our existing capabilities, provides Rockwell Collins with exciting, new growth opportunities,” said Rockwell Collins Chairman, President and CEO Clay Jones. “We look forward to integrating our combined capabilities to bring new control solutions to both military and commercial market segments.”

The transaction is expected to be completed in about 30 days and is subject to regulatory approvals. The acquisition is expected to be neutral to Rockwell Collins’ fiscal year 2008 earnings.

Athena Technologies is a premier developer and producer of navigation and control systems. Founded in 1998, the company produces the GuideStar® family of versatile, compact and cost-effective flight control systems for applications on commercial aircraft, UAVs, target drones and missiles. The company is an independent, privately held firm with headquarters in Northern Virginia. Additional information is available at www.athenati.com. ...

http://www.athenati.com/news_events/press_releases/march_3_2008_-_athena

Avanti CEO urges U.K. to specialize in satellites

2008-03-05T00:04:00.002-05:00

Britain urged to become a satellite nation

Mark Milner, The Guardian
March 3 2008

Britain can play an important role in space exploration by exploiting its skills in the satellite sector rather than joining the competition in manned space flights, according to David Williams, head of Avanti, a satellite communications company. "There aren't unlimited resources - we have to prioritise in areas where we have an economic advantage," he said.

Britain should be creating the communications infrastructure that will be needed as exploration expands deeper into space, he said. Countries such as the US, China, India and Russia, as well as the European Space Agency, are working on deep-space exploration. "If mankind is going to exploit the resources of the solar system, you are going to have to travel over very long distances and you are going to have to communicate over very long distances and you will need a network of data-relay satellites. The UK has a big advantage. We have the opportunity to control the space internet, which is going to be this network of data-relay satellites."

"The government has taken early-stage technology risk ... which has allowed the development of blue-sky technology. We have manufacturers like SSTL, QinetiQ, Logica and Astrium that are leading the world in certain niche areas."

Williams believes emerging markets are an important opportunity, with a £100m satellite capable of providing the same communications services that would cost tens of billions if they were hard-wired.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2008/mar/03/spaceexploration.spacetechnology

Bigelow Wants Dozens of Atlas 5 Launchers for New Commercial Space Station

2008-03-04T23:58:00.001-05:00

By Brian Berger, Space News Staff Writer
February 4, 2008

WASHINGTON -- Bigelow Aerospace officials said Feb. 1 they are making progress in their negotiations with United Launch Alliance for six initial launches for their planned commercial space station, starting around 2011. Subsequently the company hopes to conduct as many as a dozen launches per year as the new facility becomes fully operational.

Bigelow Aerospace and Denver-based United Launch Alliance (ULA) have been working together for over a year studying what it would take to human-rate the Atlas 5 rocket. Industry sources said Bigelow Aerospace is ready to place an order that includes six launches starting in 2011 to begin assembly and early operation of the new station.

http://www.space.com/spacenews/archive08/bigelow_0204.html

Virgin Galactic Eyes Suborbital Science Business

2008-03-04T23:53:00.002-05:00

Leonard David, LiveScience.com Blog
March 2nd, 2008

While the White Knight Two/SpaceShipTwo suborbital spaceliner system has yet to fly…the technological twosome appears to have more of a mission than propelling space travelers on sky-high treks.

NASA issued on February 28 two Request for Information solicitations for human suborbital spaceflight services.

The space agency’s Science Mission Directorate (SMD) is pulling together a new program to fly government-sponsored payloads and researchers on commercial suborbital systems.

NASA’s SMD is keen on using commercial suborbital systems to carry out flight experiments that address such science pursuits as astrophysics, earth science, heliophysics and planetary science.

It is NASA’s current intent to evaluate a formal solicitation for suborbital spaceflight services in early 2009, which would lead to a pilot program of suborbital flight operations in 2010-2011.

One private enterprise hungry to cater to the NASA solicitation is Virgin Galactic, making use of the high-altitude White Knight Two carrier/drop plane and the SpaceShipTwo suborbital spaceliner. ...

http://www.livescience.com/blogs/2008/03/02/virgin-galactic-eyes-suborbital-science-business/

DARPA pushes limits of unmanned aircraft capability to extremes

2008-03-04T23:25:00.002-05:00

Ultra-long endurance and ultra-fast deployment are the targets of new US programmes to demonstrate technology for future autonomous aircraft

Flight International
March 3, 2008

Whether it is an aircraft that will stay aloft for its entire five-year life, or be rushed by rocket to fill a surveillance gap half the world away, the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency wants to push the boundaries of unmanned aviation to extremes.

Exploring the outer limits of technology is DARPA's charter, and the agency has its successes and failures, but the stated goals of its latest UAV programmes are raising eyebrows.

"We want to completely change the paradigm of how we think of aircraft," says Daniel Newman, manager of the Vulture programme to demonstrate an unmanned aircraft capable of staying aloft for five years. "Aviation has a perfect record - we've never left one up there. We will attempt to break that record." ...

http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2008/03/03/221956/darpa-pushes-limits-of-unmanned-aircraft-capability-to-extremes.html

Flight schools gear up for arrival of VLJs

2008-03-04T23:22:00.001-05:00

By Jeff Decker, Flight International
October 12, 2007

The boom in very light jets is about to take off, and flight schools are getting ready to meet the demand - both to train pilots to fly VLJs and to use VLJs themselves for advanced flight training.

"With the onslaught of VLJ orders, and everybody getting into the VLJ market, as a flight training school you anticipate the trend and try to accommodate your students and prepare them the best they can," says Embry Riddle Aeronautical University assistant professor Michele Summers, "So they'll have a leg up and not only have the latest training, but also the best training."

Deliveries of VLJs will approach 400 annually by 2010, almost double the deliveries of light jets, according to Honeywell's 2007 business aviation outlook released in September. While a predicted economic slowdown is expected to be lead to a fall in orders for more expensive jets after 2010, VLJs could see the smallest drop and hold steady past 2018, the company predicts.

http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2007/12/10/220174/flight-schools-gear-up-for-arrival-of-vljs.html

Flying schools are starting to take notice of demand for light sport aircraft training

2008-03-04T23:18:00.000-05:00

By Jeffrey Decker, Flight International
March 3, 2008

Although the light sport category is taking off in the USA faster than manufacturers can build aircraft, not all flight schools are taking notice. But that is starting to change

Light sport aircraft are proving to be a good thing for those flight schools in the USA that have bought them. Yet most schools have yet to take the plunge to offer sport pilot certificates as the first step into aviation.

"It's still difficult to become a sport pilot today. That's because the aircraft are just arriving at flight schools," says Ron Wagner. As manager of field relations for the Experimental Aircraft Association, he is constantly introducing LSAs to schools and potential pilots. "It cuts everything in half," he says, like training time and fees and, sometimes, operating costs. ...

http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2008/03/03/221954/flying-schools-are-starting-to-take-notice-of-demand-for-light-sport-training.html

ACA Survey of Angel Group Investments and Predictions

2008-03-02T02:19:00.003-05:00

Statistics for 2007 Investments and Predictions for 2008

ACA 2008 Angel Group Confidence Report
Survey Results
February 8, 2008

INVESTMENT PREFERENCES

In which stage of venture does your group prefer to invest (can select more than one):

* Seed & start-up: 81.5%
* Early stage: 85.2%
* Expansion: 38.3%
* Later stage: 6.2%

In which types of industries does your group prefer to invest? (can select more than one):

* Biotechnology: 58.5%
* Business Products/Services: 64.6%
* Computers & Peripherals: 42.7%
* Consumer Products/Services: 51.2%
* Electronics/Instrumentation: 56.1%
* Financial Services: 28.0%
* Healthcare Services: 51.2%
* Industrial/Energy: 64.6%
* IT Services: 62.2%
* Media & Entertainment: 40.2%
* Medical Devices & Equipment: 75.6%
* Networking & Equipment: 52.4%
* Other: 14.6%
* Retail/Distribution: 23.2%
* Semiconductors: 22.3%
* Software: 82.9%
* Telecommunications: 50.0%

For additional survey results, please visit the Angel Capital Association website at:

http://www.angelcapitalassociation.org/dir_about/news_detail.aspx?id=158

Milner Flying Car Latest Attempt To Meld The Road With The Air

2008-03-02T00:57:00.002-05:00

Will Debut At The New York International Auto Show

by Rob Finfrock, Aero-News Network
March 1, 2008

Let's face it -- in most "serious" aviation circles, the idea of a flying car is met with raised eyebrows, at best -- and at worst, outright disdain. There's arguably fair precedent for those attitudes, given the less-than-stellar proposals to date... from flying Ford Pintos, to the still resolutely-earthbound Moller concepts.

