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The flight marks a decisive moment for Virgin Galactic Holding Inc (SPCE.N), the space tourism venture founded by British billionaire Richard Branson in 2004, as it inaugurates commercial service following several years fraught with development setbacks. Rounding out the crew was their Virgin Galactic trainer, Colin Bennett, the company's lead "astronaut instructor," and Unity's two pilots, Michael Masucci and Nicola Pecile. A final crewed test flight to space was conducted with little fanfare five weeks ago. Virgin Galactic has said it has already booked a backlog of some 800 customers, charging from $250,000 to $450,000 per seat, and envisions eventually building a large enough fleet to accommodate 400 flights annually. An earlier prototype of the Virgin Galactic rocket plane crashed during a test flight over California's Mojave Desert in 2014, killing one pilot and seriously injuring another.

Persons: Richard Branson, Jeff Bezos's, Elon Musk's, Walter Villadei, Angelo Landolfi, Pantaleone, Colin Bennett, Michael Masucci, Nicola Pecile, Branson, Bezos, Shepard rocketship, Jose Luis Gonzalez, Steve Gorman, Will Dunham Organizations: Virgin Galactic, National Research Council, Italy, Virgin Galactic Holding Inc, Virgin, Elon Musk's SpaceX, Italian Air Force, VSS Unity, International Space, Air Force, America, Unity, NASA, U.S . Air Force, Thomson Locations: New Mexico, Italy, British, Italian, Los Angeles

Virgin Galactic leases part of the facility. The flight marked a long-delayed breakthrough for Virgin Galactic Holding Inc (SPCE.N), finally inaugurating commercial service after nearly 20 years fraught by development setbacks. Virgin Galactic said Unity topped out its flight at an altitude of nearly 52.9 miles (85.1 km). A final crewed test flight to space was conducted with little fanfare five weeks ago. An earlier prototype of the Virgin Galactic rocket plane crashed during a test flight over California's Mojave Desert in 2014, killing one pilot and seriously injuring another.

Persons: Richard Branson, Joe, Branson, Burt Rutan, Jeff Bezos's, Elon Musk's, Walter Villadei, Angelo Landolfi, Pantaleone, Colin Bennett, Michael Masucci, Nicola Pecile, Bezos, Shepard rocketship, Jose Luis Gonzalez, Steve Gorman, Will Dunham, Nick Zieminski Organizations: Virgin, REUTERS, Virgin Galactic, National Research Council, VSS Unity, America, Galactic, Virgin Galactic Holding Inc, . Virgin, Elon Musk's SpaceX, Italian Air Force, International Space, Air Force, Unity, NASA, U.S . Air Force, Thomson Locations: New Mexico, U.S, Italy, Mexico, Italian, Los Angeles

☆ Virgin Galactic launches first paying customers to the edge of space
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-29 | by ( Jackie Wattles | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

CNN —Virgin Galactic, the venture founded by British billionaire Richard Branson, successfully launched its first paying customers to the edge of space — a milestone two decades in the making. (Future Virgin Galactic flights, however, are expected to include a range of high-profile customers.) Bennett’s role was to assess the comfort and function of the flight, using that information to inform future changes Virgin Galactic might make to its rocket-powered space plane, VSS Unity. Organizations such as NASA have routinely flown experiments on suborbital rockets, including Virgin Galactic and Blue Origin missions. In a tragic 2014 accident, Virgin Galactic’s space plane broke apart during flight, killing the mission’s copilot, Michael Alsbury.

