Space / Aerospace / Aircraft

[Guest1]

Speech – "AOA Keynote"

• Share
• 

"AOA Keynote"
Stephen M. Dickson, Virtual
June 9, 2021

UAS Symposium

---

Thanks Erik, for that introduction, and welcome everyone to the FAA’s sixth annual UAS Symposium.  Since this year’s Symposium is fully virtual again, we decided to stick with the “Remotely Piloted Edition” moniker, and we’re looking forward to presenting Episode 3 over the next two days and Episode 4 in September.

The top level theme for this year’s event is “Above and Beyond,” and I’m proud to say that the FAA, with your help, has definitely gone Above and Beyond since we last met in August.

Even in the midst of a global pandemic, we finalized the ops over people and at night rule and the remote ID rule, and we’re using these advances and capabilities to move full speed ahead into the Beyond Visual Line of Sight realm and the promise of UTM and AAM. Now, while I may not be a drone pilot—yet—I know my acronyms. They tell me that’s half the battle!

But seriously, we’ve made a great deal of progress since Episode 2 last August, when the Symposium’s theme was—Drones: Here for Good.

Ten months later, drones are still here for good—we currently have nearly 900,000 registered, and we’re forecasting more than two million commercial and recreational drones flying in the National Airspace System by 2024.

And from what we gather from industry and from the press, drones are still doing good for civilization.  Here are a few quick examples:

….A missing woman located by Virginia police using a drone with thermal imaging last December; 

….the Savannah River National Laboratory monitoring a nuclear waste site with a fleet of drones, and winning a prestigious Department of Energy award for it….

….Alameda County, California, drones are used to create 360 degree images of fire-devastated areas so residents can assess damage to their property without having to return to the dangerous area

And package delivery growth continues, too. We saw Amazon Prime Air, last September, become the third FAA-certified air carrier for drone package deliveries, joining Wing and UPS Flight Forward. And just last month [May], the largest retailer in the world—Walmart—partnered with a drone operator to explore how they can deliver goods by drone in North Carolina under the part 107 rules. Others are waiting in the wings, so to speak.

This is what progress looks like, and trust me there is more coming.

I want to focus on how the FAA is helping the drone sector move Above and Beyond with the new performance-based regulations and research and education initiatives that lean into the future.

Let’s start with the Small UAS Operations over People rule that we finalized in January and went live in April.

First off, don’t let the name fool you—the ops over people rule includes a lot more than ops over people, for example night operations and flights over moving vehicles. We’ve allowed these types of operations before, but always on a case by case basis through waivers. Now, there’s no need for a waiver, providing the pilot and the drone meet all the requirements.

For routine night ops, the drone has to be equipped with anti-collision lights, similar to traditional, manned aircraft, and the pilot must complete the new night training requirement and receive the proper airspace authorizations.

We expect operations over people to begin in earnest over the next six to 18 months. We created four operations categories with drone requirements that are proportional to the type of operation and the potential harm the drone could cause to people on the ground.

Not surprisingly, drones flying over open air assemblies—for example over a festival, concert, or parade—will have to comply with remote identification requirements, and that’s a nice segue to the Remote ID rule.

Published in January, the remote ID rule is a digital license plate that will pave the way for more advanced operations and full integration of drones into the National Airspace System. That means routine Beyond Visual Line of Sight and a boost for package delivery, particularly in congested low-altitude airspace as part of a UTM ecosystem.

The bottom line for operators is this: If you fly a drone that requires registration, meaning it weighs more than 0.55 pounds, then you are required to fully comply with the rule by September 16, 2023.  

There are three ways to comply—Operate a drone manufactured with the technology; Incorporate an external broadcast module; or fly without Remote ID within the bounds of what we call an FAA-recognized identification area, or FRIA (“free-ah”). FRIAs in many cases will be the traditional model airplane fields where hobbyists have gathered and safely flown for decades.

Technically speaking, if you are not flying in a FRIA – the drone will have to broadcast its unique identifier, altitude, location, and information about its control station or departure point.

Now, that does not mean that Phil Mickelson could have taken out his smartphone and found out who was operating the TV camera drone that he says was blocking his 4^th hole shot to the green at the PGA Championship a few weeks ago. Even Phil doesn’t have that kind of pull. What it does mean, for example, is that by coordinating with the FAA, appropriate law enforcement entities can identify and stop incidents like drones operated illegally around wildfires where they’ve sometimes prevented traditional aviation firefighting activities.

That’s one purpose, but the bigger picture is that Remote ID is a necessary ingredient for Beyond Visual Line of Sight operations, which, as you know, are key to unleashing the true potential of drones and other highly autonomous vehicles.

Right now, there are several companies using limited Beyond Visual Line of Sight under existing regulations, with waivers, to conduct routine surveillance, inspection and maintenance tasks for the railroad, electric, oil and gas, and communications industries.

We’re learning a great deal from this work, but the operations are not scalable or economically viable in the mid- to long-term under today’s rules.

So today, I’m pleased to announce that the FAA is forming a new Aviation Rulemaking Committee, or ARC, to help the agency develop a regulatory path for routine Beyond Visual Line of Sight operations. This committee will consider the safety, security and environmental needs, as well as societal benefits, of these operations. Within six months, the committee will submit a recommendations report to the FAA.

