Aviation Technology
businesswire | September 14, 2023
H2FLY, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Joby Aviation, today announced the successful completion of the world’s first piloted flight of a liquid hydrogen-powered electric aircraft.
H2FLY, acquired by Joby in 2021, continues to lead the industry on the development and testing of hydrogen aviation propulsion systems. The company completed a series of piloted flights with its HY4 demonstrator aircraft, including one that lasted more than three hours, fitted with a hydrogen-electric fuel cell propulsion system and liquid hydrogen that powered it for the entire flight.
The flights demonstrate the viability of using cryogenically-stored liquid hydrogen instead of gaseous hydrogen, which enables significantly lower tank weights and volume, leading to longer range. The successful installation and demonstration of flight with liquid hydrogen is believed to increase the range of H2FLY’s HY4 demonstrator aircraft from 466 mi (750 km) to 932 mi (1500 km), marking a critical step towards the long-term decarbonization of mid- to long-range aviation.
“H2FLY are pioneers in their field, and we’re proud of them achieving this watershed moment in the use of liquid hydrogen to power aircraft,” said JoeBen Bevirt, Founder and CEO of Joby Aviation. “In the years to come, battery-electric and hydrogen-electric propulsion systems will enable us to build aircraft that are quieter and make mid- to long-range air travel possible with zero emissions. It’s critical we take action now and invest aggressively in these technologies for the health of our planet and future generations to come.”
The successful flights are the culmination of Project HEAVEN, a European-government-supported consortium assembled to demonstrate the feasibility of using liquid hydrogen in aircraft. The consortium is led by H2FLY and includes the partners Air Liquide, Pipistrel Vertical Solutions, the German Aerospace Center (DLR), EKPO Fuel Cell Technologies, and Fundación Ayesa.
Following this test flight milestone, H2FLY will increasingly focus on its path to commercialization. In June, H2FLY announced the development of its new fuel cell systems, which will be capable of providing their full power range at altitudes high enough to enable commercial hydrogen-electric aircraft, demonstrating real-world commercial aircraft applications.
About Joby
Joby Aviation, Inc. is a California-based transportation company developing an all-electric, vertical take-off and landing air taxi which it intends to operate as part of a fast, quiet, and convenient service in cities around the world.
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Commercial Aviation
PR News Wire | August 29, 2023
Thrive Aviation proudly announces the addition of a new, factory-delivered Phenom 300E to its charter fleet. The class-leading aircraft, celebrated for its innovative design and outstanding performance, has been incorporated into the fleet under a collaborative management partnership with aircraft owner, Christopher B. Munday, Munday Aviation LLC.
The inclusion of the Phenom 300E and newly introduced management structure further diversifies Thrive's product portfolio as the operator continues to experience growing demand. Moreover, it exemplifies Thrive's mission to foster a more harmonious private aviation ecosystem, bridging operators, aircraft owners, and the charter market. This alliance not only enhances Thrive's position as a top-rated service provider but also showcases its vision for a more integrated and streamlined aviation future.
Rickey Oswald, Senior Vice President of Fleet Management at Thrive, expressed his enthusiasm: "Thrive Aviation is poised to redefine the very essence of the aircraft ownership experience. This Phenom 300E is not just another aircraft in our managed fleet; it's an embodiment of Thrive's commitment to crafting elevated experiences that transcend the expectations of our clients. The addition of Mr. Munday's Phenom 300E to Thrive's managed fleet inaugurates our innovative and transparent aircraft management framework--An architecture that is built upon Thrive Aviation's renowned reputation for safety, performance, optimization, and client experience."
Christopher B. Munday, as the aircraft owner and collaborative partner, shared insights into his decision to partner with Thrive. "Thrive's innovation and focus on quality and excellence, along with their best-in-class systems and world-renowned Management team make them the perfect Partner for us in this exciting new venture." A paragon in the light jet category, the Phenom 300E showcases superior speed, expansive range, and lavish amenities. Its debut into Thrive Aviation's charter fleet promises to further elevate Thrive's esteemed reputation for luxury and operational efficiency.
About Thrive Aviation
Thrive Aviation is a U.S. owned and globally operated curator of private aviation services, recognized as one of the Nation's Top 20 charter operators. Thrive's innovative aircraft and fleet management strategy has fueled its ability to provide bespoke asset-management, superior service, and elevated flight experiences for its guests and partners around the world. With corporate headquarters in Henderson, Nevada's exclusive Green Valley Corporate Center, the operator serves the North American and global markets from its operational base in Las Vegas, NV. Thrive Aviation's owned/operated and managed fleets of light, super-mid, large cabin, and ultra-long-range aircraft have steadily emerged as some of the industry's most coveted aircraft.
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Defense and Space
PPRnewswire | August 11, 2023
Firefly Aerospace, Inc., an end-to-end space transportation company, announced the expansion of its on-orbit services with a line of highly mobile and scalable orbital vehicles named Elytra. As the wings of a firefly, Elytra (pronounced ella-truh) offers on-orbit mobility, hosting, delivery, and servicing across cislunar space and beyond. When launched on Firefly's small- and medium-lift launch vehicles, Elytra can service the entire lifecycle of government and commercial missions.