But there are signs of life, and innovation, in this segment. ANN reported in 2006 on the Terrafugia, a "roadable aircraft" now under development... and while we're still skeptics, most ANN'ers are also quite willing to be proven wrong.

It was with a similar, measured "hmmm..." I read recently of the latest flying-car concept, to be formally unveiled later this month at the prestigious New York International Auto Show. Developed by Jim Milner, the Milner Motors AirCar is billed as a four-seat advanced-composite car that you can fly to your destination, fold up the wings and drive it down the highway.

The Aircar features a foldable main wing in the rear of the vehicle and a canard lifting surface in the front. For trips up to 1,000 miles, the AirCar will provide the fastest door-to-door travel times possible, according to Milner

When airborne, the 28-ft wingspan, 3,000 lb. maximum weight AirCar will cruise at 200 mph for up to 1,000-miles, according to the company. Power comes from two rotary engines that drive dual 28-inch pusher ducted fans.

Once on the ground, the wings fold to 7-ft wide, and a separate 40-hp engine powers the car up to 85 mph. The initial prototype is non-flying but driveable, and demonstrates it is possible to design and build a car that not only flies, but is also an airplane strong enough to drive on public roads. ...

http://www.aero-news.net/index.cfm?ContentBlockID=5b046a11-f362-4ffb-9cdb-e919561d6390&

Experts tout economic, environmental benefits of NextGen system

2008-03-01T04:59:00.002-05:00

By Gautham Nagesh, GovernmentExecutive.com
February 28, 2008

Reducing the cost and environmental impact of air travel and expanding traffic to smaller airports are some of the key benefits expected from the implementation of the Next Generation Air Transport System.

Several speakers touted the ability of NextGen technologies to make air travel more efficient and less harmful to the environment at a Thursday meeting hosted by the Joint Planning and Development Office, the agency established to facilitate NextGen. Officials from the Personal Air Transportation Alliance in particular advocated expediting NextGen's development and implementation.

"The acceleration of NextGen technologies will result in reductions to costs, energy use, carbon emissions and noise," said Bruce Holmes, chief strategist of NextGen systems for Dayjet, a commercial aviation operation and member of PATA. "It will also allow for the safe expansion of underutilized air space."

NextGen represents a large-scale transformation of the control system in response to the expected two- to three-fold increase in air travel demand by 2025. Much of that change will occur as a result of the Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast system (ADS-B), currently under development. When completed, the ADS-B will use precise navigation and location information provided by GPS satellites to give pilots and air traffic controllers more precise, real-time information regarding their position and those of nearby aircraft. The $1.8 billion contract for developing ADS-B was awarded to ITT in August 2007.

One of the main benefits expected from this technology is the use of trajectory-based flight paths, which allow pilots to choose their own path rather than following the existing grid-like system. The shift should result in significant decreases to both flight time and distance, which in turn will result in less energy use, pollution and noise emission from aircraft. ...

http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/0208/022808n2.htm

Singapore 2008: New engine architectures needed to meet airline demands

2008-03-01T04:53:00.002-05:00

By Andrew Doyle, Flightglobal.com
February 18, 2008

Radical new engine architectures incorporating open rotors or counter-rotating fans will be required if airline expectations for fuel-burn improvements on the next generation of narrowbody airliners are to be met, according to operator feedback gathered by CFM International.

The engine venture is stepping up research work into open rotor concepts as it prepares to decide by 2011 on whether the technology can be readied in time for Airbus and Boeing's next-generation single-aisle airliners. Their respective A320 and 737 family replacements are not now expected to emerge until 2017 or later.

By 2011 CFM's research projects will be at "the point where we can say whether we have a path through open rotor", says Ron Klapproth, Leap56 project director. ...

http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2008/02/18/221640/singapore-2008-new-engine-architectures-needed-to-meet-airline-demands-cfm.html

US Airways CEO predicts airline industry downturn

2008-03-01T04:50:00.002-05:00

Reuters
February 29, 2008

PHOENIX (Reuters) — The chief executive of US Airways warned Thursday that the U.S. airline industry is heading into a downturn as it grapples with record high oil prices and a weakening economy.

"Our industry is in a mess, if you haven't noticed," said Doug Parker, speaking at the U.S. No. 5 airline's headquarters near Phoenix. "We're about to head into what looks like another downturn."

The grim assessment summed up Wall Street sentiment. The Amex airline index fell about 3.5%, and US Airways shares dropped about 5%.

The prospect that a wave of mergers would help stabilize the volatile industry, which emerged from a five-year slump in 2006, dimmed earlier this week. ...

http://www.usatoday.com/travel/flights/2008-02-28-us-air-consolidation_N.htm

MicroSat Systems acquired by Sierra Nevada

2008-02-29T17:39:00.004-05:00

MicroSat Systems Press Release
January 3, 2008

Reno, Nevada – January 3, 2008 – Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) has acquired MicroSat Systems, Inc. in Littleton, Colorado, making MicroSat Systems a wholly owned subsidiary. ...

MicroSat Systems is a leader in the small satellite market and has developed a line of spacecraft products that has the potential to be a disruptive technology. MicroSat Systems is providing reliable and capable spacecraft at an affordable price with only an 18-month lead time. The missions they support are not necessarily as complex as larger spacecraft, but for the price and schedule they still meet important needs. MicroSat Systems provides the space industry a product line of small satellite buses based on a modular bus design that has proven flight success. The bus can be customized as needed for different mission applications and customer requirements. Unique capabilities of MicroSat System’s buses include: better payload mass fraction, power, data processing, and pointing accuracy than comparably priced satellites. MicroSat Systems achieved flight heritage on December 16, 2006 with the launch of TacSat-2, the first operationally responsive space satellite. The launch and operation of TacSat-2 demonstrated MicroSat System’s ability to provide a high performance satellite in a rapid development timeline, for a low cost. ...

SNC’s strategy of having an in-house satellite and space expertise is based on its vision of providing innovative net-centric solutions by synergistically connecting numerous platforms and domains from the Earth’s surface all the way to orbit. SNC has decades of successful integration and turn-key systems capabilities with many different platforms on land, sea and air. Expansion of these capabilities into the space domain has started over a year ago by successfully collaborating with MSI to provide complete system solutions by combining each other’s unique and complementary capabilities.

This acquisition will enhance SNC’s increased presence in the Denver area with the growth of its Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaisance (ISR) engineering and aviation capability and the recent acquisitions of Straight Flight, Inc (SFI) and Straight Flight Conversions, Inc (SFC). These FAA/EASA Certified Repair Station operations, located at the Centennial Airport on the South Side of the Denver Metro area, conduct commercial aircraft modification, installation, and maintenance activities as a commercial subsidiary of SNC.

Deal terms were not announced.

http://www.microsatsystems.com/msiPress/media/item/id/18/

Virgin Atlantic biofuel test flight: Airlines long for green fuel

2008-02-29T03:31:00.002-05:00

Aside from the environmental impact, alternative sources could provide a remedy to the industry's soaring fuel costs

By Kelly Yamanouchi, The Denver Post
February 26, 2008

A test flight of a Virgin Atlantic Boeing 747 airliner running on biofuel Sunday was a promising development for the airline industry, though U.S. industry leaders studying the issue say there are many hurdles yet to be overcome.

The flight from London to Amsterdam, Netherlands, was done with a biofuel made of babassu oil and coconut oil.

Among the organizations leading the effort on researching alternative fuels is the Commercial Aviation Alternative Fuels Initiative, sponsored by the Federal Aviation Administration, the Air Transport Association airline-industry group and other organizations. Its goal is to improve environmental sustainability and security of the energy supply for aviation through alternative fuels.

"Alternative fuels for aviation have been looked at for a really long time," with efforts to secure a domestic supply underway since the energy crunch of the 1970s, said Richard Altman, executive director of the initiative.

With all U.S. airlines pointing to rising fuel costs as a financial challenge, the issue is again drawing more attention.

But, said John Heimlich, chief economist for the Air Transport Association, an alternative fuel would need to be safe and high-quality, have good environmental performance, have a reliable supply and be economically feasible. It would also need to work as a "drop-in fuel" in airlines' existing distribution systems, storage tanks and equipment with regular jet fuel. ...

http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_8362658

Helicopter demand remains steady thru 2012

2008-02-29T03:27:00.001-05:00

By Kerry Lynch, Aviation Week
February 25, 2008

In the face of a softening economy, the turbine-powered civil helicopter market grew at least 25 percent in 2007 and is predicted to grow by up to 50 percent through 2012, according to the Honeywell 10th annual Turbine- Powered Civil Helicopter Purchase Outlook. Based on surveys of more than 1,000 flight departments worldwide, the outlook forecasts deliveries of 4,450 new civil helicopters from 2008 to 2012. This is up 27 percent over the 3,500-unit, five-year prediction in Honeywell's 2007 forecast and represents a 50 percent jump over the number of helicopters delivered between 2003 and 2007.