I think we can all agree this is a big step forward, and it will help pave the way for routine package delivery, infrastructure inspection, and other more complex drone operations beyond the visual line-of-sight of the remote pilot.

We’re also investing in research and partner programs like BEYOND, which will help us create performance-based, technology-agnostic rules.

BEYOND started last year where the Integration Pilot Program left off. We’re working with eight of the nine IPP participants and some new partners over the next 3-4 years to advance and expand the scope of repeatable and scalable Beyond Visual Line of Sight operations under today’s rules.

There’s a great deal of additional research underway, in part through our government, industry, academic, and international partners. Topics of high interest and ongoing work include UTM, and passenger transport capabilities, including Urban Air Mobility.

We’re also studying the risks of drones, including ground and airborne collision severity studies, engine ingestion testing, and UAS detection, which we are testing at five airports over the next two years.

As you know, the FAA is not only a regulator, but we’re also an air navigation services provider; so of course we’re heavily invested in making sure the drone ecosystem will fit hand-in-glove with our air traffic control system.

Our answer is UTM, which, as you know, is a foundational capability needed to unlock the full potential of this sector. Based on the work we’ve done with NASA, we’re planning a regulatory framework based on a federated approach that will allow airspace users to cooperatively manage their operations where the FAA does not actively provide separation services.

We’re also continuing to work with our global partners to develop a UTM architecture. BUT, we ultimately want YOU, industry, to take ownership. And when I see all the amazing innovation from private industry shaping the aerospace industry right now, I’m confident that UTM will be no different.

When you envision the types of aircraft moving through the skies under UTM, you not only think of Beyond Visual Line of Sight cargo delivery flights, but you naturally think about flying taxis, or more broadly speaking, Advanced Air Mobility, or AAM. We’ve all seen the prototypes, and it’s hard not to be excited by what we see.

My role as FAA Administrator is to figure out how to introduce these emerging technologies while maintaining the unwavering safety commitment that the public has come to expect from the FAA. Finding this balance is especially challenging because AAM crosses so many domains—regulations, infrastructure, technology, operations, and societal perceptions.

The FAA is taking a systems approach, where our executives have established an internal AAM Integration Executive Council to coordinate all our activities in five areas—aircraft, airspace, operations, infrastructure and community.

We’re working with NASA on the Advanced Air Mobility National Campaign, which is designed to help develop certification standards while promoting public confidence and education in the technology. As part of the campaign, NASA recently completed testing with a Bell Kiowa helicopter as a surrogate urban air mobility vehicle in a simulated congested urban environment.

All of us—government, industry, and the public have a role to play as we develop consensus standards and a comprehensive risk picture of how and where AAM will operate.

As I’ve said previously, we have several AAM aircraft in the aircraft certification process right now, and several companies anticipate flying initial AAM operations around 2024. I’ll also repeat that the FAA has no current plans to update regulations for AAM operations—the existing rules are flexible enough to accommodate any potential near-term operations.

So climbing back up to the 60,000 foot level, I can say with confidence that the State of the State for drones here in Episode 3 is healthy and heading in the right direction. We want you to stay with us on the journey.

For our global partners, we want to share best practices for harmonizing the skies.

For industry and the research community, we’re looking to you to help make compliance easier as we roll out the remote ID and operations over people rules.

For Public Safety & Law Enforcement, we’re counting on you to enforce the rules once they’re effective.

To our commercial drone pilots, we know you’re the impetus for change. We know you see the new possibilities for UAS in your business, and that you want to see tomorrow’s drones today.

We hear you, and we want you to know we are here to help coordinate these many—and oftentimes competing—demands. You have my word that we are laser-focused on next steps, supporting technologies and policies that enable routine Beyond Visual Line of Sight operations.

To our recreational pilots – I saved the best for last. We appreciate your patience and flexibility as we work to safely introduce drones into the airspace.

We are in the final stages of selecting the Test Administrators for The Recreational UAS Safety Test. Deployment of the test will be announced soon on our website – FAA.gov.

The test will provide recreational pilots with safety training tips, best practices, and educational resources. Perhaps more importantly, I see it as a way to bring more recreational pilots into the pilot family and aviation safety culture so that we can all continue to learn and grow, together. Deployment of the test will be announced on our website.

I like to say that Safety is a journey, not a destination, and that journey requires all of us to continually learn and grow as aviators. That’s how we—all of us here—keep it safe.

The FAA is here to help, and we’ll continue to work together as a community to go above and beyond and see to it that drones remain here for good.

Thanks again for the invitation to speak, and I look forward to exploring these topics a bit more with Erik and Keely here for the next 10 minutes or so.

[Guest1]

Queqiao: The bridge between Earth and the far side of the moon
by Staff Writers
Washington DC (SPX) Jun 11, 2021

file illustration

Because of a phenomenon called gravitational locking, the Moon always faces the Earth from the same side. This proved useful in the early lunar landing missions in the 20th century, as there was always a direct line of sight for uninterrupted radiocommunications between Earth ground stations and equipment on the Moon. However, gravitational locking makes exploring the hidden face of the moon - the far side - much more challenging, because signals cannot be sent directly across the Moon towards Earth.

Still, in January 2019, China's lunar probe Chang'e-4 marked the first time a spacecraft landed on the far side of the Moon. Both the lander and the lunar rover it carried have been gathering and sending back images and data from previously unexplored areas. But how does Chang'e-4 probe communicate with the Earth? The answer is Queqiao, a relay communications satellite, explains Dr. Lihua Zhang from DFH Satellite Co., Ltd., China.

