Snecma to supply plasma thrusters for Eurostar satellite

Snecma will supply a flight set of PPS5000 plasma (electric) thrusters to Airbus Defence and Space for the company’s Eurostar E3000 Electric Orbit Raising satellite platform. The contract was signed Thursday by Arnaud de Rosnay, head of telecommunications satellites at Airbus Defence and Space, and Jacques Pasquier, Snecma Vice President, Space Engines division. The PPS5000 thrusters will be delivered to Airbus Defence and Space in the fourth quarter of 2016.

This new contract is in continuation of the collaboration agreement signed by the two companies in March 2014.

Snecma offers a range of Hall effect plasma thrusters and propulsion systems, with power ratings of 300W to 20kW. This technology reduces the launch weight of an all-electric geostationary satellite by 40 percent for a given payload, or allows the satellite to carry a larger payload.

Video: A graphic look at Arlington National Cemetery expansion

Artist rendering of the proposed Millennium Expansion Project at Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Va.

Space station crew lands safely in Kazakhstan

Three crew members returned to Earth Wednesday after a 167-day mission on the International Space Station that included hundreds of scientific experiments and several spacewalks to prepare the orbiting laboratory for future arrivals by U.S. commercial crew spacecraft.

Known as Expedition 42, commander Barry Wilmore of NASA and flight engineers Alexander Samokutyaev and Elena Serova of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) touched down at approximately 10:07 p.m. EDT southeast of the remote town of Dzhezkazgan in Kazakhstan.

During their time in space, the crew participated in a variety of research focusing on the effects of microgravity on cells, Earth observation, physical science and biological and molecular science. One of several key research focus areas during Expedition 42 was human health management for long-duration space travel, as NASA and Roscosmos prepare for two crew members to spend one year aboard the space station.

The space station also serves as a test bed to demonstrate new technology. The Cloud-Aerosol Transport System arrived and was installed during Expedition 42, and already is providing data to improve scientists' understanding of the structure and evolution of Earth's atmosphere. This may lead to enhancements to spacecraft launches, landings and communications systems; help guide future atmospheric investigations of Mars, Jupiter or other worlds; and help researchers model and predict climate changes on Earth.

The newly installed Electromagnetic Levitator will allow scientists to observe fundamental physical processes as liquid metals cool, potentially leading to lighter, higher-performing alloy, mixtures of two or more metals or a metal and another material, for use on Earth and in space.

During his time on the orbital complex, Wilmore ventured outside the space station with NASA astronaut Terry Virts on three spacewalks to prepare for new international docking adapters and future U.S. commercial crew spacecraft. Wilmore also completed a spacewalk in October with fellow NASA astronaut Reid Wiseman to replace a failed voltage regulator. Samokutyaev conducted one spacewalk during his time in space.

Having completed his second space station mission, Samokutyaev now has spent 331 days in space. Wilmore, having previously flown as a shuttle pilot on STS-129, has spent 178 days in space. Serova spent 167 days in space on her first flight.

UTC explores spinoff for Sikorsky Aircraft business

United Technologies Corp. (UTC) announced Wednesday that its Board of Directors has authorized a review of strategic alternatives for the corporation's Sikorsky Aircraft business, including a potential tax-free spinoff.

"We are exploring strategic options for Sikorsky to determine the best way to enhance its long-term success and create improved long-term value for UTC's customers and shareholders," said UTC President & Chief Executive Officer Gregory Hayes. 

Sikorsky is a world leader in the design, manufacture and service of military and commercial helicopter platforms.

"Looking to the future, we are evaluating whether Sikorsky's unique business as a rotorcraft OEM with a predominately military customer base is best positioned as a stand-alone company, and whether a separation would allow United Technologies to better focus on providing high-technology systems and services to the aerospace and building industries,” Hayes said.

UTC expects to conclude its strategic review before the end of the year. However, no specific timetable has been set, and there can be no assurance that a spinoff or any other transaction will take place. Likewise, no decision has been made on the timing or terms of any such transaction if one were to occur.

United Technologies is based in Hartford, Conn.

Southwest Airlines launches to Central America and flies new Caribbean route

Southwest Airlines inaugurated two international routes Saturday that brought new long-haul service for customers using two of the carrier's growing gateways, Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport and William P. Hobby Airport in Houston. Each of the new routes is longer than 2,000 miles each-way and marks historic milestones for the carrier both by connecting Central America to the Southwest network of destinations and by offering its longest-ever nonstop scheduled service from any of Southwest's Texas Triangle of original cities of Dallas, San Antonio, and Houston.

Beginning Saturday, Southwest Airlines operates nonstop service between San Jose, Costa Rica, and Baltimore/Washington on a once daily basis, and Aruba and Houston seasonally, once every Saturday through Aug. 8.

At Houston's Hobby Airport, Southwest employees celebrated the first Aruba-bound morning departure. This is the first-ever international flying offered from Houston Hobby. This October, Southwest is scheduled to complete the construction of a $156 million international terminal project which will give Houstonians and Southwest customers from across the network access to more international destinations.

"This is just the beginning of a very big 2015 for our Houston employees and customers with an additional six destinations across three countries coming online at Hobby later this year,” said Teresa Laraba, Southwest's Senior Vice President of Customers.

NASA to test booster for new Space Launch System

The largest, most powerful booster ever built for NASA's new rocket, the Space Launch System (SLS), will fire up for a ground test at 11:30 a.m. EDT March 11, at Orbital ATK Propulsion Systems' test facilities in Promontory, Utah.

The two-minute static test is a significant milestone for the SLS as part of NASA's journey to Mars, and follows years of development. It is one of two ground tests to qualify the booster for flight. A second test is planned for early 2016. Once qualification is complete, the hardware will be ready to help send the rocket, along with NASA's Orion spacecraft, on its first flight test.

A public viewing area is available along State Road 83 North approximately 20 miles west of Corinne, Utah. The gate to the public viewing area opens at 9 a.m. EDT March11. Overflow parking is available, if needed.

When completed, two solid-rocket boosters and four RS-25 main engines will power the SLS as it begins its deep space missions. The boosters operate in parallel with the main engines for the first two minutes of flight, providing more than 75 percent of the thrust needed for the rocket to escape Earth's gravitational pull.

The first flight test of the SLS will feature a configuration for a 70-metric-ton (77-ton) lift capacity and carry an uncrewed Orion spacecraft beyond low-Earth orbit to test the performance of the integrated system. As the SLS is updated, it will provide an unprecedented lift capability of 130 metric tons (143 tons) to enable missions even farther into the solar system.

Silk Way West orders three Boeing 747-8 freighters

Boeing and Azerbaijan-based Silk Way West announced an order for three 747-8 Freighter airplanes Tuesday valued at more than $1.1 billion at current list prices.

Silk Way West is an enterprise of the Silk Way Group, which includes 23 companies working in the aviation industry and related services. The airline currently operates seven Boeing airplanes, including two 767-300 Freighters, three 747-400 Freighters and two 747-8 Freighters.

“Compared one on one, the 747-8 Freighter has no competitors,” Boeing said in a company press release. “The 747-8 Freighter provides cargo operators the lowest operating costs and best economics of any large freighter airplane while providing enhanced environmental performance.” The 747-8 Freighter offers 16 percent more revenue cargo volume than the 747-400, while keeping its iconic nose door. 

With 56 747-8 Freighters in service with eight customers, the 747-8 Freighters have logged more than 500,000 flight hours and more than 88,000 flight cycles.