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LOS ANGELES (AP) — U.S. aerospace company Stratolaunch conducted the first powered test flight of a new unmanned craft for hypersonic research on Saturday and called it a success. Hypersonic describes flights at speeds of at least Mach 5, or five times the speed of sound. The Talon, powered by a liquid-fuel rocket engine, ended its flight by descending into the ocean as planned. The company called the result a major milestone in the development of the United States' first privately funded, reusable hypersonic test capability. That project was canceled, and new owners then repurposed Stratolaunch for launches of reusable hypersonic research vehicles.

Persons: Stratolaunch, Zachary Krevor, ” Krevor, Roc, Paul G, Allen Organizations: ANGELES, —, Mojave Air, Space, Microsoft, U.S . Air Force Research Laboratory Locations: — U.S, California, United States, Los Angeles, Reston , Virginia

JoeBen Bevirt is an evangelist for the new industry and the founder and CEO of Joby Aviation Inc., which delivered its first eVTOL to the Air Force last month. What will you learn from how the Air Force uses it? There will certainly be valuable learnings and the operational experience, the feedback from the Air Force pilots to the FAA flight-test pilots. Q. Joby announced in September that you’re going to build a $500 million production facility in Dayton, Ohio, with up to $325 million in state and local incentives. You’ve got Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, which is the home of the Air Force Research Laboratory and AFWERX (the Air Force’s technology-innovation program).

Persons: Bevirt, We’ve, Davis, that’s, we’ve, don’t, Joby, you’re, Wright, You’ve Organizations: Joby Aviation Inc, Air Force, Toyota, Associated Press, University of California, Joby Aviation, Federal Aviation Administration, FAA, NTSB, National Transportation Safety, Patterson Air Force Base, Air Force Research Laboratory, Boeing, Airbus Locations: Santa Cruz , California, California, Dayton , Ohio, Dayton, Ohio, Joby

☆ The US Air Force's plan to give its biggest planes new missions has gotten China's attention
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-22 | by ( Christopher Woody | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

US Air Force officials say they're pursuing a plan to drop "palletized effects" from cargo planes. Minihan said "palletized effects" could include much more than just "kinetic effects" like missiles. There's other kinetic effects, non-kinetic effects, jammers, that if it can fit in the back and can be air-launched" then it could be employed to deliver "decisive effects," Bauernfeind said. "When it comes to palletized effects, I'm not looking for big modifications. AdvertisementAdvertisementA palletized effects system in the air during a live-fire test in Norway in November 2022.

Persons: It's, Brandon Esau, Mike Minihan, Minihan, Tony Bauernfeind, Bauernfeind, Brandon Esau Minihan, Derek Solen, Solen, Brigette, Brigette Waltermire Solen Organizations: US Air Force, Service, Air Force, Air Force Research Laboratory, Air Force Special, Command, Air Mobility Command, Staff, Air and Space Forces, Washington DC, Air Force Special Operations Command, China National Defense, PLA, Communist, Military Commission, US Air, China Aerospace Studies, Science, US Air National Guard / Tech Locations: Wall, Silicon, China, Florida, Norwegian, Norway

☆ Why NASA's Artemis program is the only moon-return mission since Apollo to survive 2 successive US presidents and our best chance of actually returning humans to the lunar surface
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-19 | by ( Mariel Borowitz | The Conversation | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

The Artemis program marks the first time since the Apollo program that an effort to send humans to the moon has been supported by two successive US presidents. Some, like Japan-based iSpace and US-based Astrobotic, are developing commercial lunar landers and have plans to eventually collect lunar resources, such as water or minerals. Just as the United States is leveraging commercial developments, the US is working with international partners, as well. The United States is also seeking international support for the Artemis Accords, a set of principles for responsible lunar exploration and development. It's worth noting that China's lunar program also emphasizes international engagement.

Persons: it's, Artemis, Christina Hammock Koch, Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Jeremy Hansen, Wang Yaping, Gene Kim, Bill Nelson Organizations: Service, NASA, European Space Agency, SpaceX, Companies, Canadian Space Agency, United Nations, US Space Force, Air Force Research Laboratory, Oracle, Military, Artemis Accords, United, United Arab Emirates, Lunar Research Locations: China, Wall, Silicon, Japan, United States, Soviet, Europe, Canada, United Kingdom, Rwanda, Nigeria, United Arab, India, Russia, Sweden, France, Italy, Pakistan, United Arab Emirates

☆ Layoffs hit Colorado space companies as funding remains tight
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-09 | by ( Michael Sheetz | In Michaeljsheetz | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

A pair of Colorado space companies laid off employees this past week, seeking to adapt to the new normal of a tight funding environment. The layoffs came at Ursa Major, which makes rocket engines, and Orbit Fab, a startup aiming to provide refueling services to spacecraft. An Ursa Major spokesperson confirmed to CNBC that the company restructured, but declined to specify the number of layoffs made. In a statement, Ursa Major said the job reductions are "realigning our workforce to better meet the needs of our national security customers." TechCrunch first reported the Ursa Major layoffs.