As explained by Dr. Zhang in a review paper recently published in Space: Science and Technology, Queqiao is an unprecedented satellite designed specifically for one purpose: to act as a bridge between Chang'e-4 probe and the Earth. Queqiao was launched in 2018 and put into orbit around a point 'behind' the Moon.

This point is known as the Earth-Moon Libration point 2, where a special case of gravitational balance allows Queqiao to maintain an orbit such that it has almost constant direct line of sight with both the far side of the Moon and the Earth. Getting the satellite into this peculiar orbit required careful planning and maintenance management, and the success of this operation set a precedent for future attempts at putting satellites in orbit around other Earth-Moon libration points.

From its stable place in space, Queqiao helped guide the soft-landing and surface operations of Chang'e-4 probe and has been our intermediary with it ever since. The satellite is equipped with two different kinds of antennas: a parabolic antenna and several spiral antennas. The former, which has a large diameter of 4.2 m, was designed to send and receive signals on the X band (7-8GHz) to and from the rover and lander on the surface of the Moon. Its large size is related the expected noise levels and the low intensity of the transmissions that are sent by surface equipment.

On the other hand, the spiral antennas operate on the S band (2-4 GHz) and communicate with Earth ground stations, forwarding commands to the lunar surface equipment and exchanging telemetry and tracking data. Most notably, all these different links can transmit and receive simultaneously, making Queqiao highly versatile. The review paper addresses other important design considerations for Queqiao and future relay satellites, such as the use of regenerative forwarding, the various link data rates involved, and data storage systems for when no Earth ground station is accessible.

Over two years of exploration, a great amount of data has been received from the rover and lander through Queqiao. "Scientists in both China and other countries have conducted analysis and research based on the retrieved data, and they have produced valuable scientific results. The longer the operational life of Queqiao, the more scientific outcomes will be achieved," remarks Dr. Zhang. Based on current predictions, Queqiao should be operable on mission orbit for at least five years.

Dr. Zhang also addressed the prospects for future lunar missions and how relay communication systems should evolve to support them. Many unexplored areas on the Moon, such as the largest crater at the South Pole, call for multiple relay satellites to maintain constant communication links, which poses an expensive and time-consuming challenge. But what if relay satellites were suitable for more than a single mission?

"A sustainable communication and navigation infrastructure should be established to benefit all lunar missions rather than dealing with each mission independently," comments Dr. Zhang,

"This infrastructure should adopt an open and extensible architecture and provide flexible, interoperable, cross-supportable, and compatible communications services, which are critical to the success of future lunar explorations." It's likely that future endeavors on the far side of the Moon will be a test on how well we can cooperate to unveil the secrets of our natural satellite.

Research Report: "Development and Prospect of Chinese Lunar Relay Communication Satellite"

[Guest1]

A new animation shows 'A day without space'
by Staff Writers
Bonn, Germany (SPX) Jun 14, 2021

Video: What would a day without space look like

What would happen if all the satellites orbiting Earth stopped working? In short, global chaos would ensue. "Satellites have long been an integral part of our day-to-day lives. The services they provide are indispensable for mobility on land, at sea and in the air, for all power and communications networks, for the international systems used for financial transactions, global weather forecasting and the energy transition.

If these satellites were to stop working, our modern world would be set back decades in a matter of seconds," says Walther Pelzer, Executive Board Member at the German Aerospace Center (Deutsches Zentrum fur Luft- und Raumfahrt; DLR) and Head of the German Space Agency at DLR in Bonn.

The German Space Agency at DLR implements the national space strategy on behalf of the Federal Government. This primarily involves Germany's participation in the activities of the European Space. "Approximately 1.2 billion euros per year are available for this purpose," says Pelzer.

A new animation, entitled 'A day without space', aims to show that this money is well spent by illustrating in just a few minutes how strongly our modern lives are already dependent on space-based technologies and services. He continues: "Spaceflight is the driving force behind the development of future technologies. Maintaining and protecting our space infrastructure is absolutely essential. We live in a global, knowledge-based society and space provides essential core and transformational services."

Satellites set the pace for modern life
Navigation satellites are the clocks that set the rhythm of modern life. If, for example, the satellites of the European Galileo system were to fail, we would lose the highly accurate timestamps that they provide. Financial transactions would become impossible without these precise time signals; people would no longer be able to withdraw money from ATMs and stock trading would come to a standstill.

The end result would be a global financial collapse. In addition, the supply of electricity would be interrupted, as all the power networks rely on those same high-precision time signals. Land and water transport would be severely impaired, and air transport would be altogether impossible.

If communications satellites were to fail, our mobile networks would suffer severe outages and live TV broadcasting would no longer be possible. In future, high-speed broadband internet communications will increasingly be carried by satellites.

Communications satellites will also be used by the new 5G mobile communications standard. Failure of the European Copernicus Earth observation and Meteosat weather satellites would bring weather forecasting to a halt and stop the supply of climate and environmental data, with far-reaching consequences for all sectors that rely on dependable weather and environmental data.

Without Earth observation satellites we would cease to have precise, continuous weather forecasting and constant global data series on the current condition, changing state or degradation of Earth and its climate, especially in terms of greenhouse gases such as ozone. We would also lack the important information we need to get a quick and reliable picture of emergency situations for relief workers, for example in the event of natural disasters such as earthquakes, floods and forest fires.