"Elytra further expands Firefly's on-orbit services by opening access to more orbits, extending the life of each mission, and providing deorbiting services to help minimize space debris," said Bill Weber, CEO of Firefly Aerospace. "Our robust vehicle line gives us a unique advantage to quickly launch, deploy, and service satellites on-orbit in response to dynamic changes in space."
Formerly known as Firefly's Space Utility Vehicle, Elytra offers three vehicle models – Elytra Dawn, Elytra Dusk, and Elytra Dark – that travel further into space to support larger, more advanced on-orbit missions. Optimized for low Earth orbit (LEO), Elytra Dawn can be rapidly launched to support responsive hosting, rideshare, and delivery missions. Elytra Dusk offers enhanced maneuverability, power, and autonomy to provide responsive on-orbit tasking, such as relocation, space domain awareness, and deorbiting services, from LEO to geosynchronous orbit (GEO). Elytra Dark is ruggedized to serve as persistent orbital infrastructure and support transfers from LEO to lunar orbit and beyond.
"Firefly's Elytra vehicles are scalable and customizable to support each customer's unique on-orbit needs," said Jana Spruce, Vice President of Spacecraft at Firefly Aerospace. "Utilizing many of the same flight-proven components from Firefly's launch vehicles and landers, Elytra supports rapid mission schedules while providing affordable access across cislunar space and beyond."
Designed, manufactured, and tested in-house, Elytra utilizes flight-proven hardware flown on Firefly's Alpha vehicle and qualified systems common to Firefly's Blue Ghost lunar lander, including the carbon composite structures, core avionics, and propulsion systems. Elytra also utilizes the on-orbit heritage and learnings from Spaceflight's Sherpa vehicle following Firefly's recent acquisition of the company.
About Firefly Aerospace
Firefly is an end-to-end space transportation company with launch, lunar, and in-space services. As an all-American company headquartered in central Texas, Firefly is focused on delivering responsive, reliable, and affordable space access for government and commercial customers. Firefly's small- to medium-lift launch vehicles, lunar landers, and orbital vehicles provide the space industry with a single source for missions from low Earth orbit to the surface of the Moon and beyond.
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Aviation Technology
PRnewswire | July 12, 2023
Orion Space Solutions (Orion) is collaborating with Microsoft to greatly enhance the space architecture of the U.S. Department of Defense with a pioneering development - the NEXUS Electromagnetic Data Mesh Network for Combined Joint All-Domain Command and Control (CJADC2) [aka NEXUS Space Network]. This collaboration marks a significant milestone in advancing data interoperability and synchronized decision advantage integration between Joint Forces, as well as allies and partner nations.
The NEXUS Space Network, the world's first cross-domain cognitive electromagnetic data mesh, revolutionizes the way ground and on-orbit data is harnessed, enabling unparalleled access to vital information for the U.S. Department of Defense and coalition forces. By seamlessly integrating Orion and Microsoft's secure, enterprise-grade NEXUS Electromagnetic Data-as-a-Service (EDaaS) capabilities, this strategic collaboration empowers the CJADC2 initiative, delivering a unified cross-domain identity across the Microsoft Azure Government and Azure Commercial environments.
"Through our collective efforts, Microsoft and Orion are poised to reshape the landscape of space domain intelligence, equipping DoD service members with the tools they need to carry out their missions safely, effectively, and efficiently," states Chad Fish, Chief Operating Officer of Orion. "This strategic collaboration combines our deep understanding of space missions and classical and quantum mechanical data expertise, supporting the DoD to integrate data capabilities, space assets, and reference architectures for a totally combined coalition force."
Dr. Samih Fadli, Chief Information Officer of Orion, emphasizes the significance of an identity-based hybrid quantum-classical approach in the CJADC2 architecture, uniting the Joint Force and allies to synchronize space domain operations and plans on a global scale. "Our cutting-edge EDaaS mesh network will deliver combined interoperability to the U.S. Government and its allies, laying a robust foundation for imminent on-orbit space quantum collaboration" states Dr. Fadli.
Wes Anderson, Vice President for Defense, Microsoft Federal, on the collaboration. "Working with Orion to support NEXUS on Azure will help accelerate national security missions and enable the U.S. Department of Defense to advance data superiority and interoperability to achieve their goal of transforming space operations. Together with Orion, we are redefining possibilities and driving innovation in the space domain."
The strategic relationship between Orion Space Solutions and Microsoft will help advance innovation and unlock future possibilities. Together, we envision a future where space exploration and data interoperability transcend boundaries, empowering us to push the boundaries of knowledge and forge new horizons.
About Orion Space Solutions:
Orion Space Solutions is a leading developer of space mission and space technology solutions. On behalf of and working with our customers, Orion's takes on the seemingly impossible space mission challenges, successfully tackling the hardest requirements in aerospace to make a real difference for our customers and our world.
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