Persons: Richard Branson, Virgin Galactic’s, Jeff Bezos’s, Walter Villadei, Angelo Landolfi, Colin Bennett, Pantaleone, Branson, Burt Rutan, Paul Allen, Hamish Harding, Michael Alsbury, — Organizations: CNN, Virgin Galactic, Italian Air Force, Virgin, SpaceX, Italy’s National Research Council, Branson, VSS, VSS Unity, NASA, International, National Research Council, Microsoft, Galactic, OceanGate, Scaled Composites, Origin, Congress, Federal Aviation Administration, FAA Locations: British, New Mexico, United States

Virgin Galactic leases part of the facility. The flight marked a long-delayed breakthrough for Virgin Galactic Holding Inc (SPCE.N), finally inaugurating commercial service after nearly 20 years of fraught by development setbacks. Rounding out the crew was their Virgin Galactic trainer, Colin Bennett, the company's lead "astronaut instructor," and Unity's two pilots, Michael Masucci and Nicola Pecile. Virgin Galactic said Unity topped out its flight at an altitude of nearly 52.9 miles (85.1 km). An earlier prototype of the Virgin Galactic rocket plane crashed during a test flight over California's Mojave Desert in 2014, killing one pilot and seriously injuring another.

The flight, dubbed Galactic 01, comes two years after Branson himself rode along with five other Virgin Galactic Holdings Inc (SPCE.N) personnel for the company's first fully crewed test spaceflight of its rocket plane, VSS Unity. Back then, Virgin Galactic officials said they expected to begin regular commercial operations in 2022 following additional test flights. Virgin Galactic had projected booking its first 1,000 paying customers, charging about $250,000 per seat, by the time commercial service opened. An earlier prototype of Virgin Galactic's rocket plane crashed during a test flight over California's Mojave Desert in 2014, killing one pilot and seriously injuring another. Billionaire rival Jeff Bezos, whose astro-tourist venture Blue Origin has already flown several commercial passenger flights, has disparaged Virgin Galactic as falling short of a true spaceflight experience.

Persons: Richard Branson, Joe Skipper, Branson, Walter Villadei, Angelo Landolfi, Pantaleone, Colin Bennett, Michael Masucci, Nicola Pecile, Branson's, Jeff Bezos, Virgin, Shepard rocketship, Jose Luis Gonzalez, Steve Gorman, Will Dunham Organizations: Virgin, Unity, REUTERS, Virgin Galactic, National Research Council, Virgin Galactic Holdings Inc, VSS, Galactic, SpaceX, Origin, Italian Air Force, International Space, Air Force, . Air Force, America, Corporate, NASA, U.S . Air Force, Thomson Locations: New Mexico, U.S, Italy, Mexico, Italian, Branson, Bezos, Los Angeles

☆ Putin says he hopes Prigozhin and his Wagner mercenaries 'didn't steal much' of the billions Russia spent on them
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-27 | by ( Ryan Pickrell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Putin revealed on Tuesday Russia spent billions on Yevgeny Prigozhin and his mercenaries. He then said that he hopes "no one stole anything — or, let's say, didn't steal much." Putin's comment seems to suggest some theft is expected, highlighting the state of corruption in Russia. He didn't call out his long-time ally Prigozhin by name though. "I hope that in the course of this work, no one stole anything — or, let's say, didn't steal much," the Russian president said, according to a translation from The Times.

Persons: Putin, Yevgeny Prigozhin, —, Vladimir Putin, Wagner, Prigozhin, Sergei Shoigu, Valery Gerasimov, Alexei Navalny, Gleb Irisov Organizations: Russia, Service, Moscow, Russian Ministry of Defense, Wagner, The New York Times, The Times, Kremlin, Putin, Times Locations: Russia, Moscow, Ukraine, Bakhmut, Concord, Russian

☆ A European jet startup wants to fly people from New York to London in 90 minutes using a hypersonic jet. See what the plane could look like.
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-25 | by ( Taylor Rains | Pete Syme | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

European startup Destinus is designing a series of ultra-speedy aircraft capable of reaching Mach 5. Models "Destinus S" and "Destinus L" could connect cities like New York and London in just 90 minutes. The world has not seen a supersonic aircraft since the demise of the Concorde in 2003. One of the most well-known is Colorado-based Boom Supersonic, which is making progress on its Overture jet. However, there are a few other companies hoping to create an even faster aircraft that can outrun the Overture and the Concorde, including European aircraft manufacturing startup Destinus.