Space in a global context
Space infrastructure relies on close international cooperation. Space projects are for the benefit of humankind, and extend beyond national borders. "As the German Space Agency at DLR, we work closely with partners in Germany, elsewhere in Europe and all over the world. We do this as part of the national space programme and through Germany's contributions to ESA and to the European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT).

"We are also a point of contact regarding space matters for the European Union, particularly the future EU agency EUSPA (European Union Agency for the Space Programme) and the forthcoming EU research framework programme Horizon Europe.

"We are committed to ensuring that important space contracts, both nationally and abroad, are awarded to German companies, in order to strengthen expertise and innovation in Germany. We are particularly keen on involving small and medium-sized enterprises and start-ups in this," says Pelzer, who is also Head of the German delegation to ESA.

[Guest1]

China set to send first crew to new space station Thursday

 

JIUQUAN, China (AP) — China is set to send the first three crew members to its new space station Thursday morning, China's space agency said. Two of the astronauts flew in previous missions while the third is going to space for the first time, Chin...Read More

[Guest1]

Space sustainability rating to shine light on debris problem
by Staff Writers
Paris (ESA) Jun 18, 2021

Satellites in orbit share near-Earth space with millions of fast-moving and dangerous debris objects. From tiny fragments millimetres in size to entire satellites no longer working, no longer controlled, roaming the space highways, each debris piece travels many kilometres per second. Any impact with one of these objects threatens to atleast impair the functioning of a working spacecraft, or at worst destroy it altogether, creating ever more debris. Full size here

There's a problem brewing overhead. Invisible to the naked eye and relatively unheard of, it threatens our future in space - space debris.A new 'Space Sustainability Rating' is currently in development that will shed light on the problem, scoring space operators on the sustainability of their missions, increasing the transparency of their contributions to protecting the space environment and encouraging and recognising responsible behaviour.

The global initiative, launched by the World Economic Forum, is the first of its kind. In a situation in which no single government or authority has the power to set and enforce strict rules of behaviour for all space-faring organisations, this project promises to be a game changer.

Much like the energy efficiency and nutrition labels now common on household items, food products and consumer goods, the Space Sustainability Rating will make clear what individual companies and organisations are doing to sustain and improve the health of the near-Earth environment.

Sustainability rating enters next phase
The SSR initiative has been developed over the past two years by the Forum, ESA and a joint team led by the Space Enabled Research Group at the MIT Media Lab, with collaboration from BryceTech and the University of Texas at Austin.

For the crucial next step, the Space Center (eSpace) at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL) has been selected to lead and operate the Space Sustainability Rating in preparation for its roll out.

"The Forum is very glad to support such an innovative approach to the global challenge of space debris," says Nikolai Khlystov, Community Lead for Mobility and Space at the World Economic Forum.

"Incentivising better behaviour by enabling actors to compete on sustainability will create a 'race to the top' and eSpace at EPFL is a great organisation to take the SSR to the next level."

ESA measures the impact
The SSR rating system will score the sustainability of spaceflight operators based on factors ranging from data sharing, choice of orbit, measures taken to avoid collisions and plans to de-orbit satellites at end of mission to how easily their satellites can be detected and identified from the ground. There will be 'bonus marks' for adding optional elements, such as grappling fixtures, that could be used for the possible future active removal of debris.

"The SSR aims to influence behaviour by all spaceflight actors, especially commercial entities, and help bring into common usage the sustainable practices that we desperately require," said Holger Krag, Head of ESA's Space Safety Programme.

"To achieve this, the SSR rating includes a peer-reviewed assessment of the short- and long-term risks that any mission presents to other operators and for our orbital environment in general."

Powered by ESA expertise
ESA's Space Debris Office, located at the Agency's ESOC mission control centre in Darmstadt, Germany, has for years studied the debris environment, becoming a world-leading authority on this issue of global concern.

The Agency's role in the development of the Space Sustainability Rating includes helping to define the 'rating architecture', i.e. the criteria on which space missions should be judged, and providing expert analysis, data and technical know-how developed over many years.

One particularly important component of the SSR is the new methodology for quantifying the space debris risk associated with a mission. It takes into account the additional burden the new mission poses to the operations of existing ones and its potential impact on the long-term evolution of the space debris environment.

Once the rating system has entered operation, ESA will support EPFL in evaluating this potential impact for new space missions. The Agency will also take a seat on the Space Sustainability Rating Advisory Board, as well as continuing to assist in many other ways.

Rewarding good behaviour
Satellites have become the backbone of our modern economies, providing navigation services, telecommunications, weather forecasting, climate monitoring and television broadcasts among many other critical services. Humankind's reliance on space infrastructure is set to increase sharply with the launch of large constellations of small satellites designed to boost global internet access among other important services.

There are currently close to 4,000 active satellites in orbit, including the inhabited outposts of the International Space Station and the Tiangong Space Station, currently under construction.

Exponential growth
As many more organisations from many more countries prepare to launch new missions, this number is set to grow exponentially. This will inevitably increase the risk of collisions and raises questions about the capacity of economically vital near-Earth orbits to safely and sustainably accommodate so many craft.

By voluntarily joining the new SSR system, spacecraft operators, launch service providers and satellite manufacturers will be able to secure one of four levels of certification that they can advertise widely to demonstrate their mission's commitment to sustainability.

