SALUTE TO THE SPEEDBIRD - SPACEFLIGHT IN 2019 NEXT GEN SENSORS - Royal Aeronautical Society
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March 2019
AEROSPACE
SPACEFLIGHT IN 2019
AIRLINE FLEET
PLANNING
NEXT GEN SENSORS
www.aerosociety.com
March 2019
Volume 46 Number 3
SALUTE TO THE
SPEEDBIRD
WHY CONCORDE REMAINS AN ICON AT 50
Royal Aeronautical Society
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Volume 46 Number 3 Beautiful bird, Fleeting thoughts
NAL/RAeS
Gatwick Airport
March 2019 lovely plumage An analysis of the
Trevor Beattie looks planning involved in
14 at the enduring
appeal of Concorde 28 creating an aircraft
fleet.
50 years after its
first flight.
Contents
Correspondence on all aerospace matters is welcome at: The Editor, AEROSPACE, No.4 Hamilton Place, London W1J 7BQ, UK publications@aerosociety.com
Comment Regulars
4 Radome 12 Transmission
The latest aviation and Your letters, emails, tweets
aeronautical intelligence, and feedback.
analysis and comment.
58 The Last Word
Role reversal 10 Antenna
Howard Wheeldon considers
Keith Hayward looks back at
the legacy of Herb Kelleher,
Airbus’ Brexit warning to founder of low-cost carrier
the UK. pioneer Southwest Airlines.
Some 50 years ago a battle between speed and size took off with the
Atlantic Ocean separating rival contenders for the future of air travel. In
Europe, Aérospatiale and BAC gambled that passengers and airlines would Features
demand Concorde to whisk them to destinations at twice the speed of
24
NASA/SpaceX
Leonardo
sound. Over in the US, Boeing, originally envisaging the 747 as an interim
airliner on the way to higher speeds, found that its Jumbo Jet became a
revolution in getting the world to fly. Half a century later, the 747 has carried
over 5.9bn people – or the equivalent of 78% of the world’s population. Yet
Concorde, with a handful built and doomed by overflight restrictions and the
70’s oil crisis, now lives on only in museums and in the imagination. Today,
ironically, the roles are reversed with Europe’s aerospace champion, Airbus
18 Scanning for the new
age of radar Leonardo is
having failed in its bet that ‘bigger is better’ with the A380 superjumbo. Space 2019
developing a new range of
Meanwhile across the Atlantic, speed is back with NASA pushing forward lightweight radar systems
The RAeS Space Group look
designed for smaller
with low-boom research, Boom developing a 55-seat airliner and Boeing ahead to this year’s plans
platforms.
for manned and unmanned
announcing a new partnership with Aerion to bring its AS2 supersonic bizjet space missions.
to market. Even John Leahy, Airbus’ recently-retired super-salesman, has 32 Lost in translation
been reported as saying that the next big leap in commercial air transport The need for delivering
technical content in native
will be the return of supersonic flight. Yet, any new SST enters a world far
NATS
languages.
different than its predecessor. Concerns about noise, sustainability, carbon
footprints and the excesses of the rich ‘1%’ have magnified over the past
50 years. The real challenges of civil supersonic flight may not be technical
barriers but societal, environmental and economic costs. What price are we
prepared to pay to get there faster?
22
Tim Robinson, Editor-in-Chief
NATS clears AI for
36
tim.robinson@aerosociety.com take-off at Heathrow
Flying the connected
How UK air traffic service
skies
provider NATS is testing
NEWS IN BRIEF artificial intelligence to
increase traffic capacity and
How commercial aircraft
could be used to gather
Earth observation data.
Editor-in-Chief Editorial Office Printed by Buxton Press Limited, reduce delays.