Persons: hasn't Organizations: Concorde, United Airlines, American Airlines, Paris Air Show Locations: New York, London, Colorado

☆ Boom Supersonic is building its own engine after major manufacturers refused to help. Here's what we know about Symphony, which will power the super-speedy Overture jet.
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-21 | by ( Pete Syme | Taylor Rains | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Last December, it decided to make its own engine after engine manufacturers refused to help. Now its Symphony engine will be made with the help of FTT, GE Additive, and StandardAero. Sustainable aviation fuel is made from sources like cooking oil and waste, and can reduce carbon emissions by up to 80% compared to traditional jet fuel. The company is aiming to be net zero by 2025, and Scholl said using sustainable aviation fuel is key to this. Boom's Symphony engine.

Persons: —, Blake Scholl, Scholl, Pete Syme, Boom, Royce Organizations: Supersonic, GE, Morning, Paris Air, SAF, FAA, United Airlines, American Airlines Locations: New York, London, Florida

☆ The future of travel: 10 concepts that will change the way we experience the world
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-20 | by ( Kate Springer | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +22 min

Concepts that feel plucked from sci-fi novels and films are quickly making their way into mainstream travel, shaping every step of the journey. Seamus PayneLike air travel, eco-conscious hotels are paving the way for more sustainable travel in the future. HyperloopTTUS entrepreneur Elon Musk has been talking about hyperloop technology – an ultra-high-speed transport system in a low-pressure vacuum tube – for years. Meanwhile, Toronto-based TransPod hopes to bring hyperloop technology to Canada with its eponymous tube-based transportation system powered by renewable energy. By 2025, the company plans to build a 620-mile-per-hour TransPod link between Calgary and Edmonton, connecting the two cities in 45 minutes.

Persons: Elijah Nouvelage, Indira Gandhi, Paris Charles de Gaulle, Austin Farmer, we’ll, don’t, David ”, you’ll, Alexander the Great, ” Michael Breer, KAWS, collectables –, Breer, ” Breer, You’ve, ” Jetson, Peter Ternstrom, Apollo, Cruise, ”, what’s, Boom’s, –, Seamus Payne, room2, Marcel Breuer, Tesla, charades, Yusaku Maezawa, Elon Musk, hyperloop, Virgin Hyperloop, HyperloopTT, Hardt Hyperloop Organizations: CNN, Travel, Hartsfield, Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Bloomberg, Getty, Dubai International Airport, Hong Kong International Airport, Indira, Indira Gandhi International, European Union, Emirates, Dubai International, American Airlines, United, Delta, Bluetooth, Alaska Airlines, Lufthansa, Qatar Airways, Specterras Productions, CNN Travel, VR, Aircraft, Federal Aviation Administration, Baidu, Hyundai, Las, CNN Travel ., Alphabet Inc, Beta, International Civil Aviation Organization, Alice, DHL, Air New, Concorde, Japan Airlines, Bauhaus, CEH Technologies, Origin, SpaceX, International Space, NASA, Galactic, Space Training Academy, Nastar Center, Boring Company, Virgin, Hyperloop Transportation Technologies, China Morning Post, China Aerospace Science, Industry Corporation, European Hyperloop Center Locations: Singapore, Dubai, Tokyo Narita, Tokyo Haneda, Delhi, London Heathrow, Paris, Dutch, Europe, Florence, Palmyra, Machu Picchu, New York, Ehang, China, Boston, Las Vegas, Motional, Phoenix, San Francisco, Los Angeles, North America, Austin, Beijing, Chongqing, Wuhan, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Mexico, Air New Zealand, Denver, New York City, Frankfurt, LA, Sydney, London, New Haven , Connecticut, Hungarian, Norway, Red, Saudi Arabia, Amsterdam, Chicago, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Shanxi province, Netherlands, Toronto, Canada, Calgary, Edmonton

☆ How riding rockets going 4,000 mph into suborbital space could slash international flight times from 22 hours to 2
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-16 | by ( Kelly Burch | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

This idea of point-to-point rocket travel, however, could be uncomfortable and inconvenient. Space companies that are exploring the technologyWhile no one is going from Down Under to Big Ben in less than 24 hours these days, some space companies are already testing the technology needed for point-to-point rocket travel. No company has announced projected ticket prices for point-to-point rocket trips, but if other space travel is any indication they'll likely be super expensive. Currently, you can book a two-hour space flight with Virgin Galactic for $450,000. But he's not planning any future point-to-point rocket flights because it's not worth the hassle.