Boosting transparency and doing right
This will increase transparency - without disclosing any mission-sensitive or proprietary commercial information - and is expected to incentivise good behaviour by other stakeholders in addressing the problem of space debris. A favourable score for a particular rated operator might, for example, result in lower insurance costs or improved funding conditions from financial backers.

Ghosts of historic space endeavours - old satellites and rocket bodies - litter Earth orbits. While missions are being developed to remove some of these objects, it's vital that we don't repeat the mistakes of the past. The Space Sustainability Rating will play an important part in wider measures to ensure the responsible use of space, and its sustainable future for all.

The Space Sustainability Rating
Over the two-year development period of the SSR, numerous operators within the space industry have been engaged in the evolution of the rating system and there is already widespread interest in this new tool. Several companies, including Airbus, Astroscale, AXA XL, elseco, Lockheed Martin, Planet, SpaceX and Voyager Space Holdings, have actively supported the SSR concept and expressed interest in participating once it is publicly launched. More information via the World Economic Forum website.

[Guest1]

Astronauts arrange new 'home' in space by Staff Writers Beijing (XNA) Jun 18, 2021 Astronauts enter the core module of China's space station from the Shenzhou XII spacecraft on June 17, 2021. The crew have started to prepare their orbiting residence for operations for the next three months. [Photo/Xinhua] Astronauts on board the core module of China's space station have started to prepare their orbiting residence for operations over the next three months. As soon as the three crew members-Major General Nie Haisheng, Major General Liu Boming and Senior Colonel Tang Hongbo-floated into the core module, named Tianhe, or Harmony of Heavens, on Thursday afternoon, they started to configure the electrolytic oxygen generators, install water tanks and arrange their sleeping quarters, according to the China Manned Space Agency. After finishing these tasks, they enjoyed their first sleep on board the module, the biggest spacecraft China has built and the first and central section of the permanent space station, called Tiangong, or Heavenly Palace. After they woke up on Friday morning, Nie and his crew members started to unpack the Wi-Fi signal equipment and install and set the devices, the agency said in a news release. Sun Jun, chief controller of the Tiangong program at the Beijing Aerospace Control Center, said that the Wi-Fi equipment inside the core module is connected through relay satellites with the ground control's communication network. "It enables our astronauts to talk with their family members or colleagues or even make video calls," he said. They also entered the Tianzhou 2 cargo spaceship on Friday to begin moving their living materials and mission payloads to the core module. Tianzhou 2, the country's second cargo spaceship, carried 6.8 tons of supplies for Tianhe when it docked with it on May 29, including 2 tons of propellants, more than 160 packages of living and experimental materials as well as two extravehicular suits, each weighing around 100 kilograms, for astronauts to perform activities outside the core module. In the next few days, the crew will continue unpacking gear inside Tianhe and Tianzhou 2 and arranging their living and work quarters. At the same time, the astronauts will conduct internal apparatus tests. The crew was transported to Tianhe on Thursday morning in the Shenzhou XII spacecraft by a Long March 2F carrier rocket that blasted off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwestern China, embarking on the nation's seventh manned spaceflight, which will last three months. The Shenzhou XII mission is part of China's ambitious space station program that aims at completing a three-component station in a low-Earth orbit about 400 kilometers above the ground before the end of 2022. In the near future, three manned missions and three robotic cargo flights will be conducted for the station's construction. Two large labs will also be taken into space to link up with the station

[Guest1]

The Antonov An-124 Vs An-225: What Are The Differences?  

The Antonov An-124 Vs An-225: What Are The Differences? - Simple Flying

[Airband]

Plane to See: Abbotsford International Airshow back in 2021 as drive-in event

SkyDrive, the Lower Mainland airshow runs August 6-8

Wed Jun 23, 2021 - National  Post
by Mathew Guy

Organizers of a popular British Columbia airshow are adapting this year’s event so it falls within the boundaries of provincial health measures but also permits fans to attend the display of aviation talent.

It’ll be called SkyDrive, turning the show into a drive-in affair where attendees can enjoy the airborne feats of aerobatics from the comfort of their own 20′ x 20′ parking space on the airfield. Think of it as a drive-in movie, only bigger and a whole lot louder. People can watch either from inside their cars or right beside them as pilots carry out intricate routines, formations, and parachute work in the sky above. The new format has been patterned after other airshows that switched to a drive-in format during the ongoing global pandemic.

Canadian Forces Snowbirds, who are celebrating their 50th season this year, are scheduled to be one of the many highlights in this show. Plans also call for a United States Air Force F-22 Raptor to appear, plus a Royal Canadian Air Force CF-18 Hornet, and a few surprises. Twilight evening performances with fireworks will also take place during the first two days of the airshow.

Attendees will be asked to stick to their designated parking spot during the show, save for trips to the facilities. To keep a lid on people gathering in close quarters, the static display aircraft and food trucks will vanish this year. Still, the SkyDrive concept is a great way for folks to get their fix of summertime outdoor fun.

The three-day event will be held at the Abbotsford International Airport and runs from Friday, August 6 to Sunday, August 8, 2021. Tickets are priced between $99 and $199 per ‘carload’ of people (just like the ’50s movies!) and go on sale today.

[Guest1]

How does China's urine recycling system work in space
by Staff Writers
Beijing (XNA) Jun 24, 2021

Illustration showing the primary core module of China Tiangong's latest space station.