Persons: Major, Adam Harris, Harris, Ursa Major Organizations: Ripley, Ursa, Ursa Major, CNBC, Space Capital, Air Force Research Laboratory, Astra, Space Force, Space Agency, TechCrunch Locations: Colorado, Berthoud , Colorado, Lafayette , Colorado

☆ The US military has 6 new air-to-air missiles in the works
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-15 | by ( Alex Hollings | Sandboxx News | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +16 min

The US military has at least six new air-to-air missiles in active development. The US's current air-to-air missiles are effective, but they aren't designed for the newest US jets. Russia and China are fielding missiles with incredible rangeChinese-made PL-9C, left, and PL-5E air-to-air missiles at the Airshow China exhibition in November 2000. Peregrine Air-to-Air missileRaytheon's Peregine air-to-air missile has actually been around for a few years already. Modular Advanced Missile (MAM)The Modular Advanced Missile (MAM) is among the newest additions to this list.

☆ The US military let artificial intelligence fly a fighter jet and even battle simulated enemies in air-to-air combat
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-15 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

A recent series of US military tests saw AI fly a fighter jet and battle simulated enemies. The modified jet practiced beyond-visual-range engagements and dogfighting, the 412th Test Wing revealed. It can be piloted by autonomous AI programs and mirror the flight characteristics of aircraft like the F-16 jet or MQ-20 drone. One of the two programs tested by the US military was a product of the Air Force Research Laboratory's Autonomous Air Combat Operations, or AACO. This program piloted the VISTA in one-on-one engagements against a simulated enemy beyond visual range, the 412th Test Wing said.

☆ A US plan to drop bombs from cargo planes hit another milestone, but the Air Force is still figuring out how it would use it in a war
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-30 | by ( Christopher Woody | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

US Air Force special operators launched a cruise missile from a cargo plane over Norway this month. The Air Force wants to have more planes that can launch long-range strikes, but there are logistical hurdles. US Air Force personnel load a Rapid Dragon deployment system on an MC-130J before a test in November 2021. Air Force Research Laboratory"The beauty of that capability is it doesn't require any aircraft modifications. We are intentionally trying to be provocative without being escalatory," said Melnicoff, Special Operations Command Europe's lead officer for Operation Atreus.

☆ The Pentagon says it's testing Elon Musk's Starlink in the Arctic, which could help connect US troops
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-15 | by ( Kate Duffy | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

The US military is testing Elon Musk's SpaceX Starlink in the Arctic, per Bloomberg. An Air Force engineer said the Pentagon demonstrated Starlink on a moving vehicle in Alaska. Over the last two weeks, the Pentagon has used Elon Musk's Starlink on a moving vehicle in Alaska, Beal said in a statement to Bloomberg. He expected 240 more Starlink satellites to be launched in the next six months, per the report. Beal told Bloomberg the Pentagon was set to review whether the Arctic's harsh environment had an impact on Starlink's performance.

☆ US Air Force special operators turned cargo planes into bombers. Now they're showing other militaries how it's done.
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-13 | by ( Christopher Woody | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

One effort involving Air Force Special Operations Command is modifying cargo planes to drop bombs. Other air forces could easily deploy those weapons from their cargo planes, the head of AFSOC said. A major part of that effort has been repurposing its largest aircraft, cargo planes and tankers, for other missions. Brandon EsauThe Air Force has been contemplating how to deploy more firepower with its existing fleet for nearly a decade. US Air Force Special Operations CommandAFSOC is looking to add other capabilities to its MC-130s as well.

☆ We found at least 25 ex-Gaetz staffers who don't mention the congressman by name on their LinkedIn page
▼ + stars: | 2021-06-20 | by ( Robin Bravender | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

Gaetz's name is absent from McFaul's LinkedIn page, too, where he describes his duties during that time working as a chief of staff for an unnamed "congressman." At least 25 of Gaetz's former congressional staffers don't mention the Republican congressman by name on their LinkedIn pages, according to an Insider analysis. McFaul declined to comment about why Gaetz's name wasn't on his LinkedIn page or his Ballard bio page. She also worked for Miller, Gaetz's congressional predecessor, but doesn't name him on her LinkedIn page, either. Drew Angerer/Getty Images'Riding the wave'Some current and former Gaetz staffers continue to publicize their work for the congressman.

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