Persons: —, David Doughty, Admiral Jet, Doughty, Big Ben, Richard Branson, Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, Joe Cassady, there's, Thompson, Cassady, It's, he's Organizations: SpaceX, Service, Qantas, Rockets, Passengers, Virgin Galactic, Rocket, astronautics, US Air Force, NASA, Astronauts, Travelers Locations: London, Sydney, New York, Boca Chica , Texas, Mexico

☆ Yes, Dyson’s Supersonic Hair Dryer Is Actually Worth It
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-15 | by ( Tom Vanderbilt | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +3 min

By Tom VanderbiltI had, for the record, no interest in buying a $430 hair dryer. I had, in fact, no interest in buying a hair dryer at all. I thought, for a moment, it was a phone; then, given its placement next to the sink, I realized it was a hair dryer: the Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer. We live in an area with particularly hard water which, even after softening, sometimes leaves our hair looking a bit dull. But I didn’t really buy a hair dryer.

Persons: Tom Vanderbilt I, Vidal Sassoon, Toto, Marie Kondo, —, “, ”, Dyson Organizations: Microsoft, Dyson Locations: Tokyo

☆ Clandestine Ukrainian unit claims successes against Russian forces in Bakhmut
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-15 | by ( Sam Kiley | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Because Kyiv region, Chernihiv region, Sumy region are forested areas. An aerial view of a battle field with damaged Russian tanks near Bakhmut in the Donetsk region, Ukraine, Saturday, May 27, 2023. Brabus and his group, all former soldiers with specialist skills, coalesced around an ex-officer from the Ukrainian forces after Russia's invasion. He said that signals intelligence suggested that Russian units were being swapped over. Ukrainian Armed Forces/ReutersSince Brabus and his group were in Bakhmut, there appears to have been growing anarchy among Russian commanders.

Persons: Brabus, Vladimir Putin, ”, –, “, wasn’t, Yevgeny Prighozhin’s Wagner, He’s, Wagner Organizations: Eastern, Eastern Ukraine CNN, Russian Volunteer Force, Russia Legion, “, NATO, CNN, intel, Ukrainian Armed Forces, Reuters, Russian 72nd Brigade Locations: Eastern Ukraine, Russia, Ukraine, Kyiv, Chernihiv region, Sumy, balaclava, Bakhmut, Donetsk, Russian, “, Zaporizhzhia

CNN —The recovery of wreckage from a private plane that crashed Sunday in Virginia, killing all four people onboard, after its pilot became unresponsive is expected to begin Tuesday. The unresponsive aircraft prompted the deployment of six fighter jets as it flew near Washington, DC, officials said. Six F-16s were launched from three bases and raced to intercept the private plane, White House National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications John Kirby said Monday. Investigators are now examining the private plane’s autopilot function in the Virginia crash, a source familiar with the investigation said. Correction: An earlier version of this story gave the wrong source for information about the course taken by the private plane.