Storing basic life support materials like water, food and oxygen aboard a space station can be challenging - so much so that some are generated aboard rather than delivered to space.

Chinese scientists have devised a system to recycle water from the urine, breath and sweat produced by astronauts in space, which could save up to 100 million yuan (about 15.5 million U.S. dollars) over a period of six months with three astronauts in orbit.

The system has been installed in China's newly launched core space station module Tianhe, meaning urine can be processed into distilled water, some of which will be used for toilet flushing. The remainder, together with collected breath condensate, can be purified further for electrolytic oxygen generation and experiments, said Cui Guangzhi, one of the designers of the urine treatment system.

On June 17, China successfully launched the crewed spacecraft Shenzhou-12, sending three astronauts to Tianhe for a three-month mission. The urine treatment system, a sub-system of the life support system, is undergoing full verification in space for the first time.

On Earth, distilling water is a simple process. Contaminated water is boiled and the rising steam is then cooled or condensed to form pure water.

The water in urine evaporates at 30-40 degrees Celsius. But in space, this process does not occur as usual.

Cui, a researcher with the Second Institute of the China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation Limited (CASIC), told reporters that distillation in space is performed at a reduced pressure since the boiling points of liquids are depressed at reduced pressure. The water in urine evaporates at a lower temperature.

The lack of gravity in space prevents the separation of the vapor from the contaminated water. During the distillation process, the equipment has to rotate.

Cui explained that rotation creates a centrifugal force that can separate water from air due to their different densities. In the form of vapor, the water in urine will stick to the walls of the evaporation box and can then be extracted.

On Earth, the vapor naturally turns to liquid as soon as the temperature drops. But in space, the vapor needs to be refrigerated in order to cool, which is quite expensive.

Cui said the vapor will convert into water in a pressurized tank as high pressure can make steam liquefy without cooling.

The liquefaction process also releases heat, another product that scientists find valuable. The heat will be recovered and reused.

In addition to urine, the water exhaled by astronauts will also be recycled in the system. With three astronauts in orbit, nearly 2 liters of this wastewater will be recycled every day.

The recycling system can extract 5 liters of distilled water from 6 liters of urine in one working cycle, with the maximum water production rate at 2.5 liters per hour.

Some of the distilled water will be used for toilet flushing and the remainder, together with the collected sweat and breath condensate, will go through an ion-exchange process to remove contaminant ions. The processed water can then be used for oxygen production or space experiments.

Cui noted that Chinese astronauts are scheduled to stay in the space station for periods of three to six months, and there will be high oxygen demand.

The oxygen generation system uses a process called electrolysis to split water into its hydrogen and oxygen component atoms, decreasing the need to deliver oxygen cylinders to space.

Maintaining a long-term human presence in the space station requires a well-organized life support system, for which wastewater recycling and oxygen generation both play essential roles.

The energy and power consumption requirements are relatively high for a complex orbiting station, and some systems work in shifts during peak hours, Cui noted. "The recovered energy is quite valuable for the space station."

China sent the Tianhe module into space on April 29, kicking off a series of key launch missions that aims to complete the construction of the station by the end of next year.

On May 29, China launched the cargo craft Tianzhou-2, and it successfully docked with Tianhe on May 30, delivering supplies, equipment and propellant. The Shenzhou-12 spaceship conducted a fast autonomous rendezvous and docking with Tianhe about 6.5 hours after the launch on June 17, forming a three-module complex with Tianzhou-2. The three astronauts - Nie Haisheng, Liu Boming and Tang Hongbo - then entered the Tianhe module, starting their three-month mission in the space station.

The Tianzhou-3 cargo craft and the Shenzhou-13 manned spaceship will also be launched later this year to dock with Tianhe, and another three astronauts will then begin their six-month stays in orbit.

Source: Xinhua News Agency

[Guest1]

Cheap Fence.....

Too Powerful? AN-225 Destroys Fence Departing RAF Brize Norton

• byJake Hardiman
• June 25, 2021
• 3 minute read

 

 

 

 

ADVERTISEMENT

The mighty Antonov An-225 ‘Mriya’ is known for being the world’s heaviest aircraft. The awe-inspiring majesty of its sheer size draws extensive attention wherever it goes. Yesterday, it flew into RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire, UK, attracting a crowd of enthusiasts eager to catch a glimpse of the giant. However, its departure was a little on the destructive side.

 

 

[Guest1]

WOW: The World’s Biggest Plane Has Set 123 Other Records

• byJoanna Bailey
• June 25, 2021
• 3 minute read

The Antonov AN-225 ‘Mriya’ is well known for holding the record as the heaviest plane in the world. But did you know it also set some 123 other world records during its lifetime? The giant plane has operated some giant missions; we talked to Antonov Airlines to find out more about the achievements of this beast.

The AN-225 is a one-of-a-kind, record-breaking plane. Photo: Antonov Airlines

A record-breaker from the start

Antonov Airlines is in a unique position in the world, in that it operates the only AN-225 Mriya aircraft. Certified in May 2001, the AN-225 has turned heads wherever it flies, exuding power and poise on all of its missions. So much power, in fact, that it destroyed a fence at RAF Brize Norton in the UK just this week!

