Tag: aerospace

Exclusive-U.S. researchers find probable launch site of Russia’s new nuclear-powered missile

By Jonathan Landay WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Two U.S. researchers say they have identified the probable deployment site in Russia of the 9M370 Burevestnik, a new nuclear-powered, nuclear-armed cruise missile touted by President Vladimir Putin as “invincible.” Putin has said the weapon – dubbed the SSC-X-9 Skyfall by NATO – has an almost unlimited range and can evade U.S. missile defenses. But some Western experts dispute his claims and the Burevestnik’s strategic value, saying it will […]

Airlines hunting for suspected fake engine parts

PARIS, Sept 4, 2023 (AFP) – Aircraft engine manufacturer CFM, a joint venture between GE and Safran, has alerted its clients to a supplier who may have sold non-certified parts. The engines concerned are the CFM56 used on the previous generation of the Airbus A320 and Boeing 737 aircraft. Some 34,000 CFM56 engines were manufactured but there is as yet no information as how many may have been fitted with fake parts, which Bloomberg News […]

Indonesia orders 13 long-range military radars from Thales

PARIS, June 18, 2023 (AFP) – Indonesia has ordered 13 long-range military radars from Thales to boost airspace surveillance efforts across its immense archipelago, the French manufacturer and state-owned Indonesian defence firm PT Len Industri said Sunday. The Ground Master 400 Alpha (GM400a) radars will allow the Indonesian military to “benefit from a single air picture integrating the detection of all types of threats, from jets and missiles to hovering helicopters and unmanned air vehicles”, […]

Fly me to the Moon: Firms lining up lunar landings

Tokyo, Japan (AFP) by Sara HUSSEIN Japan’s ispace on Wednesday became the latest company to try, and fail, at a historic bid to put a private lunar lander on the Moon. Only Russia, the United States and China have made the 384,000-kilometre (239,000-mile) journey and landed safely on the Moon’s surface. Here are some of the companies who have made the journey, or plan missions soon: – SpaceIL – In February 2019, the 585-kilogram Beresheet […]

Boeing celebrates 747 at final commercial delivery of ‘jumbo jet’

by Jason REDMOND with Juliette MICHEL in New York Agence France-Presse EVERETT, United States (AFP) — Boeing marked its final commercial delivery of the 747, “the Queen of the Skies” on Tuesday at a ceremony commemorating an aircraft that democratized flying and serves US presidents. Thousands of current and former employees, celebrities and aviation industry brass converged on Boeing’s plant in Everett, Washington, in the Northwestern part of the United States, a factory built for […]

Japanese startup launches historic Moon mission

  Washington, United States (AFP) A Japanese startup’s spacecraft was launched to the Moon on Sunday in the country’s first-ever lunar mission and the first of its kind by a private company. The launch was carried out by Elon Musk’s SpaceX at Cape Canaveral in the US state of Florida after two postponements for additional pre-flight checks. The spacecraft, produced by Tokyo-based startup ispace and carrying a UAE-built rover, blasted off aboard a Falcon 9 […]

Hydrogen planes not enough to green aviation: study

PARIS, France (AFP) – The aviation industry looks at hydrogen-fuelled planes as a solution to decarbonise the sector, but a report by an environmental group released Wednesday found that they will only help limit CO2 emissions. Using hydrogen as fuel produces no climate-warming CO2 when it burns, just water. Automakers and planemakers alike have been looking at it as a means to reduce the climate impact of the transportation sector, although currently most production of […]

Chinese hypersonic test included pathbreaking 2nd missile launch: reports

  WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — China’s test of a globe-circling hypersonic weapon in July included the unprecedented launch of a separate missile from the ultra-high-speed vehicle, according to the Financial Times and Wall Street Journal. The test showed China’s development of its strategic, nuclear-capable weapons as more advanced than any had thought, surprising Pentagon officials, the two newspapers said. Neither the United States nor Russia has demonstrated the same ability, which requires launching a […]

Rolls-Royce launches nuclear reactor business

LONDON, United Kingdom (AFP) – UK aircraft engine maker Rolls-Royce on Tuesday launched plans to build small low-cost nuclear reactors to help cut the nation’s carbon emissions. The news comes as Britain pushes ahead with large-scale projects, including Hinkley Point C which will be the nation’s first new nuclear plant for a generation. Rolls-Royce said it had created a new Small Modular Reactor (SMR) division after clinching a cash injection of £405 million ($547 million, […]

Planet announces plans for new fleet of Earth observation satellites

WASHINGTON, D.C., United States (AFP) – Satellite data provider Planet announced Tuesday that it plans to launch a new fleet of orbiting eyes so powerful they can distinguish road markings on the ground. Planet, which already operates 200 Earth observation satellites from space, wants to make the new function available in 2023. The new satellites, called Pelican, could be used for mapping services, such as Google maps; in environmental tasks, such as spotting illegal forest […]

Drones and jets: China shows off new air power

ZHUHAI, China (AFP) — China on Tuesday showed off its increasingly sophisticated air power including surveillance drones and jets able to jam hostile electronic equipment, with an eye on disputed territories from Taiwan to the South China Sea and rivalry with the United States. The country’s biggest airshow, in the southern coastal city of Zhuhai, comes as Beijing pushes to meet a 2035 deadline to retool its military for modern warfare. China still lags the […]

Chinese astronauts return to Earth after 90-day mission

BEIJING, China (AFP) — Three Chinese astronauts returned to Earth Friday after completing the country’s longest-ever crewed mission, the latest landmark in Beijing’s drive to become a major space power. The capsule carrying the trio deployed its parachute and landed in the Gobi desert at 1:34 pm local time (0534 GMT). “It feels very good to be back!,” Tang Hongbo told state broadcaster CCTV after the 90-day mission, a record for China. “I want to […]