For 2008, Honeywell believes helicopter deliveries will exceed 800 units, but said the surveys indicate that "latent demand" could push demand to more than 1,000 units a year - assuming that OEMs do not encounter capacity limits. Demand could top 10,000 new civil helicopters through 2018, Honeywell projected.

"Survey results have now improved for the last five years, and OEMs report strong sales activity supporting our view that helicopter demand has great long-range prospects in a growing global economy," said Mike Cuff, Honeywell vice president, helicopters and surface systems. ...

http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/generic/story_generic.jsp?channel=businessweekly&id=news/HONEY02258.xml&headline=Honeywell:%204,450-Helicopter%20Market%20through%202012

Angel Groups Anticipate Rise in High-Quality Deals in 2008

2008-02-28T18:03:00.004-05:00

From: SSTI Weekly Digest , State Science and Technology Institute
February 27, 2008

This year's edition of the Angel Capital Association's (ACA) Angel Group Confidence Report reveals that angel investors are "cautiously optimistic" about their opportunities in 2008, despite recent predictions of a slowdown for the overall U.S. economy. In a survey of ACA members, nearly 55 percent predicted that the number of angel investments made by their group and the total dollars invested will increase this year. While most expect a decrease in the number of positive exits (through acquisitions or initial public offerings), 48 percent believe that both the quantity and quality of the deals they see in the coming year will be better than in 2007.

The report also includes a glimpse into the nature of angel capital groups’ activities in 2007. A vast majority of groups still focus on seed and early-stage investments, despite an increase in later-stage angel investment. Seed and start-up companies are targeted by 81.5 percent of groups, and 85.2 percent invest in early-stage firms. Expansion and later-stage companies are targeted by only 38.3 percent and 6.2 percent, respectively. Software continues to dominate the field, with 82.9 percent of groups preferring to invest in that industry. Medical devices and equipment closely follows with 75.6 percent, with IT services, business products and services, and industrial/energy not far behind.

ACA suggests one possible reason for optimism on the part of investors is the support provided by state governments to develop entrepreneurial talent and to increase the availability of early-stage capital. Many states, such as Wisconsin , Washington , Pennsylvania and North Carolina , have created programs to build effective statewide angel groups and networks. The National Governors Association recently released an issue brief titled State Strategies to Promote Angel Investment for Economic Growth that addresses the options available to states attempting to create new capital opportunities.

The brief provides a number of models for state angel programs and several different approaches that governors may take to strengthen angel support. Six major approaches suggested in the report include:

* Educating investors though seminars, which provide networking opportunities in addition to tools and best practices;
* Connecting entrepreneurs to existing resources to improve the desirability of investments;
* Establishing and supporting statewide angel networks;
* Providing financial incentives through grants, loans and tax credits; and,
* Identifying metrics and monitoring the effectiveness of state programs.

NGA also provides information about how to implement these programs. For example, it explains the angel programs should avoid using competitive Requests for Proposals for angel grant programs. The amount of money and time required to complete these forms is substantial and the risk of publicly losing out on these opportunities can damage the group's reputation.

http://www.ssti.org
http://www.angelcapitalassociation.org/dir_about/news_detail.aspx?id=158

Virgin Galactic Plans More Spaceships

2008-02-24T20:48:00.002-05:00

By REUTERS
February 21, 2008

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Virgin Galactic, billionaire Richard Branson's space travel venture, plans to order five more spaceships and aims to turn a profit in five years from its commercial launch in 2010, an official told Reuters on Thursday.

Prospective space travelers have so far placed deposits totaling more than $31 million for tickets that cost $200,000 each and would give them five minutes in space, said Alex Tai, the firm's group director.

"In the short term, we have firm orders for five spaceships and options for seven ... We believe there is a very strong market," Tai said in an interview at the Singapore Airshow.

About 80,000 people from 120 countries have shown interest in these commercial space flights that are likely to start in 2010. Seriously interested travelers are asked to deposit at least $20,000, according to Virgin Galactic's Web site. ...

Virgin, which aims to be the first to take paying passengers into space on a regular basis, will invest $250 million in the space program, Tai said.

http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/business/business-virgin-space.html?scp=1&sq=%2b%22space+exploration%22&st=nyt

Florida adds to Google Lunar X Prize

2008-02-24T20:45:00.001-05:00

By Todd Halvorson, FLORIDA TODAY
February 22, 2008

CAPE CANAVERAL - In what could be an economic boon to the Space Coast, the state will ante up a $2 million launch incentive to lure teams racing to land a robotic rover on the lunar surface.

The money would top a$20 million prize being offered by Internet search giant Google and the foundation that ponied up the $10 million X Prize after SpaceShipOne flew two piloted suborbital missions in two weeks in 2004. ...

http://www.floridatoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080222/NEWS02/802220351/1007/news02

Eclipse, ETIRC Move Forward With Russian Plans

2008-02-23T11:46:00.001-05:00

Aero-News.Net
February 21 2008

First Eclipse 500 Lands In Russia
Eclipse Aviation and European Technology and Investment Research Center (ETIRC) Aviation are speeding ahead with plans to launch operations in Russia. On Thursday, the two companies held a joint press conference in Ulyanovsk, Russia to announce progress toward establishing an Eclipse 500 manufacturing facility outside of the United States.

As ANN reported, the companies announced their intent to build an international production site on January 14, as part of a significant investment by ETIRC in the fledgling very-light jet manufacturer.

This week, Eclipse Aviation President and CEO Vern Raburn, and ETIRC Aviation Chairman Roel Pieper, traveled to Russia to meet in Ulyanovsk with federal officials and local administrators to discuss the steps necessary to establish a factory in that area. ...

http://www.aero-news.net/index.cfm?ContentBlockID=73a91c06-ba98-44c4-9396-d05b3c2347c0&Dynamic=1&Range=WEEK&FromDate=02%2F16%2F2008&ToDate=02%2F23%2F2008&Category=%2Findex.cfm

Singapore 2008: Virgin Galactic Hopes For Profit By 2015

2008-02-23T11:12:00.002-05:00

Sees "A Very Strong Market" For Commercial Space Travel

Aero-News.Net
February 22, 2008

Among the more far-reaching aerospace companies exhibiting at this week's 2008 Singapore Air Show was Virgin Galactic... which aims to keep its business plan on the ground, despite its goal of reaching for the stars.

During a Thursday interview with Reuters, company group director Alex Tai said the company now has five spaceships on order, with options for seven more -- a sign Virgin expects "a very strong market" for private, suborbital space travel.

To date, potential customers have placed deposits totaling over $31 million, against tickets that cost $200,000 per person for five minutes in space. But Tai said when it comes to the idea of traveling towards the stars -- if only briefly -- there's no sense in trying to make the math compute. ...

http://www.aero-news.net/index.cfm?ContentBlockID=4f9451db-e56c-4fb8-928f-5bc80cc898da&;

X PRIZE Foundation Announces Official Contenders in Private Moon Race

2008-02-21T23:26:00.003-05:00

Ten Teams Registered to Compete for $30 Million Google Lunar X PRIZE

X Prize Foundation Press Release
February 21, 2008

Mountain View, CA – The X PRIZE Foundation and Google, Inc. today announced the first ten teams to register for the Google Lunar X PRIZE, a robotic race to the Moon to win a remarkable $30 million in prizes. This international group of teams will compete to land a privately funded robotic craft on the Moon that is capable of roaming the lunar surface for at least 500 meters and sending video, images and data back to the Earth.

Dr. Peter H. Diamandis, Chairman and CEO of the X PRIZE Foundation, announced the teams at Google Headquarters in Mountain View, California. “I’m very pleased to welcome our first 10 fully registered teams to the Google Lunar X PRIZE. Only 6 months after the announcement of this competition, the response has been incredible – we’ve received over 560 expressions of interest from more than 53 nations. By comparison, at the 6 month point of the Ansari X PRIZE we had only 2 teams registered. I think we’re going to see an exciting and very competitive race to the Moon, highlighted by some very creative designs unlike anything we’ve seen come out of the government space programs. Many of these teams represent some of the most creative and entrepreneurial minds in space exploration today. I wish them all the very best of luck. I can’t wait to join with Google in paying the winner,” said Diamandis.

"We are excited that ten teams from around the world have taken up the challenge of the Google Lunar X PRIZE," said Megan Smith, Google's Vice President for New Business Development.

"We look forward to the exciting achievements and scientific advancements that will result from the efforts of these teams as they participate in the next great space race."