With the capabilities to shift loads weighing up to 640 tonnes, the Mriya has been tasked with some of the most challenging operations in the world. So much so, it has singlehandedly set a bunch of new world records. Antonov Airlines told Simple Flying in an interview,

“The AN-225 has set 214 national and 124 world records, including the transportation of the heaviest payload ever airlifted, at 253,820 kg.”

One of its first missions was transporting five tanks! Photo: Antonov Airlines

Objects that were once impossible to move by air have been shipped in a matter of hours by the AN-225. Although we can’t list all 124 world records here, let’s take a look at some of the most eventful operations it’s been involved with.

Stay informed: Sign up for our daily and weekly aviation news digests.

The heaviest loads in history

As soon as the Mriya was certified, it instantly broke two world records. Frist for being the aircraft with the heaviest MTOW in the world, and second for having the largest wingspan of any current aircraft. Since its launch, it has consistently broken records for multiple achievements.

Before the AN-225 arrived, Antonov Airlines made its way into the Guinness World Records in September 1993 for carrying the heaviest single piece of cargo in history. The airline’s AN124-100 flew a 124,000kg (264,555lbs) power plant generator from Dusseldorf, Germany, to New Delhi, India.

But that’s nothing to the Mriya. In August 2009, the AN-225 superseded this by tens of thousands of kilos. Antonov Airlines told us,

ADVERTISEMENT

“The cargo was a generator and loading frame weighting a total of 187,600 kg was transported from Frankfurt, Germany to Erevan, Armenia.”

The single generator weighed over 187 tonnes. Photo: Antonov Airlines

This record was for a single piece of cargo, but the AN-225 has shifted much higher total loads in its time. On September 11^th, 2001, the aircraft set several world records at once, including one for carrying the heaviest payload in history. The commercial payload weighed in at 253,820kg (559,577lbs).

Accommodating the longest items

The AN-225 has been built to be incredibly flexible in terms of its cargo. The aircraft’s huge 84 m (275 ft 7 in) length is almost all cargo space, giving it an enormous capacity of 1,200 cubic meters. The cargo space is 43.35 m (142.2 ft) long, 6.4 m (21 ft) wide and 4.4 m (14 ft) tall, giving it the capacity to accommodate the biggest and most awkward of items.

It uses the same specially designed nose gear that the AN-124 does, which allows the aircraft to ‘kneel’ for easier loading and unloading. This makes it the aircraft of choice when something really long needs moving, as well as things that are very heavy.

ADVERTISEMENT

Its lengthy accommodation won it another world record in 2010, as Antonov Airlines explained to Simple Flying,

“In 2010 the AN-225 carried the world’s longest piece of air cargo – two 42.1 m (137ft 9.5in) test wind turbine blades from Shijiazhuang, China, to Skrydstrup, Denmark.”

The longest cargo ever was a pair of wind turbine blades. Photo: Antonov Airlines

But not all the Mriya’s records are for big or heavy items, as the team at the airline explained,

“In 2012 the AN-225 broke another Guinness World Record for the highest altitude art exhibition, at 10,150 m above sea level. The airborne exhibition included 500 works of art created by 120 artists.”

The AN-225 hosted the highest altitude art exhibition in 2012. Photo: Antonov Airlines

The AN-225 continues to break records, even in these pandemic times. In 2020, it carried 1,000 cubic meters of boxes containing PPE – the biggest volume of cargo in history. Antonov Airlines noted that, in order to load such a large amount safely, the loadmasters had to disassemble the pallets and load up each box individually.

[Guest1]

great aviation news site:

Simple Flying - Aviation News & Insight

Airline News - Simple Flying

Air Cargo News - Simple Flying

[Guest1]

June 27 (Reuters) - The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has told Boeing Co (BA.N) that its planned 777X is not yet ready for a significant certification step and warned it "realistically" will not certify the airplane until mid- to late 2023.

Boeing 777X 'realistically' will not win certification approval before mid-2023 - U.S. FAA | Reuters

[Guest1]

Calgary Citizen | Calgary news, events, politics, lifestyle, and culture

[J.O.]

This story has all the makings of a Bond film - narcissistic egos and all - but with real people.

[Guest1]

China is using mythology and sci-fi to sell its space program to the world (spacedaily.com)

[Guest1]

Turbulence Injures 15 On Southwest And American Airlines Flights - Simple Flying

[Guest1]

Breaking: United Airline Places Huge 270 Airbus And Boeing Order - Simple Flying

Quote

For weeks now, we’ve heard rumors that United Airlines was to place a mammoth order. The stories have now been confirmed with the United States carrier placing an order for 200 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft, alongside a further 70 A321neo aircraft from Boeing’s rival Airbus.

The new aircraft ordered

Let’s look at the Boeing 737 MAX aircraft ordered by United Airlines first. Including 30 aircraft that have been delivered, United Airlines now has commitments for 380 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft. Of the 200 new orders today, 50 are for the reasonably standard MAX 8 variant. The remaining 150 are for the largest of the MAX family, the MAX 10.

On the other side of the aircraft duopoly, United Airlines has added 70 orders for the Airbus A321neo. The airline hasn’t mentioned if these are LR, or XLR aircraft, suggesting that they expect the standard A321neo variant. Outside of this new order, the airline is already expecting 50 A321XLRs, according to data from ch-aviation.com.