Persons: there’s, ” Adam Gerhardt, Gerhardt, John Rumpel, Barbara, Adina Azarian, Aria Azarian, Adina Azarian's, Facebook Rumpel, Rumpel, Jeff Hefner, Strategic Communications John Kirby, Randall K, Payne Stewart, Stewart, ”, Keller Williams, Lakhinder, Azarian, ” “ Adina, ” Keller Williams, Dan Newlin Hefner, Hefner, “, Dan Newlin, ” Hefner, Newlin Organizations: CNN, National Transportation Safety, Cessna, NTSB, Encore Motors, Washington Post, FAA, MacArthur, NORAD, National Security, Strategic Communications, Authorities, Washington, Southwest Airlines, Network, Continental, American Aerospace Defense Command, US Capitol Police Locations: Virginia, Washington, DC, Waynesboro , Virginia, Delaware, East Hampton , New York, Tennessee, Elizabethton , Tennessee, Aberdeen , South Dakota, Florida, Texas, NYC, ” Keller Williams ’, York, Continental US

☆ NORAD scrambled an F-16 to intercept an apparently wayward civilian business jet that flew over DC and later crashed
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-05 | by ( Associated Press | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The military jet caused a sonic boom while pursuing the small plane, which later crashed. It was not immediately clear why the plane was nonresponsive, why it crashed, or who was on board. The fighter jet caused a loud sonic boom across the capital region. A US official confirmed to The Associated Press the military jet had scrambled to respond to the small plane, which later crashed. The North American Aerospace Defense Command later said the F-16 was authorized to travel at supersonic speeds, which caused a sonic boom.

Persons: —, Long, Barbara Rumpel, Joe Biden, Joint Base Andrews, Anthony Guglielmi, Biden Organizations: Encore Motors, Melbourne Inc, Service, Federal Aviation Administration, Cessna, Long Island's MacArthur, Associated Press, North American Aerospace Defense Command, NORAD, Joint Base, US, White, DOD, Pentagon, DC Air National Guard Locations: Virginia, Elizabethtown , Tennessee, New, Long, Montebello , Virginia, St, Mary's, Melbourne , Florida, Maryland

☆ Virginia plane crash: First responders say aircraft left 'crater' with few recognizable pieces of wreckage
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-05 | by ( Elizabeth Wolfe Natasha Bertrand Haley Britzky Pete Muntean Brian Todd Lauren Koenig Lauren Mascarenhas Cnn | Elizabeth Wolfe | Natasha Bertrand | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

CNN —Four first responders who arrived at the scene of Sunday’s fatal private plane crash near Raphine, Virginia, told CNN the plane left a “crater,” and they believe it impacted the ground at a very steep angle. First responders said the crash site is amid steep, mountainous terrain that is difficult to reach on foot. We were obviously freaked out a little bit,” Chuck Martin, who felt the boom in Fairfax County, Virginia, told CNN affiliate WJLA. No survivors found in the wreckageSearch and rescue teams assemble before going to the site of Sunday's plane crash near Montebello, Virginia. John Rumpel, whose wife Barbara is listed as the president of the company, told CNN they own Encore.

Persons: ”, “, Chuck Martin, ‘, Sandy Abuarja, Ahreum Kindess, WBAL, Randall K, Wolf, Corinne Geller, John Rumpel, Barbara, Barbara Rumpel, John Rumpel’s, Rumpel, ” Barbara Rumpel, Joe Biden, Andrews, Biden Organizations: CNN, National Transportation Safety, New, MacArthur, Federal Aviation Administration, Virginia State Police, US Capitol Police, Cessna, Continental US, American Aerospace Defense Command, WJLA, DOD, WBAL, DC, George Washington National, “ NORAD, FAA, AP, Encore Motors, Inc, New York Times, National Capital, The U.S, Capitol, Andrews Air Force Base, Service, White Locations: Raphine , Virginia, ”, Virginia, Elizabethton , Tennessee, Washington, DC, Fairfax County , Virginia, Maryland, Gambrills , Maryland, “, George Washington National Forest , Virginia, State, Staunton, Montebello , Virginia, Melbourne, Florida, East Hampton , New York, North Carolina, The, Maryland’s

☆ The family of a Florida GOP megadonor was on board the private plane that sparked NORAD to scramble fighter jets before crashing
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-05 | by ( Kelly Mclaughlin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Millionaire John Rumpel said his family was aboard the plane that crashed in Virginia. The private jet flew over Washington DC — causing the military to scramble fighter jets — before crashing. Florida Today reported that Rumpel's wife, Barbara Rumpel, spoke about the plane crash on a Facebook post about a National Rifle Association-related event. The New York Post reported that Barbara and John Rumpel are longtime GOP supporters and made a $250,000 donation to the Trump Victory PAC in 2020. Barbara Rumpel is also an executive committee member of the NRA Women's Leadership Forum, the New York Post reported.