The ten teams are:

Aeronautics and Cosmonautics Romanian Association (ARCA)
Astrobotic
Chandah
FREDNET
LunaTrex
Micro-Space
Odyssey Moon
Quantum3
Southern California Selene Group
Team Italia

http://www.googlelunarxprize.org/lunar/press-release/the-x-prize-foundation-announces-official-contenders-in-private-moon-race

More Details of Adam Aircraft Bankruptcy Filing

2008-02-21T23:05:00.002-05:00

From Dan Primack's Blog, PE Week Wire
February 21, 2008

What a difference a year makes. Last February 21, I was in a conference room at the Ritz Carlton in Beaver Creek, listening to Adam Aircraft CFO Chris Naro lay out his company’s financing plan. He said that the company had previously raised $182 million in private equity funding, from firms like Goldman Sachs and DCM-Doll Capital Management. Next it was seeking up to $125 million in debt financing from Wall Street, and then would grab another $80 million in equity to reach cashflow break-even. Building carbon-composite airplanes is an expensive business, and Adam had an order backlog of over 460 planes.

This February 21, the Englewood, Colo.-based company is in the midst of liquidation, after filing for Chapter 7 bankruptcy protection. It had gotten that debt financing -- $105 million from Morgan Stanley – but had not yet gotten FAA approval for its jets (which were what a lot of the orders were for). The result was a cashflow drain. Adam tried a variety of options: Layoffs, a manufacturing plant shutdown and begging its investors for more cash. Nothing worked.

The company’s bankruptcy petition listed up to just between $1 million and 10 million in assets, and between $50 million and $100 million in debts. In other words, that $182 million in private equity funding is long gone. As I said last week, this is just the beginning of a giant loss wave…

http://hosting.mansellgroup.net/enablemail/ThomsonNewLetter/HostedWires/NewsLetters/feb21-08.htm

Google May Buy Balloon Company

2008-02-21T22:50:00.001-05:00

Duncan Riley, TechCrunch
February 20, 2008

Google is considering working with, or buying Space Data Corp, a company that provides wireless services via Balloon, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Space Data Corp targets areas without existing internet access, such as rural areas and highways, providing wireless and internet services to truckers and rural folk. The company currently launches 20 balloons a day, and a single balloon can service an area equivalent to 40 cell phone towers.

The balloons cost $50, however the transceivers attached to them cost $1500, but parachute back to the earth once the balloon is no longer in service.

http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/02/20/google-may-buy-balloon-company/

ISS tourism trips to end with April 2009 flight

2008-02-20T19:53:00.002-05:00

By Rob Coppinger, FlightGlobal.com
February 6, 2008

Space tourism trips to the International Space Station will no longer be possible from May 2009 when the station increases its crew compliment from three to six, European Space Agency ISS programme sources have told Flight.

US company Space Adventures, which has co-operated with Russia's Federal Space Agency (FSA) to provide places for the tourists - called spaceflight participants - will no longer be able to offer flights.

Since 2001 private citizens have visited the ISS on 10-day trips accommodated in the spare seat on the FSA's Energia Soyuz-TMA flights. But the crew increase on ISS to six means that all the available Soyuz seats will be occupied.

However Space Adventures insists it can still provide flight opportunities: "We have secured the April 2009 seat. We are working to secure additional seats for 2010, and beyond." ...

http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2008/02/06/221302/iss-tourism-trips-to-end-with-april-2009-flight.html

VLJ developer Adam Aircraft files for bankruptcy

2008-02-20T19:46:00.001-05:00

By Jeffrey Decker, FlightGlobal.com
February 20, 2008

Very-light jet developer Adam Aircraft has filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy liquidation, but its assets could soon be acquired another company.

“There has been significant interest demonstrated,” says Jeffrey Weinman, trustee for the bankruptcy case. “I would anticipate that the company’s assets will be sold or auctioned within 30 days.”

The Denver, Colorado-based manufacturer of the A500 piston twin and developer of the A700 VLJ suspended operations on February 11, laying off all of its 800 employees after sending one third home on January 17.

http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2008/02/20/221713/vlj-developer-adam-aircraft-files-for-bankruptcy.html

New Tax Legislation Will Help Virginia Aim for the Stars

2008-02-20T14:22:00.003-05:00

Lawmakers want to aid the state's space industry, which could center on Wallops Island

By Mason Adams, The Roanoke Times
February 11, 2008

RICHMOND -- The General Assembly is considering legislation it hopes will launch Virginia's fledgling space industry into orbit.

Both the Senate and House of Delegates unanimously passed bills last week to exempt companies involved in commercial space flight from paying corporate income tax. The idea, dubbed "Zero-G, Zero-Tax," is to make Virginia a player in the space industry.

Del. John Cosgrove, R-Chesapeake, who is sponsoring the House version of the bill, said the federal government wants to give the private sector a larger role in jobs such as replacing satellites and resupplying the international space station.

"The government can't be doing all of this, especially just out of Florida, when there's so many other things that require national attention," Cosgrove said. "They're going more and more towards commercial opportunities. ... What we're trying to do is attract those companies into Virginia." ...

http://www.roanoke.com/politics/wb/150347

Orbital Wins $171 Space Station Re-Supply Demo Deal

2008-02-20T09:39:00.001-05:00

By BRIAN BERGER, Space News Staff Writer
February 19, 2008

WASHINGTON — Orbital Sciences Corp. beat out several other finalists to win a NASA Space Act Agreement award worth $171 million to build and demonstrate a launch system capable of delivering cargo to the international space station.

NASA made the award under its $500 million Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) program, which is aimed at stimulating privately owned alternatives to the space shuttle and other government systems for ferrying crew and cargo to the space station.

The U.S. space agency intends to hold an open competition in the years ahead for actual space station cargo-delivery contracts, but Orbital of Dulles, Va., is one of two companies receiving financial help from NASA to develop their proposed systems. The other is Space Exploration Technologies of El Segundo, Calif. ...

http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/080219-sn-cotswinner-orbital.html

Pogo Jet Prices IPO a Year Before Service Launches

2008-02-19T13:56:00.003-05:00

From Dan Primack over at Private Equity Hub:

Pogo Jet Inc., a Chicopee, Mass.-based on-demand jet charter service focused on the East Coast, has set its IPO terms to 7 million common shares being offered at between $12.50 and $16.50 per share. It would have an initial market cap of around $175 million, were it to price at the high end of its range. The company plans to trade on the Nasdaq under ticker symbol POGO, with W.R. Hambrecht serving as lead underwriter (via its OpenIPO process).

Backers include Tiger Partners (30.82% pre-IPO stake), Village Ventures, Worcester Capital Partners and Long River Capital Partners.

Pogo Jet's service is not expected to launch until 2009. www.flypogo.com

Silicon Valley entrepreneurs hope to reap success with solar technologies

2008-02-19T10:35:00.002-05:00

Can Silicon Valley become a world leader in cheap and ubiquitous solar panels for the masses?

By G. PASCAL ZACHARY, New York Times
February 17, 2008

Given the valley’s tremendous success in recent years with such down-to-earth products as search engines and music players, tackling solar power might seem improbable. Yet some of the valley’s best brains are captivated by the challenge, and they hope to put the development of solar technologies onto a faster track.

There is, after all, a precedent for how the valley tries to approach such tasks, and it’s embodied in Moore’s Law, the maxim made famous by the Intel co-founder Gordon Moore. Moore’s Law refers to rapid improvements in computer chips — which would be accompanied by declining prices.

A link between Moore’s Law and solar technology reflects the engineering reality that computer chips and solar cells have a lot in common.

“A solar cell is just a big specialized chip, so everything we’ve learned about making chips applies,” says Paul Saffo, an associate engineering professor at Stanford and a longtime observer of Silicon Valley.

Financial opportunity also drives innovators to exploit the solar field. “This is the biggest market Silicon Valley has ever looked at,” says T. J. Rogers, the chief executive of Cypress Semiconductor, which is part-owner of the SunPower Corporation, a maker of solar cells in San Jose, Calif.

Mr. Rogers, who is also chairman of SunPower, says the global market for new energy sources will ultimately be larger than the computer chip market. ...

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/17/business/17ping.html?scp=1&sq=%2b%22Renewable+Energy%22&st=nyt

Asia Becoming Key Region for Aircraft Design

2008-02-19T10:28:00.001-05:00

By Bradley Perrett, Aviation Week
February 17, 2008

Asian aircraft projects are multiplying at a rate that can only alarm industrialists in Europe and the Americas who like to think of their regions as the real home of aviation technology.

