Space Highlights - January 11, 2017

January 11, 2017

China orbited three small satellites with its new Kuaizhou-1A (KZ-1A) rocket, including the Jilin Linye-1 forestry satellite and two small CubeSats.
https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2017/01/chinese-kuaizhou-1a-launches-several-small-satellites/
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/science/china-launches-1st-commercial-space-mission-with-new-rocket/articleshow/56422445.cms


India's ISRO has established a February launch window for its record-setting attempt to place 103 satellites into orbit with a single launch.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/isro-to-launch-record-103-satellites-in-one-go-in-february/articleshow/56332988.cms


The U.S. Air Force has encapsulated its SBIRS GEO 4 missile detection and intelligence-gathering satellite in preparation for launch.  The Space Based Infrared System (SBIRS) will be launched into a geosynchronous orbit (GEO) later this year.  Two other SBIRS satellites are on order.
http://www.upi.com/Business_News/Security-Industry/2017/01/10/US-Air-Force-prepares-SBIRS-satellite-for-launch/2131484077204/


NASA has released a family portrait of the Earth and its moon, as viewed from the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter.
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2017/01/earth-from-mars-space-pictures/


NASA this past week commemorated the 13th anniversary of the successful landing of the Spirit Mars Exploration Rover (MER) on the red planet, on January 3, 2003.
http://www.universityherald.com/articles/58736/20170105/spirit-nasa-mars-rover-celebrates-13th-anniversary.htm


NASA has released an image of Saturn's moon Mimas, as captured from the Cassini spacecraft, which highlights the odd moon's 86-mile wide Herschel crater with its central peak.
http://zeenews.india.com/space/saturns-moon-mimas-mount-everest-stands-tall-in-cassinis-latest-image_1965847.html
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-4102920/The-real-Death-Star-close-Stunning-image-shows-86-mile-wide-crater-peak-high-Everest-Saturn-s-moon-Mimas.html


Researchers reviewing the "snakeskin" terrain discovered on areas of Pluto by the New Horizons spacecraft, have identified equivalent features on Earth, caused by the natural erosion of snow and ice.
http://www.sci-news.com/space/new-horizons-penitentes-plutos-tartarus-dorsa-04513.html

Wide Body Report - January 10, 2017

January 10, 2017

Etihad Airways will launch a third daily flight between Abu Dhabi and Riyadh beginning in February, to meet increased demand.  The route is already serviced by one Boeing 777 and a 787.
http://www.thenational.ae/business/aviation/etihad-adds-third-flight-to-riyadh-route-as-saudi-visitors-surge


Boeing has closed a deal for the sale of four 787 Dreamliners to Uzbekistan Airways.
http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/news/2017/01/06/boeing-sells787-dreamliners-to-uzbekistan-airways.html


Rolls-Royce is poised to begin two new flight test programs in the coming weeks: one for the Trent 1000-TEN which will equip the Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner model; and another for the Trent 7000 which will equip the Airbus A330 NEO.  The Trent is the exclusive engine choice for the A330 NEO, and is the lead-in engine model for the stretched Boeing 787-10.
https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/rolls-poised-for-key-airbus-and-boeing-flight-test-432954/


Sichuan Airlines has signed an agreement for the lease of a single Airbus A350-900, with Air Lease Corporation.
http://aviationtribune.com/airlines/asia/sichuan-airlines-signs-agreement-lease-new-airbus-a350-900/


China Airlines is expected to be the first airline to operate the Airbus A350 flying out of Vienna.
http://www.finchannel.com/tourism-and-travel/62653-vienna-airport-china-airlines-the-first-airline-to-operate-an-airbus-a350-from-vienna

Single Aisle News - January 9, 2017

January 9, 2017

Bombardier met its year-end goal for delivering seven C-Series aircraft in 2016.
https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/bombardier-meets-goal-of-seven-cseries-deliveries-in-432923/


Lufthansa's subsidiary Swiss International Air Lines is expecting to receive 12 Bombardier CS100 aircraft in 2017.  The airline received five C-Series aircraft in 2016.
http://atwonline.com/airframes/swiss-take-least-12-cseries-2017