Tim Robinson Royal Aeronautical Society Palace Road, Buxton, Derbyshire
+44 (0)20 7670 4353 No.4 Hamilton Place SK17 6AE, UK
tim.robinson@aerosociety.com
41 Afterburner
London W1J 7BQ, UK Distributed by Royal Mail
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Aeronautical Society (RAeS). Chris Male, RAeS, No.4 Hamilton Place, 42 Message from our President
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Chris Male Chief Executive +44 (0)20 7670 4352
43 M
essage from our
Online
+44 (0)20 7670 4352 Sir Brian Burridge CBE FRAeS aerosubs@aerosociety.com Chief Executive
chris.male@aerosociety.com Advertising Any member not requiring a print 44 Book Reviews
Production Editor Bharat Davé version of this magazine, please
Wayne J Davis +44 (0)20 7670 4346 contact: membership@aerosociety.com 49 Library Additions Additional features and content are
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wayne.davis@aerosociety.com
partners@aerosociety.com USA: Periodical postage paid at 50 Obituaries available to view online on www.media.
Unless specifically attributed, no Champlain New York and additional aerosociety.com/aerospace-insight
Book Review Editor offices. 51 2
019 Council Elections
Brian Riddle material in AEROSPACE shall be taken Including:
to represent the opinion of the RAeS. Postmaster: Send address changes 52 Diary Safety lessons from the Lion Air crash, Airbus
to IMS of New York, PO Box 1518, warns of business impact of a no-deal Brexit,
Reproduction of material used in this
Champlain NY 12919-1518, USA.
55 W
hittle Laboratory
publication is not permitted without the Counter-UAV systems for airports, Leonardo
Heritage Plaque
written consent of the Editor-in-Chief. develops a new generation of aircraft radars,
ISSN 2052-451X 56 Elections Effect of no-deal Brexit on UK-Europe
flights, Planning an aircraft fleet,
NATS to use AI technology at
Front cover: British Airways’ Concorde. (Newscast) Heathrow.
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Radome
INTELLIGENCE / ANALYSIS / COMMENT
Advanced autonomy
Unlike previous Mars rovers that are dependent on driving
instructions sent via mission control and subject to the 4-20minutes
time-lag between Mars and Earth, Rosalind Franklin will incorporate
Specifications high levels of navigational autonomy, being able to drive itself
between locations selected by scientists. This will speed up
Weight 300kg
exploration and allow it to travel up to 100m per Martian day.
Length 2.5m
Height 2m
Range 4km
Mission duration 218 days
Drilling for life
The centrepiece of the ExoMars 2020 rover
mission is a drill which will be used to
probe below the surface of Mars. The drill
will be able to penetrate Martian soil down
to 2m to extract a core sample for analysis
by Rosalind's sophisticated onboard
laboratory. Other scientific instruments
onboard the rover include infrared
spectrometers, ground-penetrating radar
and an organic molecule analyser.
SPACEFLIGHT
Rosalind to roam Mars
On 7 February, the name of ESA's ExoMars rover was announced to be Rosalind Franklin,
the British female scientist who played an integral part in the discovery of DNA. The name
was chosen after some 35,844 suggestions were sent in, with Rosalind Franklin selected
due to the rover's key mission to hunt for life on Mars. The UK-built ExoMars rover,
developed by Airbus at its site in Stevenage is now under final assembly and will launch to
the Red Planet in July/August 2020 atop a Russian Proton rocket. Touchdown on Mars is set
for 2021.
4 AEROSPACE / MARCH 2019
Eyes on Mars
The ExoMars rover will
feature stereoscopic
cameras on top of a 2m
mast to help it navigate
on the planet by
creating digital maps.
Close-in-cameras will
assist in automatic
obstacle avoidance.
Solar power
Solar panels and batteries will provide
power for 50 onboard motors for wheels,
mast, drill and cameras.
ESA
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5
Radome
AEROSPACE DEFENCE
Mitsubishi fires back in After being on almost constant combat operations since August 1990, the final three
RAF Tornados returned from deployment in Cyprus on 5 February to their home base at
trade secrets dispute RAF Marham, ahead of the type's retirement from UK service at the end of this month.
Operation Shader saw the Tornado force fly around 30,000hrs and release 2,000
Japan's Mitsubishi and certification of the
weapons in the fight against ISIS.