While Asian countries’ progress in building sophisticated components has long been recognized, they are now also engaged in a broad push to get into the business of developing complete, advanced aircraft. And this will be evident at this week’s Singapore Airshow 2008. The joint venture between the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore and the Defense Science & Technology Agency runs Feb. 19-24.

Note the three countries leading that push: technically advanced Japan, economically mighty China, and ever ambitious South Korea. Their latest efforts and plans make for an interesting comparison with the trickle of new programs emerging in Western Europe, for example.

“If you look at the financial and intellectual resources that are here and you couple that with the move of the world’s economic center of gravity, it is perfectly logical that this is happening,” says one senior western aerospace executive based in Asia who has long experience in the region. ...

http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/generic/story.jsp?id=news/aw021808p1.xml&headline=Asia%20Becoming%20Key%20Region%20for%20New%20Aircraft&channel=comm

Demand Increasing for Cessna's Aircraft in Asia-Pacific Region

2008-02-19T02:23:00.003-05:00

Cessna Aircraft Company Press Release
February 18, 2008

Singapore, February 18, 2008 – Cessna Aircraft Company, a Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) company, said at the Singapore Airshow here today the demand for its aircraft in the Asia-Pacific region is increasingly diverse.

"Not only has demand expanded for Cessna's line of products in the Asia-Pacific region, that demand covers many countries and spans all models," said Roger Whyte, senior vice president of Sales & Marketing for Cessna. "Recently, we've made our first commercial business jet sales in South Korea and Vietnam, and we've delivered our first personally owned Citation business jet to an individual in China.

"We are seeing outstanding response to our newest products, the Cessna SkyCatcher, the Citation Mustang and the Citation Columbus. The combination of performance and value that Cessna products offer is translating into great order activity throughout the Asia-Pacific region but especially in Australia, China, India and Japan." ...

http://www.cessna.com/news/article.chtml?ID=VYyZbJ6ygofPTx0bnUSu79lcQ30YbB7XFWruG4WYAINGAjftpL

Diamond Aircraft receives Government of Canada Investment

2008-02-18T11:10:00.002-05:00

Diamond announces that D-JET manufacture will occur at London Ontario facility

Diamond Aircraft Press Release
February 16, 2008

Diamond Aircraft received a $19.6 million strategic, repayable investment from the Government of Canada for research and development (R&D) of its D-JET, personal light jet. The company announced it will manufacture the innovative, new all-composite, five-seat aircraft at its facility in London, Ontario, where the D-JET R&D program is based.

The Canadian government’s investment project will be funded from the new Strategic Aerospace Defence Initiative (SADI). SADI supports strategic industrial research and pre-competitive development (R&D) projects in the aerospace, defence, space and security (A&D) industries. SADI is managed by the Industrial Technologies Office, a special operating agency of Industry Canada with a mandate to advance leading-edge R&D by Canadian aerospace and defence industries. ...

http://www.diamondaircraft.com/news/2008_02_16.php

$500,000 prize offered for airport security technology

2008-02-16T08:16:00.002-05:00

By Mark Abramson, MEDIANEWS STAFF
February 15, 2008

A company whose security system will soon be in use at every major Bay Area airport is offering a prize to anyone who can come up with a faster way to move travelers through security checkpoints.

New York-based Verified Identity Pass Inc. announced that it is offering a $500,000 prize for new technology that gets its customers through security lines 15 percent faster at a cost of less than 25 cents per passenger. Verified would also sign a contract with the winner to use that technology after it is approved by the Transportation Security Administration.

Verified operates Clear, a security screening system that passengers can subscribe to for about $100 per year. Subscribers must pass a TSA background check and are issued cards containing their fingerprint and iris-scan information, allowing them to breeze through security lines.

The contest guidelines were announced earlier this week at San Francisco International Airport, which is one of more than a dozen airports nationwide that uses Clear. It is also available at San Jose International Airport, and officials at Oakland International Airport say it will be used there within the next three months. ...

http://www.insidebayarea.com/sanmateocountytimes/localnews/ci_8269729

Israeli company creates infra-red jamming for slow aircraft.

2008-02-13T10:16:00.002-05:00

Countermeasures - jamming technology for slower aircraft

Source: Flight International, Flightglobal.com
February 12, 2008

Rafael is offering its Jam-Air directional infra-red countermeasures anti-missile system for use on small, slow aircraft.

The Jam-Air was originally developed to protect helicopters but according to lova Drori, Rafael's vice-president of marketing, the system can be installed on small aircraft that fly relatively slowly.

The Israeli airforce has begun equipping its helicopters with the Jam-Air.The system is replacing the AN/ALQ-144, an omni-directional active infra-red countermeasures system, which according to the the IAF is no longer sufficient for current threats. ...

http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2008/02/12/221489/israel-special-rafael-offers-jamming-technology-for-slower-aircraft.html

High-flyer demand creates record year for business jets

2008-02-13T10:14:00.002-05:00

By Kevin Done, Financial Times in London
February 13 2008

Deliveries of business jets hit a record last year, supported by increasing demand in global markets, particularly outside the US.

Business jet makers led by Canada's Bombardier, Gulfstream, Cessna and Hawker Beechcraft of the US and Dassault of France, delivered more than 1,000 jets for the first time.

With large order backlogs at most manufacturers and waiting lists of two to three years for the most sought- after jets, deliveries are forecast to remain high this year.

Private aviation has enjoyed an unprecedented boom in the past three years, as executives and rich individuals have sought to avoid the hassle, inconvenience and delays of flying through congested hub airports and to use business jets to increase executive productivity. ...

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/759abd8a-d9d6-11dc-bd4d-0000779fd2ac.html

Business aircraft growth expected as backlogs stay strong

2008-02-13T10:10:00.001-05:00

By Graham Warwick, Flightglobal.com
February 12, 2008

Despite a downturn in the US economy, business aircraft manufacturers are expecting deliveries to increase again this year after the industry posted record billings for 2007.

A total of 4,272 business and general aviation aircraft worth $21.9 billion were delivered in 2007, says the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA). Shipments were up 5.4% and billings 16.5% from 2006.

Although the credit crunch has slowed US economic growth, a strong market outside North America has boosted manufacturers to record order backlogs, estimated by GAMA to total $58.1 billion by the end of 2007.

"Hopefully we are beginning to break the industry's cyclical tie to the US economy," says GAMA chairman Alan Klapmeier, chief executive of light aircraft manufacturer Cirrus Design. ...

http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2008/02/12/221496/business-aircraft-growth-expected-as-backlogs-stay-strong.html

Europe bids for technology leadership with Clean Sky

2008-02-12T10:15:00.000-05:00

By Aimée Turner, Flightglobal.com
February 12, 2008

One of Europe's biggest-ever technology development initiatives is aimed squarely at slashing aviation's impact on air quality - and helping European companies own the technologies that will come to dominate the industry.

The €1.6 billion ($2.3 billion) Clean Sky Joint Technology Initiative links the European Union and the aeronautics industry with the goal of making air travel more sustainable by speeding up technological developments over the next seven years. ...

http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2008/02/12/221426/europe-bids-for-technology-leadership-with-clean-sky.html

http://www.cleansky.eu

Adam Aircraft Suspends Operations

2008-02-12T03:41:00.000-05:00

Adam Aircraft Press Release
February 11, 2008

Englewood, Colorado, February 11, 2008 —— In a difficult but necessary move, Adam Aircraft Industries suspended operations today at its facilities in Colorado. This measure was required due to the inability of the company to come to terms with their lender for funding necessary to maintain business operations. The company is currently exploring all of its alternatives and will provide further guidance when decisions are made, which is expected to be later this week.

http://www.adamaircraft.com/PressReleases.asp#83

AUVSI's Unmanned Systems Program Review 2008

2008-02-12T03:12:00.000-05:00

February 27-29 2008, Washington DC

AUVSI’s Unmanned Systems Program Review 2008 provides the unmanned systems industry with the opportunity to gather and learn the latest information on government and industry programs with each day dedicated to a unique discipline – Ground, Maritime, and Air. Start off 2008 and join your industry colleagues to learn and share updates on unmanned systems. ...

http://www.auvsi.org/programreview/

Unmanned Systems North America Conference

2008-02-12T03:00:00.000-05:00

The World’s Largest Unmanned Systems Conference and Exhibition
10-12 June 2008 - San Diego

“The Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) Unmanned Systems North America 2008 is the world’s largest event focusing on the international ground, air and maritime unmanned systems marketplace. It will host the largest gathering of government, business, technology and academic leaders in the unmanned systems community. We will have two plenary sessions featuring senior unmanned systems speakers addressing both defense and civilian markets. Attendees can listen to 120 technical and poster session presentations, and visit over 275 exhibitors on the 276,000 gross square foot (84,000 square meter) San Diego Convention Center Exhibit Hall. Don’t miss the opportunity to network, meet the newest industry trailblazers and learn about the latest developments in unmanned systems. There is no better investment of your time, money, or resources.”