 

[Airband]

U.S. to Require Airlines to Refund Passengers for Delayed Bags

Rulemaking expected after forthcoming Biden executive order

Fri Jul 2, 2021. - Bloomberg News
By Keith Laing

Quote

The transportation agency under former President Donald Trump blocked a set of pro-consumer regulations in March 2017, only weeks after taking office. Airlines had applauded the Trump action, saying additional regulations were “not warranted.”

The U.S. Department of Transportation is moving to require airlines to refund fees to passengers for checked bags if the luggage is significantly delayed to the destination, according to a person familiar with the measure.

The proposal will also require airlines to promptly make refunds for other services air passengers pay for and don’t receive -- including advance seat selection, Wi-Fi and in-flight entertainment, according to the person, who asked not to be named to discuss the plan before it’s made public.

The rulemaking plans are expected to be included in a forthcoming executive order on competition that will be signed by President Joe Biden and sent to Transportation officials.

Brian Deese, director of the White House National Economic Council, said Friday that the fee refunds for checked airline bags “will be part of a broader effort the president will release shortly around driving greater competition in the economy in service of lower prices for American families and higher wages for American workers.”

Under the proposal, airlines will be required to issue refunds for checked bag fees if the luggage is not delivered to the passenger or the person’s agent within 12 hours of arrival at their final destination for domestic travel, and within 25 hours of arrival for international itineraries.

The proposals are an attempt to reinstate some of the more pro-consumer policies that the agency had sought to impose in the closing months of President Barack Obama’s administration. In 2019, airlines collected $5.8 billion in bag fees and another $2.8 billion in charges for flight changes or cancellations.

The transportation agency under former President Donald Trump blocked a set of pro-consumer regulations in March 2017, only weeks after taking office. Airlines had applauded the Trump action, saying additional regulations were “not warranted.”

Because the Obama administration didn’t finalize its regulations until Dec. 2, 2016, and they weren’t scheduled to take effect until 2019, Trump’s DOT was able to block them.

[Guest1]

31 minutes ago, Airband said:

U.S. to Require Airlines to Refund Passengers for Delayed Bags

Rulemaking expected after forthcoming Biden executive order

Fri Jul 2, 2021. - Bloomberg News
By Keith Laing

The U.S. Department of Transportation is moving to require airlines to refund fees to passengers for checked bags if the luggage is significantly delayed to the destination, according to a person familiar with the measure.

The proposal will also require airlines to promptly make refunds for other services air passengers pay for and don’t receive -- including advance seat selection, Wi-Fi and in-flight entertainment, according to the person, who asked not to be named to discuss the plan before it’s made public.

The rulemaking plans are expected to be included in a forthcoming executive order on competition that will be signed by President Joe Biden and sent to Transportation officials.

Brian Deese, director of the White House National Economic Council, said Friday that the fee refunds for checked airline bags “will be part of a broader effort the president will release shortly around driving greater competition in the economy in service of lower prices for American families and higher wages for American workers.”

Under the proposal, airlines will be required to issue refunds for checked bag fees if the luggage is not delivered to the passenger or the person’s agent within 12 hours of arrival at their final destination for domestic travel, and within 25 hours of arrival for international itineraries.

The proposals are an attempt to reinstate some of the more pro-consumer policies that the agency had sought to impose in the closing months of President Barack Obama’s administration. In 2019, airlines collected $5.8 billion in bag fees and another $2.8 billion in charges for flight changes or cancellations.

The transportation agency under former President Donald Trump blocked a set of pro-consumer regulations in March 2017, only weeks after taking office. Airlines had applauded the Trump action, saying additional regulations were “not warranted.”

Because the Obama administration didn’t finalize its regulations until Dec. 2, 2016, and they weren’t scheduled to take effect until 2019, Trump’s DOT was able to block them.

No doubt there will be a whole beauracy set up to monitor, control and record this new wave of refunds.  You do have to wonder at what $$$$$$$ cost to the taxpayers who have no claims vs those who might receive some money?

[Guest1]

Just now, Kargokings said:

No doubt there will be a whole bureaucracy set up to monitor, control and record this new wave of refunds.  You do have to wonder at what $$$$$$$ cost to the taxpayers who have no claims vs those who might receive some money?

 

[Airband]

1 hour ago, Kargokings said:

No doubt there will be a whole beauracy set up to monitor, control and record this new wave of refunds.  You do have to wonder at what $$$$$$$ cost to the taxpayers who have no claims vs those who might receive some money?

Would not the administration and costs of processing such refund requests be borne by the carrier concerned, the same as ticket refunds are? 

[Guest1]

1 hour ago, Airband said:

Would not the administration and costs of processing such refund requests be borne by the carrier concerned, the same as ticket refunds are? 

Theory says maybe but the feds would like to be in control esp. if there are any complaints.   soooooo 

A recent example.   https://canadianaviationnews.wordpress.com/2021/07/02/westjet-sparks-customer-fury-after-refusing-refunds-for-cancelled-flights-again/

[Guest1]

How the CTA will be processing refund-related complaints resulting from the pandemic

3 July 2021Canadian Aviation News

2 July 2021 Updated –  Financial support announced for Air Canada, Air Transat, Sunwing and Porter

[boestar]

On 6/28/2021 at 9:48 AM, Kargokings said:

Calgary Citizen | Calgary news, events, politics, lifestyle, and culture

ummmm.   Branson was the first one in the race with Virgin Galactic.  Their approach is very different but Musk and Bezos came from behind.