Aircraft, makers of the Mitsubishi Regional Jet.”
MRJ narrowbody, has The counterclaim, filed in a
issued a legal countersuit US District of Washington
accusing Canada's court on 28 January, is in
Bombardier of alleged response to it being sued
“anticompetitive conduct” by Bombardier in October
in attempting to stifle the 2018 with the Canadian
development of its regional OEM alleging that several
jet. The company says: of its ex-employees stole
“Bombardier has engaged secrets on the A220 (then
in illegal anticompetitive CSeries) airliner which RAF Tornados return from ops
behaviour with the intent to
impede the development
have assisted Mitsubshi in
certification of its MRJ. for last time
MoD
AIR TRANSPORT GENERAL AVIATION
Airbus axes A380 as orders dry up. Missing footballer's
On 14 February Airbus announced it would halt production of its A380 aircraft located
superjumbo after 2021 after orders failed to materialise. Its biggest A380 The wreckage of a Piper Ibbotson and Argentinean
customer, Emirates, also ditched its commitment to 39 superjumbos, switching Malibu light aircraft which footballer Emiliano Sala,
the order to 40 A330neos and 30 A350s. The decision comes after Airbus went missing on 21 who had just signed for
removed an order for ten A380s for Hong Kong Airlines from its backlog and January has been Cardiff City. The UK
Qantas cancelled an outstanding order for eight Airbus A380s it first placed in discovered off Air Accidents
2006. Guernsey by Investigation
AA
IB
a privately- Branch (AAIB)
funded search is now at the
team, with one site working
body inside. to recover
The aircraft was the aircraft to
flying from Nantes to determine the cause of
Airbus
Cardiff with pilot David the crash.
NEWS IN BRIEF
into commercial service Defiant co-axial helicopter capsule, will now take customer Acropolis Aviation.
The Airbus A330-900neo with a flight on 7 February prototype has started the place on 2 March. The first The aircraft is to go first
has received EASA from New York La Guardia. first ground test runs at manned test flight to the to Switzerland for cabin
approval for ETOPS The flight was delayed by a facility in Florida. The International Space Station outfitting before officially
(Extended-range Twin a week due to delays to Defiant is the team’s entry is now scheduled for July, entering service with
engine aircraft Operations) FAA type approval caused for the US Army’s Joint the same month as NASA’s Acropolis.
from 180min to 285min by the US Government Multi-Role technology last currently contracted
diversion time. The aircraft shutdown. The A220s will demonstrator progamme, Soyuz flight. Meanwhile, Monarch Aircraft
can now have a potential be used on routes between with the SB-1 competing the first unpiloted flight of Engineering Ltd (MAEL),
diversion distance of LaGuardia, Boston Logan against the Bell V-280 Boeing’s Starliner capsule has gone bankrupt with the
up to 2,000nm. ETOPS and Dallas-Fort Worth. tiltrotor. is now planned for April loss of 408 jobs. MAEL
certification from the US Delta currently has orders with the first crewed flight was the MRO division of
FAA is expected soon. for 40 A220-100s and 50 NASA has announced in late August. Monarch Airlines which
-300s. that the first test flight collapsed in 2017.
Delta Air Lines has of a SpaceX Falcon The first Airbus ACJ320neo
introduced its Airbus A220 Sikorsky and Boeing have 9 rocket, carrying an business jet has been ANA Holdings in Japan is
(ex Bombardier CSeries) revealed that their SB-1 unmanned Crew Dragon delivered to UK launch to order 20 Boeing 737
6 AEROSPACE / MARCH 2019
AIR TRANSPORT AEROSPACE
Ryanair flies into the red On 22 January, Boeing NeXT conducted an unpiloted first flight of its fully
autonomous electric passenger air vehicle at Manassas, Virginia. Developed
by Boeing subsidiary Aurora Flight Sciences, the eVTOL completed a take-off,
European budget carrier competition from other hover and landing with a dummy onboard. With eight lifting rotors and a thrust
Ryanair has posted a net airlines. propeller, the vehicle will have a range of 50miles.
loss of €19.6m (£17.2m) Meanwhile, the Meanwhile, on 5 February, Boeing announced that it would be partnering with
for 2018 Q4, the airline’s low-cost airline is to Aerion to bring its AS2 supersonic bizjet to market. Boeing says it will provide
first quarterly loss since restructure its top-level financial, engineering and industrial resources to accelerate development.