Gerald Lane, AUVSI Conference Chairman, 2008 - 2009

http://symposium.auvsi.org/

Wharton Aerospace Conference - Event Overview

2008-02-12T02:12:00.000-05:00

Wharton Business School
February 8, Philadelphia

I attended the 5th invitation-only Wharton Aerospace Conference last week on behalf of Space Angels Network. This event was held at the Wharton Business School at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, and is organized each year by several Wharton MBA grads who have gone on to careers in aerospace finance and strategy.

Attendees included leading aerospace prime M&A groups, a few investment banks or PE folks, lots of aerospace/defense BD folks, several aircraft leasing groups, a couple of VCs (MILCOM Ventures and one or two others), the NASA CFO, a couple of small companies in the defense and aviation areas, but no clear startups, several military guys, little European representation, no Asian, several wharton MBA students...major sponsors were executive search firms (Heidrick & Struggles, DHR, Korn Ferry)...total attendance very good, around 150-170...keynotes by President of ITT Industries, and a former DoD Undersecretary of Acquisition...focus groups on commercial aviation, and DoD acquisition policy....little focus on space this year, except for peripheral references in a few talks...

There was uniform consensus that the single most signficant bottleneck to aviation sector growth over the next decade is the US ATM system...modernization is a high priority, but no one was optimistic that the FAA is going to move forward with NextGen quickly. If ATM can be upgraded, it opens up growth in several emerging markets: VLJs and personal aviation, first and foremost...but it should also allow the airlines greater control over the quality of the customer flight experience, which in turn should permit increased prices and profitability...will not happen soon, but the pressure is really increasing for an ATM fix, and move to IP...

Overall, it was an interesting opportunity to see a segment of the aerospace finance community which most "NewSpace" folks are not in touch with. Space Angels Network is viewed in this community (by those who get what we are doing) as filling a unique and important niche, that no one else is addressing...

Its also worth noting that Wharton is alone among leading business schools in their aerospace finance sector focus and in having an annual high end high profile aerospace conference...this was the 5th year of this event, and I expect we will be attending next year as well as the conference organizers seek to provide more of a space focus.

Colorado offers launchpad for space business ventures

2008-02-12T02:08:00.000-05:00

Interview: A conversation with Angel Abbud-Madrid of Colorado School of Mines
By The Denver Post
February 9, 2008

Angel Abbud-Madrid, director of the Center for Space Resources at Colorado School of Mines, helped start the Eighth Continent Project with project director Burke Fort. The Eighth Continent Project is a research hub, incubator, venture fund and chamber of commerce to organize the commercialization of space technology and resources. It focuses on "Space 2.0," which includes venture- backed entrepreneurs with new technologies and those that use space as a means rather than an end.

Q: What spurred the start of the Eighth Continent Project?

A: The Center for Space Resources has been a NASA research partnership center for more than 10 years as an experiment that NASA did. It was to bring together industry, academia and government to give industry access to NASA technology so they can take the ideas and incorporate it into their own Earth technology. ...

http://www.denverpost.com/headlines/ci_8212849

NextGen Conference on Integrating Weather, Airports and Air Navigation Services

2008-02-12T01:52:00.000-05:00

The Joint Planning and Development Office (JPDO) is sponsoring a conference focusing on the integration of weather into the Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen). The NextGen Concept of Operations requires integrated operations and decision-making to increase capacity and reduce delays. This conference will provide a top-level review of the document primarily concerning trajectory-based and super-density operations, and assimilating weather information into future decision-making tools and processes. At the conference, facilitators will lead small work groups to discuss what operational and technical actions must be accomplished by the aviation and weather communities to ensure synchronized integration of weather information into operational decision-support tools.

Listed below are the titles of the four work groups:

1. Operating and accessing network-enabled weather information
2. Improving airport operations through proactive use of weather information
3. Enhancing tactical and strategic trajectory-based operations through the proactive use of real-time weather information
4. Enabling super density operations

Date: February 12 - 13, 8:30 am - 5:00 pm
Where: National Transportation Safety Board Conference Center, 429 L’Enfant Plaza, SW Washington, DC 20594

http://www.jpdo.gov/events.asp?id=9

TerreStar Announces Strategic Investment by EchoStar, Harbinger & Other Investors

2008-02-11T19:07:00.000-05:00

Transaction Facilitates Funding through Satellite Launch and will Enhance TerreStar's Nationwide Spectrum Footprint

TerreStar Press Release
February 7, 2008

RESTON, Va. - February 7, 2008 - TerreStar Corporation (NASDAQ: TSTR) and its subsidiary TerreStar Networks Inc. (TerreStar), which is building the nation's first integrated mobile satellite-terrestrial (MSS/ATC) communications network, today announced that EchoStar Corporation (NASDAQ: SATS), Harbinger Capital Partners Master Fund I, Ltd. and Harbinger Capital Partners Special Situations Fund LP (collectively, Harbinger) and other investors have entered into a series of separate agreements constituting a commitment of $300 million in investments in TerreStar - with $200 million made available today at closing and the balance dedicated to funding the TerreStar-2 satellite.

As part of these transactions, TerreStar Corporation will also obtain an enhanced nationwide spectrum footprint through separate rights to certain 1.4 GHz spectrum currently held by EchoStar and Harbinger.

"These strategic investments will help drive long-term shareholder value and ensure that TerreStar has access to the requisite capital to achieve its operational launch by the end of 2008. Also, the enhanced nationwide spectrum footprint can help TerreStar accomplish its mission to offer reliable, interoperable satellite-terrestrial communications and next-generation applications for the commercial, government, rural and public safety sectors throughout North America," stated Robert H. Brumley, TerreStar chief executive officer and president. ...

http://terrestar.com/news/press/20080207.html

Space Tourism Insurance to Be Expensive

2008-02-11T18:18:00.000-05:00

By Colin Clark, Space News Staff Writer
February 11, 2008

The personal spaceflight business — also known as space tourism — will face high hurdles from the insurance business in its early years, according to several industry experts.

Policy costs will be extremely high until companies fly without incident at least three times. And a string of early failures may well doom startups to business failure, one of three insurance experts on a panel about the subject said during a panel discussion at the Federal Aviation Administration's annual Commercial Space Transportation Conference.

"In the beginning rates are going to be high. They are going to be very high," said Raymond Duffy, senior vice president at Willis Inspace of New York. "Once you show a positive result the rates will come way down." Duffy noted that early failures, whether by one company or by several, could make it almost impossible for the new industry to get insurance. He urged the personal spaceflight companies to reduce risk as much as possible across the industry. ...

http://www.space.com/businesstechnology/080211-busmon-tourism-insurance.html

Airport Security Technology Stuck In the Pipeline

2008-02-11T11:31:00.000-05:00

By Del Quentin Wilber, Washington Post Staff Writer
February 8, 2008

The TSA in coming months is expected to begin the government's first substantial investment in new checkpoint security technology since the 1970s, according to officials at the TSA, which plans to spend about $250 million on new devices, up from about $89 million last fiscal year. The machines include upgraded X-ray equipment that will provide multiple views of bags and hand-held scanners that can detect liquid explosives in bottles after they are identified by screeners.

Still, TSA officials say it will take years for much of the new technology -- some of which isn't really so new -- to reach checkpoints across the nation. And they are not sure whether the upgrades will allow them to lift nettlesome restrictions on gels and liquids in carry-on luggage.

Lawmakers, government officials and independent analysts point to myriad reasons for the slow deployment of technology at checkpoints.

Top TSA officials blame limited private investment in security development. The security industry blames a lack of federal funding and criticizes the difficulty of navigating a bureaucratic approval process that one executive described as "a maze." They also say frequent turnover in the top ranks of the TSA has sent mixed messages. Congressional investigators have raised concerns about the TSA's strategic vision. And top government security officials remain skittish about quickly deploying technology before they believe it has been fully vetted. ...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/07/AR2008020704067.html?hpid=topnews

FAA underestimates cost of new ATC system, analysis says

2008-02-11T11:24:00.000-05:00

NextGen software could reach $50 billion

Associated Press
February 7, 2008

WASHINGTON - The government already may have underestimated by billions of dollars the cost to transition to a satellite-based air traffic control system in coming years, according to an independent industry analysis.

The Federal Aviation Administration in August awarded ITT Corp. a contract worth up to $1.8 billion to build the first portion of the system, dubbed NextGen, that will take nearly 20 years to complete. The agency has said that the new system will help improve operations and limit delays and is expected to cost between $15 billion and $22 billion.

