Delta Air Lines orders a dozen more A220 aircraft

Delta Air Lines has firmed up an order for a dozen more A220-300 aircraft, bringing the airline’s total firm order for A220s to 119 aircraft. The breakdown is 45 A220-100s and 74 A220-300s.

Throughout the years, Delta has reordered the A220 four times and is now the largest A220 customer and operator.

“Delta Air Lines was the U.S. launch customer for the A220 and this fourth reorder in just four years by a leading carrier as Delta is a most gratifying endorsement,” said Christian Scherer, Airbus chief commercial officer and head of International. “The aircraft is currently connecting Delta passengers on more than 100 routes.” The A220 was built for the 100-150 seat market.

Delta took delivery of its first Airbus A220 in October 2018, and was the first U.S. carrier to operate the aircraft. Delta currently owns a fleet of 415 Airbus aircraft, 59 A220s, 266 A320 Family aircraft, 62 A330s and 28 A350-900s.

With 246 A220s delivered to 16 airlines, the aircraft is operating from four continents.

To date, more than 70 million passengers have enjoyed the A220. The fleet is currently flying on over 825 routes and 325 destinations worldwide. As of the end of December, nearly 30 customers have ordered close to 800 A220 aircraft.

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Third military satellite for the LDPE program reaches orbit

Northrop Grumman Corp's Long Duration Propulsive ESPA (LDPE)-3A spacecraft reached orbit on Sunday as part of the U.S. Space Force's USSF-67 mission. This marks the third successful launch in the LDPE program.

The LDPE-3A was built using Northrop Grumman’s ESPAStar. The ESPAStar system provides a modular, cost-effective way of carrying multiple experiments into space and deploying small satellites. Also known as a bus, ESPAStar carries hardware so five independent missions can be loaded aboard the satellite. This eliminates the need for each mission to wait for a future launch opportunity.

Northrop Grumman also designed, developed, and implemented the command and control, and mission execution software system for the LDPE program. The software system uses a common baseline across multiple programs, putting more capability in the hands of customer operators at a lower cost.

A SpaceX Falcon Heavy launch vehicle delivered LDPE-3A to near-geosynchronous Earth orbit for a one-year mission. The Falcon Heavy also carried the second Continuous Broadcast Augmenting SATCOM satellite into orbit with LDPE-3A.

USSF-67 is the third mission for the LDPE program. The Northrop Grumman-built LDPE-1 launched aboard the STP-3 mission in December 2021 and LDPE-2 aboard the USSF-44 mission in November 2022. Northrop Grumman will continue to deliver future ESPAStar spacecraft for future USSF missions.

Arianespace appoints Rutgers chief commercial officer

European launch service provider Arianespace has appointed Steven Rutgers to serve as its next chief commercial officer.

Rutgers began his career in the space industry over two decades ago, working his way progressively through the ranks – initially as the international market and account manager with Inmarsat distributor Xantic in the Netherlands. He subsequently worked in Hong Kong, Dubai, and Singapore with Stratos and Inmarsat, negotiating complex bids and supporting commercial development. His career has spanned the globe, from Europe to the Middle East, Asia, and the Americas, where he has conducted business with multiple sectors – including satellite operators and the government, telecommunications, oil and gas, mining, logistics, and fisheries industries.

Before joining Arianespace, Rutgers was the vice president of sales with the IoT (Internet of Things) company Hiber, where he successfully executed deals with large customers served by the satellite industry.

He holds a bachelor’s degree from the International School of Economics and Management, Rotterdam.

Rutgers is succeeding Emmanuel Franc, after a record year in 2022 in terms of order intake.

Arianespace has orbited over 1,100 satellites since 1980. The company provides satellite launch services with its family of three launchers, Ariane, Soyuz, and Vega. These rockets are launched from sites in French Guiana (South America) and Russian cosmodromes in Baikonur and Vostochny.

The company is headquartered in Evry, near Paris, France.

Pariplay takes significant steps in New Jersey online casino market

iGaming content provider Pariplay, a subsidiary of NeoGames S.A., said they would be making some big steps in the new year regarding US expansion. Recent announcements show the company, based in Gibraltar, is taking advantage of the “lucrative” US market early in 2023.