Boeing closed a year-end deal with GE Capital Aviation Services for 75 Boing 737 MAX-8 aircraft.  The 737 MAX is powered by CFM International LEAP-1B engines.  CFM International is a 50/50 partnership between GE and France's Snecma.
http://www.seattletimes.com/business/boeing-aerospace/boeing-books-38b-order-for-737-max-jets-from-ge-leasing-unit/


Czech Travel Service has ordered an additional five Boeing 737 MAX aircraft, bringing their total order to 30 airplanes.
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSS8N1BK01K
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-boeing-orders-gecas-idUSKBN14O1SR


Lufthansa expects to take delivery of 10 A320 NEO aircraft in 2017.  It received five aircraft in 2016, out of a total order for 116 A320 NEO family aircraft.
http://atwonline.com/airframes/lufthansa-group-take-10-a320neos-2017


Qatar Airways expects to swap it order for up to 80 A320 NEOs for the larger A321 NEO model.  The airline is also reportedly negotiating whether it will switch the engine selection from the Pratt & Whitney PW1100G Geared TurboFan (GTF) engine to the CFM International LEAP-1A engine that is also available for the NEO.
http://www.reuters.com/article/qatar-airlines-airbus-group-idUSL5N1EV2DF

Fighter Jet Times - January 5, 2017

January 5, 2017

Issues with the U.S. Navy's F-35C variant, which make the airplane's catapult-assisted launch more difficult and hazardous for pilots, are expected to persist until sometime in 2019.  Although corrective actions have been identified, it will take at least that long before modifications can be validated and incorporated into the airplane.
http://www.businessinsider.com/expensive-f35-snag-years-to-fix-2017-1


Russian media is reporting that Russia's sixth-generation PAK-FA stealth fighter is expected to enter squadron service in 2017.
http://www.defenseworld.net/news/18075/T_50_Stealth_Fighter_Jet_To_Enter_Russian_Air_Force_In_2017#.WG4zX9QrLs0


In return for its investment in Russia's PAK-FA stealth fighter development program, India is reportedly seeking the right to domestically produce and export the airplane.  India is expected to buy roughly as many examples of the new airplane as the Russian air force.
http://www.ibtimes.co.in/india-questions-russias-stance-stealth-fighter-project-711117


The U.S. Navy is deploying its latest E-2D Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft to Japan, which reportedly will have the ability to detect Chinese and Russian stealth fighters.
http://asia.nikkei.com/Politics-Economy/International-Relations/US-Navy-deploys-anti-stealth-reconnaissance-aircraft-to-Japan


A new Chinese recruitment video released by the People's Liberation Army (PLA) shows footage of Japanese jets being warned away from Chinese warplanes near contested islands in the East China Sea.
http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/chinese-japanese-jets-tense-standoff-pla-recruitment-shows-1598923


China's first carrier battlegroup has commenced its first training exercise in the South China Sea.
http://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy-defence/article/2058888/j-15-fighter-jets-chinas-liaoning-aircraft-carrier-make


The U.S. Air Force has released its formal Request for Proposal for the T-X trainer competition.  The proposal calls for the procurement of 350 aircraft, with five teams vieing to provide the replacement for the Air Force's T-38 Talon.
http://aviationweek.com/combat-aircraft/battle-begins-t-x-advanced-pilot-trainer
http://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/defense/2017-01-03/t-x-trainer-program-under-way-us-air-force-releases-rfp


Competition is already heating up over whether Israel's next jet fighter buy will center around additional F-35s, which offer stealth features, or new-build F-15s, which offer the strike radius that the F-35 lacks.
http://www.globes.co.il/en/article-israel-must-choose-f-35-or-f-15-1001170321

Space Highlights - January 4, 2017

January 4, 2017

Four months after an explosion on the launch pad destroyed a booster and its satellite, SpaceX plans to return to orbit with revised fueling procedures.  The final report on the incident suggests that investigators "identified several credible causes” for the event, and that “corrective actions address all credible causes.”
http://www.wsj.com/articles/spacex-plans-to-resume-rocket-launches-1483363705
http://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/SpaceX-finds-cause-of-launch-pad-explosion-that-destroyed-300-million-Israeli-satellite-477311
http://www.foxnews.com/science/2017/01/03/spacex-discovers-source-rocket-explosion-plans-new-launch.html