Persons: Millionaire John Rumpel, —, John Rumpel, Barbara Rumpel, Barbara Organizations: Washington DC, Service, GOP, North American Aerospace Defense Command, Encore Motors, Washington Post, New York Times, Cessna, Times, Florida Today, National Rifle Association, The New York Post, Trump Victory PAC, NRA, Leadership, New York Post, Federal Aviation Administration, Associated Press, National Transportation Safety Locations: Virginia, Florida, Washington, DC, Melbourne, East Hampton , New York, North Carolina, Brevard County , Florida

CNN —US F-16 fighter jets caused a sonic boom across the Washington, DC, region Sunday as they scrambled to reach an unresponsive aircraft that ultimately crashed in Virginia, officials said. The civilian aircraft, a Cessna 560 Citation V, was intercepted by the NORAD jets around 3:20 p.m. and ultimately crashed near the George Washington National Forest in Virginia. “The pilot was unresponsive and the Cessna subsequently crashed near the George Washington National Forest, Virginia,” the release said. The aircraft crashed into a mountainous terrain in a “sparsely populated area”, according to FAA. “This afternoon, our officials were working closely with our federal partners to monitor an unresponsive pilot who was flying an airplane near the National Capital Region.

Persons: “, Joe Biden, Biden, Anthony Guglielmi Organizations: CNN, Federal Aviation Administration, Continental US, American Aerospace Defense Command, Cessna, NORAD, George Washington National Forest, George Washington National, “ NORAD, Virginia State Police, State, National Transportation Safety, Twitter, National Capital, DC Homeland Security, Emergency Management, FAA, Elizabethton Municipal, MacArthur, Capitol Hill, US Capitol Police, The U.S, Capitol, Service, Andrews Air Force Base, Andrews, White Locations: Washington, DC, Virginia, George Washington National Forest , Virginia, Staunton, Blue, Virginia Sunday, Elizabethton , Tennessee, New York, The, Maryland

☆ Virgin Galactic launches high-stakes flight carrying passengers to the edge of space
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-25 | by ( Jackie Wattles | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

The space plane is designed to then detach from the mothership, fire its rocket engine and swoop straight up with its two pilots at the controls. Virgin Galactic confirmed just before 12:30 p.m. The space plane then coasted back to a landing back at New Mexico’s Spaceport America. The SpaceShipOne technology was parlayed into a larger space plane design, called SpaceShipTwo, which Virgin Galactic still flies today. Virgin Orbit, a sister company to Virgin Galactic that is focused on launching satellites to space on a small rocket, filed for bankruptcy in April.

☆ The stealth F-22 Raptor's days are numbered, and the Air Force is officially looking for designs for the fighter jet's next-gen replacement
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-18 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The Air Force is officially seeking designs for the next-gen fighter to replace the F-22 Raptor. "We will lose that edge if we don't move forward now," Frank Kendall, Air Force secretary, said. "No one does this better than the US Air Force, but we will lose that edge if we don't move forward now." There are two of these sixth-generation projects currently underway, one for the Air Force and the other for the Navy. The Air Force has pushed for the retirement of some earlier F-22s, but it has received pushback from Congress.

☆ Charm gets $53 million to turn corn leftovers into oil and inject it into abandoned oil and gas wells
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-18 | by ( Catherine Clifford | In Catclifford | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +10 min

The 112,000 tons of carbon dioxide that Charm will remove is more than ten times the total quantity of carbon dioxide that has been removed so far with human techniques. "It's sort of a brilliant, but accidental, discovery," Reinhardt told CNBC. "It's a little it's a little odd or unusual, but uniquely American, in that we're basically pumping barbecue sauce into old oil and gas wells," Reinhardt told CNBC. There are about 2 million abandoned oil and gas wells in the U.S., and owner-operators are eager to find another use for them, Reinhardt told CNBC. We will run out of waste biomass long before we before we exhaust the subsurface capacity," Reinhardt told CNBC.