But an independent industry analysis completed last year forecast that NextGen's software development alone could cost more than $50 billion, Transportation Department Inspector General Calvin L. Scovel III said Thursday during a House hearing on the FAA's proposed budget for 2009. ...

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23054029/

Commercial jets may fly on biofuel in five years, Boeing says

2008-02-11T11:18:00.000-05:00

by Geoffrey Thomas, Air Transport World Daily News
February 11, 2008

Boeing is upbeat on its progress with what it terms "second-generation" biofuels and believes regular commercial services could be operating within five years.

Addressing an industry environmental conference in Sydney, Head of Environmental Strategy Bill Glover said that in the past two years he "changed from being a skeptic to an enthusiastic supporter of sustainable biofuels," adding, "It will take time to collect the data and get confidence [in the fuel], but an aircraft powered by a biofuel blend could be flying as early as five years' time. Within 10 years we can have a significant impact on the market and on the carbon footprint of aviation."

Feasibility studies will begin this month with Virgin Atlantic Airways and GE, while Air New Zealand and Rolls-Royce come onboard later this year. Glover said there has been substantial progress over the past 18 months.

He explained that the industry cannot use what he termed "first-generation" biofuels such as ethanol because of the low energy content but that newer products do meet specifications. The new fuel must be interchangeable with current jet fuel, he said. It "must act like the fuel already being used and meet all the technical specifications." ...

http://www.atwonline.com/news/story.html?storyID=11688

Red Bull Air Races Coming To Midwest and Sweden

2008-02-11T00:54:00.000-05:00

Detroit, San Diego Will Host Event In 2008

Red Bull Air Race Press Release
February 6, 2008

Sweden was today unveiled as the latest country to host a round of the incredible Red Bull Air Race World Series. The announcement that a race will be held in Stockholm for the first time was made by Bernd Loidl (CEO) in the dramatic surrounds of Hangar-7 at Salzburg Airport in Austria.

Bids from around the world were considered before the final calendar was decided. For the first time, Detroit will appear as the second city in America to host a round of the 2008 World Series. Spain will also host a race. In addition Rotterdam is back on the calendar after a successful Red Bull Air Race in the Dutch city in 2005.

Ten cities in all will make up the 2008 Red Bull Air Race World Series calendar with the traditional season opener in Abu Dhabi on the 10th and 11th of April. The remaining cities, who all hosted a round in 2007, are San Diego, London, Budapest, Porto and Perth. ...

In 2007, there were four million spectators at the 10 races held worldwide and over 400 million on television. ...

http://www.redbullairrace.com/news.php?id=153&lang=en

FAA Budget Request Provides Important Investment for NextGen System

2008-02-11T00:25:00.000-05:00

AIA Press Release
February 7, 2008

Arlington, Va. - Federal Aviation Administration funding in the administration's budget request includes significant increases in facilities and equipment, NextGen systems and research investment -- positive steps for the expanding needs of our air travel system, AIA President and CEO Marion Blakey said.

The request for fiscal 2009 includes a three-fold increase funding for development and implementation of the Next Generation Air Transportation System, known as NextGen. Implementation of this advanced, satellite-based system is vital to meeting the demand for passenger capacity that is expected to increase by 31 percent by 2015, making the higher funding levels extremely important, Blakey said.

FAA's overall request is for $14.6 billion. Part of that figure is $688 million for NextGen, a needed increase from the $212 million in fiscal 2008. ...

http://www.aia-aerospace.org/aianews/pr_detail.cfm?Content_ID=630

Microsoft ESP Debuts as a Platform for Visual Simulation

2008-02-11T00:17:00.000-05:00

The new platform brings immersive games-based technology to training and learning, decision support, and R&D modeling for military and commercial aviation organizations.

Microsoft Press Release (updated)
February 7, 2008

REDMOND, Wash. Microsoft Corp. today announced plans for a new visual-simulation platform, Microsoft ESP, available in January 2008. Microsoft ESP enables the innovative use of visual simulation for immersive learning and decision-making, supports PC-based commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) hardware and software, and enables simulations to be built faster and more cost-effectively. Simulations built on the Microsoft ESP platform will help government, commercial and academic organizations apply immersive games-based technology and interactive learning experiences to improve work-force readiness and increase operational excellence.

Capitalizing on years of investment in the Microsoft Flight Simulator franchise, Microsoft ESP allows partners and developers to focus on creating compelling and differentiated Windows-based solutions that go beyond entertainment and are consistent with the industry’s move toward serious games and games-based learning as training tools. The initial version of the platform focuses on Microsoft’s established strength and expertise in aviation capabilities and is targeted to military and commercial aviation audiences. Future versions of Microsoft ESP will expand beyond aviation into ground and maritime operations, indoor and avatar-centric simulations for commercial, government and academic learning opportunities. ...

http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2007/nov07/11-14ESPDebutPR.mspx

Airbus foresees demand for some 24,300 aircraft in the next 20 years

2008-02-11T00:10:00.000-05:00

Airbus Press Release
February 7, 2008

According to its latest Global Market Forecast, Airbus foresees a demand for some 24,300 new passenger and freighter aircraft valued at US$ 2.8 trillion between now and 2026. This will create an average annual delivery of some 1,215 aircraft, up from the previously forecast 1,130 average deliveries in the last GMF. Demand will drive the need for more fuel and eco-efficient airliners to cope with traffic growth and the need to replace older generation less efficient aircraft. By 2026, the fuel burn of the average world fleet is expected to be at three litres per 100 passenger kilometres, or what the A380 already delivers today. ...

http://www.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/08_02_07_airbus_forecast_2008.html

Current status of NASA-sponsored space and aeronautics prizes

2008-02-06T19:55:00.001-05:00

From a recent public email sent out by our friend Ken Davidian at NASA HQ...
February 6, 2008

"Below is summary status of all the Centennial Challenges competitions as of today... a lot of the information is coming from my memory, so if I made a mistake in the total purse amount or the competition dates, I'll say "I'm sorry" ahead of time...

Competition: 2008 Regolith Excavation Challenge
Allied Organization (AO): California Space Education and Workforce Institute (CSEWI)
AO URL: www.csewi.org
AO Point of Contact: Matt Everingham, Nick Pelster
Total 2008 Purse: $750,000
Event Dates: August 2-4, 2008
Event Location: University of California, San Luis Obispo
Challenge URL: www.csewi.org/regolith
Competition Status: Registration open.
Other Information: A Request For Information has been issued toadvertise the availability of the "sandbox" that holds the JSC-1a (lunar regolith simulant) for teams or any interested entity.

Competition: MoonROx Challenge
Allied Organization (AO): California Space Education and Workforce Institute (CSEWI)
AO URL: www.csewi.org
AO Point of Contact: Matt Everingham, Nick Pelster
Total 2008 Purse: $1,000,000
Event Dates: Expires June 1, 2009
Event Location: Determined by competing team.
Challenge URL: moonrox.csewi.org
Competition Status: Registration open.

Competition: 2008 General Aviation Technology Challenge
Allied Organization (AO): Comparative Aircraft Flight EfficiencyFoundation (CAFE)
AO URL: www.cafefoundation.org
AO Point of Contact: Dr. Brien Seeley
Total 2008 Purse: $300,000
Event Dates: August 2-10, 2008
Event Location: CAFE's Flight Test Center in Santa Rosa, California
Challenge URL: www.cafefoundation.org/v2/pav_home.php
Competition Status: Registration open.

Competition: 2008 Beam Power Challenge
Allied Organization (AO): Spaceward Foundation
AO URL: www.spaceward.org
AO Point of Contact: Ben Shelef
Total 2008 Purse: $2,000,000
Event Dates: TBD
Event Location: TBD
Challenge URL: www.spaceward.org/elevator2010-pb
Competition Status: Registration open.

Competition: 2008 Tether Challenge
Allied Organization (AO): Spaceward Foundation
AO URL: www.spaceward.org
AO Point of Contact: Ben Shelef
Total 2008 Purse: $2,000,000
Event Dates: TBD
Event Location: TBD
Challenge URL: www.spaceward.org/elevator2010-ts
Competition Status: Registration open.

Competition: 2008 Astronaut Glove Challenge
Allied Organization (AO): Volanz Aerospace/Spaceflight America
AO URL: www.spaceflightamerica.orgAO
Point of Contact: Dr. Alan Hayes
Total 2008 Purse: $400,000
Event Dates: TBD
Event Location: TBD
Challenge URL: www.astronaut-glove.us (needs to be updated)
Competition Status: Rules revision underway. Registration not yet open.