Following a launch anomaly that placed two Earth observation satellites in lower than anticipated orbits, China is slowly raising the satellites' orbits.  The two SuperView-1 satellites were launched on December 27th aboard a Long March 2D rocket.
http://spacenews.com/chinese-satellites-raising-orbits-after-launch-anomaly/
https://spaceflightnow.com/2016/12/28/chinese-earth-observation-satellites-launched-into-lower-than-planned-orbit/


NASA's Curiosity rover has identified a band of purple rocks on the surface of Mars.  The coloring appears to be from hematite, an iron-oxide mineral.
http://www.space.com/35161-curiosity-rover-spots-purple-rocks-mars.html
http://www.seeker.com/nasa-mars-curiosity-red-purple-rocks-planet-minerals-habitability-2177262325.html


NASA's New Horizons spacecraft is preparing for its second flyby of a Kuiper Belt object, scheduled for January 1, 2019.
https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2017/01/new-horizons-2019-kuiper-belt-encounter/
http://stgist.com/2016/12/28/nasa-new-horizons-already-halfway-to-2014-mu69-flyby/

Wide Body Report - January 3, 2017

January 3, 2017

Boeing has delivered a second 777-300ER to Kuwait Airways.  The remaining eight aircraft on order are expected to arrive by the end of the year.
http://news.kuwaittimes.net/website/kuwait-airways-celebrates-new-year-arrival-second-boeing-777-300er/


Delta Air Lines has cancelled its order for 18 Boeing 787 Dreamliners.  The order had been inherited when Delta merged with Northwest in 2008.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/flights/todayinthesky/2016/12/28/delta-air-lines-cancels-order-boeing-787-dreamliners/95905730/


Emirates has formally taken delivery of its first Rolls-Royce Trent powered A380 super-jumbo airliner.  Emirates currently has a total of 50 Rolls-Royce Trent 900 powered A380s are on order, which will serve alongside its fleet of 90 A380s powered by Engine Alliance GP7000 engines.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/travel/news/88068755/emirates-airline-receives-its-first-rollsroyce-powered-a380-superjumbo

Single Aisle News - January 2, 2017

January 2, 2017

Bombardier has delivered a second CS300 airliner to airBaltic.  The Latvian carrier has a total of 20 CS300 aircraft on order.
http://aviationtribune.com/airlines/europe/airbaltic-receives-second-cs300-aircraft/


Lufthansa has taken delivery of its fifth Airbus A320 NEO.  An additional ten aircraft are expected to be delivered to Lufthansa in 2017.  All of the Lufthansa aircraft are expected to feature Pratt & Whitney PW1100G Geared TurboFan (GFT) engines.
http://aviationtribune.com/airlines/europe/lufthansa-welcomes-fifth-a320neo-fleet/


IndiGo has taken delivery of its 13th Airbus A320 NEO.  Indigo is currently the largest domestic carrier in India, with 430 A320 NEO family aircraft on order, all equipped with Pratt & Whitney PW1100G engines.
http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/economy/logistics/indigo-takes-delivery-of-125th-aircraft/article9453217.ece


Assembly is underway for the third and fourth prototype Irkut MC-21 aircraft.  First flight for the new airliner is expected within the next several weeks.  Early editions of the aircraft will feature Pratt & Whitney's PW1400G Geared TurboFan (GTF) engine.
http://www.defenseworld.net/news/18080/Irkut_MC_21_Airliner___s_Third_and_Fourth_Prototypes_Assembly_Underway


Russia's Central Aerohydrodynamic Institute has completed thrust reverser tests for the Irkut MC-21 aircraft.
http://www.rusaviainsider.com/russias-mc-21-tested-for-reverse-thrust-behavior/


Comac's first C919 prototype has begun taxi tests in preparation of its first flight in coming weeks.  Early editions of the C919 will feature the CFM International LEAP-1C engine.
http://www.aviationanalysis.net/2016/12/comac-c919-commence-taxi-trials.html