Pariplay announced on Thursday it has taken its Ignite partner Skillzzgaming’s content live in the United States through their Fusion platform with leading operator BetMGM.

The company said the launch represents a significant milestone, being the first time that Pariplay’s third-party content has been made available to players in the US. Pariplаy’s current deal with BetMGM covers its offering across all markets that Pariplay is licensed including exclusivity in New Jersey until the end of the year.

BetMGM's sports betting and casino gaming app is a partnership between MGM Resorts International and Entain Holdings.

Skillzzgaming content, including top-performing hit Fruit Blast, is now available to partners solely through the Fusion platform.

“Finally launching in the US is a fantastic achievement for us and BetMGM is a major player in the space so we couldn’t be happier,” said Eran Sharar, CEO at Skillzzgaming. “Going live in the lucrative US market is a highlight in the studio’s journey so far.”

Pariplay shows no signs of slowing down.

Resorts Digital Gaming

On Wednesday, NeoGames announced that Pariplay has entered into a partnership with Resorts Digital Gaming, the online arm of Resorts Casino and Hotel – the first casino in Atlantic City – in a deal that will see the online brand take a collection of proprietary and third-party content via the Fusion platform.

“We’ve worked extremely hard to bring our fantastic portfolio to as many brands and players as possible and it has been a very successful period for us,” said Tsachi Maimon, President of NeoGames, in a company press release.

“Pariplay’s Fusion platform combines some of the most innovative and exciting games in the market, from a whole host of leading providers including Wizard Games, and we are excited to be able to offer them to our players,” said Ed Andrewes, CEO of Resorts Digital Gaming.

The Fusion platform offers over 14,000 games from 80+ suppliers.

Resorts Digital customers will be able to enjoy a plethora of titles from Wizard Games including successful localized titles such as Spirit of Mustang and Wolf Riches.

Caesars Sportsbook & Casino

On Jan. 5, Pariplay announced its first batch of content went live with Caesars Sportsbook & Casino in New Jersey. The Caesars Sportsbook & Casino online app is part of Caesars Entertainment.

“Pariplay has access to a huge wealth of content, including its excellent Wizard Games range, so it’s a positive step to launch its new content for our audience in New Jersey,” said Matthew Sunderland, Senior Vice President at Caesars.

US Online Market

Pariplay’s footprint across North America continues to grow, with the provider being approved to operate in five of the six jurisdictions in the United States that have regulated online gaming, as well as seven Canadian provinces.

Currently, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Michigan, West Virginia, New Jersey, and Delaware allow online casinos. The company does not have a Delaware license.

FBP outlines air charter service contract for prison inmate in New York

The Federal Bureau of Prisons (FBP): Metropolitan Detention Center, located in Brooklyn, N.Y., needs air charter and ground transportation services for a prison inmate next week. Can you help them out?

The FBP provided full details for the trip and requirements in a contract solicitation released Friday.

The contractor will provide air charter service for two Prison Escort Officers, one inmate, and one medical nurse. Two Basic Life Support ambulances, one aircraft, and a flight crew will also be provided by the contractor.

The contract documents state the prison escorts will weigh between 180 and 200 pounds each, and the inmate will be approximately 240 pounds. A stretcher will be needed for the inmate.

The trip will take place on Jan. 19, the FBP said in the solicitation.

The trip will start with an ambulette service from Gold Crest Care Center in the Bronx, N.Y. to Teterboro Airport in New Jersey. Ambulette service is a means of transportation for patients that do not need medical care. Ideally, it is commonly used for disabled individuals and others with medical conditions like stroke.

The air charter will depart Tetterboro and head for Springfield-Branson National Airport in Missouri.

Following arrival in Missouri, a second ambulette service will be needed from the airport to the United States Medical Center for Federal Prisoners (USMCFP) in Springfield.

Once finished at the USMCFP, the same routes and services will be needed in reverse back to Tetterboro Airport.

The FBP invites companies interested in providing the services to contact their office by Tuesday.

Pointsbet opens its fourth retail sportsbook in Illinois with Hawthorne

Just in time for the NFL playoffs, PointsBet announced Friday the opening of its newest retail sportsbook in Villa Park, Ill. The new location offers sports fans in and around the Chicago area a new entertainment destination to watch and wager on games.