Competition: 2008 Lunar Lander Challenge
Allied Organization (AO): X PRIZE Foundation
AO URL: www.xprize.org
AO Point of Contact: Will Pomerantz
Total 2008 Purse: $2,000,000
Event Dates: TBD
Event Location: TBD
Challenge URL: space.xprize.org/lunar-lander-challenge
Competition Status: Rules revision underway. Registration not yet open.

Aircraft engine MRO market will expand, experts say

2008-02-06T17:54:00.000-05:00

SOURCE: Flight International
January 21, 2008

Among manufacturers, airlines and independents, who maintains the most engines in the air transport market? The answer, according to Flight's ACAS database, depends on the thrust sector.

The extent to which original equipment manufacturers control the aftermarket, airlines perform maintenance in-house and third-party providers carve out shares of this business is different in the regional jet, narrowbody and widebody markets.

Engines are a large and growing part of the air transport maintenance, repair and overhaul market. MRO consultancy Aerostrategy has forecast that the fleet will grow from 40,000 engines in 2005 to 57,000 by 2015. ...

Over the same 10-year period, Aerostrategy has forecast, engines will grow from 35% to 38% of the overall air transport MRO market, the value increasing from $13.3 billion in 2005 to a projected $20.9 billion in 2015.

ACAS data shows how the engine maintenance market breaks down. The engines are grouped into three thrust sectors: below 18,000lb (80kN) 18,000-35,000lb and above 35,000lb. These broadly correspond to the three major sectors of the air transport market: regional, narrowbody and widebody. ...

http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2008/01/21/220963/mro-special-inside-the-engine-market.html

Plans for space hotel may bring jobs to Brevard

2008-02-06T17:41:00.000-05:00

BY TODD HALVORSON, FLORIDA TODAY
February 6, 2008

CAPE CANAVERAL - A start-up company planning a space hotel is considering launching crew and cargo from Cape Canaveral starting in late 2011. ...

Bigelow intends to build a commercial complex in low Earth orbit that would be visited by space tourists, scientific researchers and perhaps astronauts from countries that would like to become space-faring nations.

The company already has designed, fabricated and launched two pathfinder spacecraft, Genesis 1 and Genesis 2. The prototype habitat modules were launched from Russia in 2006 and 2007. ...

Bigelow plans to launch six missions in its first year of operation. The first two would haul up the building blocks for a modular complex that would support a crew of three. Four more would carry crews and supplies to the embryonic commercial outpost.

"After that, we're expecting our launch rate to double," Gold said.

Twelve missions would launch crews and cargoes to the complex in 2013 and 2014, and by the fourth year of operations, Gold said the company would be launching 18 missions a year. ...

http://www.floridatoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080206/NEWS02/802060354/1007

FAA FY 2009 Budget Provides Needed Boost to "NextGen" Air Traffic Control System

2008-02-06T04:45:00.000-05:00

Aerospace Industries Association Press Release
February 5, 2008

ARLINGTON, Va., Feb. 5 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The administration's FAA budget request for fiscal 2009 provides a major step forward in air transportation modernization, and Congress should support the effort, AIA President and CEO Marion Blakey said.

The request significantly increases funding for development and implementation of the Next Generation Air Transportation System, known as NextGen. The increase will go largely to advanced satellite-based air traffic management technologies like Automatic Dependent Surveillance --Broadcast, or ADS-B. ...

http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/02-05-2008/0004750161&EDATE=

Virgin Galactic's White Knight II to roll out in May

2008-02-06T04:38:00.000-05:00

By Rob Coppinger, FlightGlobal.com
January 29, 2008

Virgin Galactic expects Scaled Composites to roll out its SpaceShipTwo (SS2) carrier aircraft White Knight II (WK2) in early May for ground tests. Construction of the four-engine, twin-fuselage prototype is 80% complete at Scaled's Mojave, California facility, said Virgin Galactic at the New York unveiling of SS2 and WK2 on 23 January.

The WK2 will have an all-carbonfibre airframe with a 42.7m (140ft) wingspan, 23.7m overall length and a tail height of 4.5m. Powered by four Pratt & Whitney Canada PW308 turbofans, the aircraft will have a range, carrying its SS2 payload, of more than 4,200km (2,270nm). ...

http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2008/01/29/221169/virgin-galactics-white-knight-ii-to-roll-out-in-may.html

Rocket Racing League begins construction of hangars

2008-02-06T04:33:00.000-05:00

By Jose L. Medina Sun-News reporter
January 15, 2008

LAS CRUCES -- City and league officials put shovels to the ground and then set their eyes toward the sky Monday as the Rocket Racing League broke ground on the first of its facilities at Las Cruces International Airport.

The ceremony is the first of several major announcements the "NASCAR in the sky" league will make in the coming months "and you can hold me to that," said league CEO Granger Whitelaw. ...

http://www.lcsun-news.com/fastsearchresults/ci_7972622?IADID=Search-www.lcsun-news.com-www.lcsun-news.com

Bigelow, ULA continue plans for private space station

2008-02-05T06:45:00.000-05:00

by Brian Berger, Space News Staff Writer
SPACE.com
February 4, 2008

WASHINGTON -- Bigelow Aerospace officials said Feb. 1 they are making progress in their negotiations with United Launch Alliance for six initial launches for their planned commercial space station, starting around 2011.

Subsequently the company hopes to conduct as many as a dozen launches per year as the new facility becomes fully operational.

Bigelow Aerospace and Denver-based United Launch Alliance (ULA) have been working together for over a year studying what it would take to human-rate the Atlas 5 rocket. Industry sources said Bigelow Aerospace is ready to place an order that includes six launches starting in 2011 to begin assembly and early operation of the new station. ..

http://news.yahoo.com/s/space/20080204/sc_space/bigelowaerospacewantsatlas5rocketsfornewspacestation

Tata Capital picks up stake in Quikjet Cargo

2008-02-04T23:46:00.000-05:00

(Article reprinted from domain-b.com news service)
28 January 2008

Mumbai: The Tata Group has picked up a stake in Bangalore-based cargo airline Quikjet Cargo, according to a media report citing unidentified sources. Quikjet is due to start operations in April.

The Tata Group has a 6 per cent stake in New Delhi-based low-cost airline, SpiceJet Ltd.

According to the report, Tata Capital Ltd, the Tata group's private equity arm and a wholly owned subsidiary of Tata Sons Ltd, the group's holding company, picked up the stake though the report was unable to pin down either the size or the value of the stake. ...

http://www.domain-b.com/aero/airlines/20080128_quikjet.html

India's Jet Airways to raise $800 million over the next 5-6 months

2008-02-04T23:43:00.000-05:00

(Reprinted article from domain-b.com news service)
29 January 2008

Mumbai: India's leading private carrier, Jet Airways Ltd, expects to launch its rights issue sometime over the next couple of months. The $400 million rights issue was put on hold last year.

Jet, which on Monday reported a net loss of Rs911 million ($23 million) in the Oct-Dec quarter, as against a profit of Rs400 million a year ago, also said it would raise a further $400 million from a share placement with institutional investors.

http://www.domain-b.com/aero/airlines/20080129_jet.html

Virgin in talks for launch of airline in Russia

2008-02-04T23:38:00.002-05:00

(Reprinted article from domain-b.com news service)
01 February 2008

Moscow: Virgin Group chairman Richard Branson has said that talks are on with a potential Russian partner about launching an airline in the Russian market.

Addressing a news conference in Moscow on the sidelines of an investor conference, Branson said, "Now is the time for Virgin to come to Russia."

"We are in discussions with a Russian partner," he said. "We will announce in three months who that partner will be." ...

http://www.domain-b.com/companies/companies_v/virgin_group/20080201_virgin.html

500 airports for India by 2020

2008-02-04T23:33:00.000-05:00

(Reprinted article from domain-b.com news service)
04 February 2008

Mumbai: As per to the Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation (CAPA), India's Civil Aviation Ministry has even more aggressive plans than the Chinese, who themselves have aggressive plans to develop 43 new airports by the end of 2010, for a total of 190, increasing to 244 by 2020.

The Indian Civil Aviation Ministry has an aim of 500 operational airports by 2020, including the redevelopment of currently unused airports and development of greenfield airports and so-called 'merchant' (dedicated cargo/logistics) airports.

India presently has 448 airports, including small landing strips, although only 80 airports in the country currently handle scheduled services (up from 60 in Mar 2006). Of these airports, 136 belong to defence establishments and agencies, 156 to state governments and 63 to the private sector.

Unlike China, where just 60 per cent of the population lives within 100 km of an airport, in India, virtually every district has an airport (includes landing strips) and can, in theory, be connected by air. This fact was one of the drivers of the optimism with which low cost carriers (LCCs) established in India. ...

http://www.domain-b.com/aero/airports/20080204_capa.html