☆ What Is the F-16 Fighter Jet and Why Does Ukraine Want It?
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-18 | by ( Lara Jakes | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

British and Dutch plans to help Ukraine obtain F-16 fighter jets have put the United States and some of its closest European allies at odds — yet again — over what weapons the West should send Kyiv to defend against Russia’s invasion. Even if the Biden administration overcomes its long-held reluctance to give Ukraine the American-made planes, the F-16 would not be used in combat for months at the earliest, officials and military analysts say. Here is a look at the F-16, why Ukraine wants it and why the Biden administration is hesitant to supply it. First flown in 1976, the F-16 “Fighting Falcon” is a supersonic fighter jet used by militaries in 25 countries for air-to-air combat and air-to-ground strikes. It has flown in American conflicts in Afghanistan, Iraq, Kosovo, the Persian Gulf and on homeland defense missions in U.S. airspace.

Here is a look at the F-16, why Ukraine wants it and why the Biden administration is hesitant to supply it. It has flown in American conflicts in Afghanistan, Iraq, Kosovo, the Persian Gulf and on homeland defense missions in U.S. airspace. There are approximately 3,000 currently in active military service worldwide, including hundreds in the U.S. Air Force and Navy. Without modern fighter jets, “no air defense system will be perfect,” President Volodymyr Zelensky told European leaders gathered at a summit in Reykjavik, Iceland, this week. He also said it would be unlikely for Britain, with its “special relationship” with America, to push ahead with trying to provide F-16s if the Biden administration was not at least somewhat on board.

☆ Factbox: Who are the three Russian scientists accused of state treason?
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-18 | by ( Lucy Papachristou | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

May 18 (Reuters) - Three Russian scientists who have worked on hypersonic missile technology face "very serious accusations" of state treason, the Kremlin says. Maslov was detained early in the morning of June 28 last year in Novosibirsk, according to an interview that his sons Nikolai and Alexei gave to local media. He declined to tell them anything about the possible reasons for his arrest, and they learned from his lawyer that he was being charged with state treason. Kommersant newspaper reported that Maslov was accused of divulging state secrets related to hypersonics, but provided no further details. Born in Siberia, he studied in the aircraft engineering department at Novosibirsk State Technical University.

☆ Ukraine's Patriots aren't hard to find, and Russia's gunning for them with one of its best weapons — Putin's prized Kinzhals
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-17 | by ( Ryan Pickrell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +12 min

Ukraine's Patriots aren't hard to find, and Russia appears to be using one of its best weapons to hunt them. Patriot missile defense system at Schwesing military airport in Germany on March 17, 2022. Photo by Axel Heimken/picture alliance via Getty ImagesUkraine presently has just two Patriot air defense batteries in its arsenal, one from the US and another provided by European partners. A general view of a mobile defence surface-to-air missile system, Patriot, before it is transported to Poland from Gnoien, Germany January 23, 2023. He asserted that "to the extent possible, replenishing Ukraine's air defense capacity should remain a priority for Western military aid for the foreseeable future."

☆ Cosmic Aerospace is working on an electric plane with real range
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-16 | by ( Lora Kolodny | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Denver startup Cosmic Aerospace is developing a fully electric plane to reduce air pollution from regional flights. The aim is to build an electric plane that operates without any emissions but that can still fly for just over 600 miles. Alex Teng, a partner at 50 Years, told CNBC his firm invested in Cosmic partly owing to the cofounders' experience in aviation. The fund also liked that Cosmic is tackling a problem that other developers of electric planes and air taxis have not solved yet -- getting beyond the short hop flight. "Electric aviation has always suffered from a range problem," Teng said, "but my average flight is over 500 miles personally.

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