Located at Club Hawthorne, the sportsbook marks the fourth retail location for the company in the state as part of its partnership with Hawthorne Race Course. Pointsbet already has sportsbooks open and operating in Prospect Heights, Cicero, and Crestwood. Hawthorne hosts the largest network of off-track betting bars for horse racing in Illinois.

The new sportsbook is located inside the Crazy Pour Sports Bar at Club Hawthorne (105 E North Ave, Villa Park, IL), a 15,000 square foot, full-service bar, and restaurant that features more than 160 high-resolution TVs, including a 26-foot-wide HD display, five 160" jumbo displays, an LED sports ticker, a private party and VIP room, and fully covered heated patio. The location has a 400-person capacity.

“There's nowhere else in Chicagoland where you can bet on sports, horse racing, and video slots," said Tim Carey, CEO of Hawthorne Race Course.

Sports bettors can place cash wagers directly with cashiers at three betting windows or at eight self-service kiosks.

Illinois gamblers placed over $1 billion in sports bets in October, and did the same again in November, according to the latest figures reported by the Illinois Gaming Board.

The future of Hawthorne

Founded in 1891, Hawthorne Race Course is the oldest sporting venue in Illinois for horse racing.

On July 30, 2020, the Illinois Gaming Board approved Hawthorne to move forward with a $400 million development of the state's first race track casino.

Illinois currently has 11 casinos operating in the state with Rivers Casino Des Plaines the largest (78,500 square feet) and Hard Rock Casino Rockford the smallest (20,000 square feet).

In addition to slot machines and table games, Hawthorne's casino plans include a sportsbook to be developed in partnership with PointsBet; dining amenities; a multi-level parking garage; and a new racing operation with upgraded wagering facilities.

Electron rocket ready to launch satellites for HawkEye 360

NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility will support the launch of Rocket Lab USA’s Electron rocket from Virginia on Jan. 24. Rocket Lab has already conducted 32 Electron launches from their launch site in New Zealand. This will be their first Electron launch from the United States.

The 59-foot-tall Electron rocket will lift off from Launch Complex 2 at Virginia Space’s Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport on Wallops Island. The “Virginia is for Launch Lovers” mission will deploy radio frequency monitoring satellites for HawkEye 360.

The launch window for the mission is 6-8 p.m. EST.

With clear skies, residents throughout much of the US East Coast could get a glimpse of the rocket launch in the night sky after liftoff. Viewers from southern Maine, down to Georgia, and as far west as Kentucky, may see the launch.

Viewing locations at nearby Chincoteague Island include Robert Reed Park on Main Street or Beach Road spanning the area between Chincoteague and Assateague Islands. The Virginia, Maryland, and Delaware beaches also provide good viewing locations.

The US Post Office in Assawoman is also a popular viewing location for a Wallops launch. The Post Office is just a few miles from the launch pad.

This will be the first launch to use the jointly-developed Pegasus automated flight termination system for U.S. Electron launches derived from NASA’s Autonomous Flight Termination Unit (NAFTU). The FAA has approved both NAFTU and Pegasus to support this flight. The NASA Wallops Range Safety team has verified that Rocket Lab has met all NASA launch range safety criteria to move forward with launch operations.

HawkEye 360 satellite constellation

The “Virginia is for Launch Lovers” mission will deploy three satellites for HawkEye 360, Inc., based in Herndon, Va. The three satellites, known as Cluster 6, will monitor and deliver precise geolocation of radio frequency (RF) emissions anywhere in the world and map their locations.

This is the first of three dedicated Rocket Lab flights contracted by HawkEye 360.

“We’re proud to be a Virginia-based company, with Virginia-developed technology, launching out of the Virginia spaceport,” said HawkEye 360 CEO John Serafini in a company press release.

The launch of Cluster 6 will mean HawkEye 360 will have placed 15 next-generation satellites into orbit within two years. This rapid pace will continue in 2023, with Cluster 7 anticipated to launch in February and Clusters 8 and 9 mid-year. Once Cluster 6 is commissioned, HawkEye 360 will be able to collect RF data as frequently as every hour anywhere in the world.