March 2014. While management, with current
passenger levels rose to CEO Michael O'Leary
32.7m compared to 30.4m moving up to a group
for 2017 Q4 and revenue leadership role with
rose 9% to €1.53bn, Ryanair Holdings, which
Ryanair attributed the will then oversee four
loss to a combination of airline subsidaries, Ryanair,
a 32% increase in fuel
costs, a 31% increase in
Ryanair Sun, Laudamotion
and the recently UK-
Boeing flies eVTOL, teams up for
supersonic bizjet
Boeing
staff wages and increased licenced Ryanair UK.
SPACEFLIGHT DEFENCE
Orbex reveals Prime rocket in Scotland Germany drops F-35 from
future fighter selection
The German MoD has which currently are nuclear
confirmed that it has capable with the US B61
removed the stealth free-fall bomb.
Lockheed Martin The Luftwaffe is
Eu
F-35 from its now reported to
rofi
ghter
shortlist of strike be mulling a split
aircraft to replace buy of Boeing
On 7 February UK launcher start-up company Orbex unveiled its Prime rocket at its aging fleet F/A-18E/F
its new HQ and factory in Forres, Scotland. The Stage 2 of the Prime mini-satellite of Tornado fighter Super Hornets,
launcher features the world’s largest 3D printed rocket engine. The first launch of bombers, which will along with upgraded
Prime from the UK's new spaceport in Scotland is targeted for 2021. retire in the mid 2020s and Eurofighter Typhoons.
Orbex
MAX 8s and 18 Airbus first two KC-46 Pegasus oxygen which could be Charter has added a Turkmenistan Airlines’
A320neos in a deal worth tankers to the US Air used for future human Pilatus PC-24 executive flights to the EU because
$4.33bn at list prices. The Force at its facility in missions. ArianeGroup jet to its fleet. It is the first of concerns over air safety.
MAX 8s will be used by Everett, Washington. The with Arianespace is PC-24 sold in the US. The suspension includes
ANA on domestic routes USAF is set to receive working with German flights from the UK to
while the A320neos will be around three tankers company PTScientists, Honeywell and Curtiss- Amritsar and New Delhi via
operated by ANA’s budget per month in 2019, as which will provide Wright are to jointly Turkmenistan.
carrier Peach Aviation. Boeing steeply ramps up the lunar lander, and develop a new family of
Deliveries of both aircraft deliveries. Space Applications 'Black Boxs' cockpit voice General Atomics has
are to begin in 2021. ANA Services in Belgium, and data recorders able announced industry
is also to take a 9.5% stake ESA has signed a which will provide the to meet new EASA rules partners for the RAF’s
in PAL Holdings, parent one-year contract with ground control facilities, for at least 25hrs of data Protector RG1 armed UAV,
of flag carrier Philippine ArianeGroup to research communications and recording. including CAE which will
Airlines. a robotic mission to mine service operations. supply a synthetic training
regolith from the Moon. The European Aviation system and BAE Systems
On 25 January Boeing Regolith is an ore which US charter company Safety Authority which will help integrate it
officially handed over the can yield water and Western Aircraft’s WestAir (EASA) has suspended into UK airspace.
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Radome
DEFENCE AIR TRANSPORT
Images have appeared on social media of Russia’s new Okhotnik (Hunter)
unmanned combat air vehicle (UCAV) undergoing ground testing at the
BA rolls out the retrojets
Novosibirsk Aircraft Production Organization (NAPO) in Russia. Reported to
have been in development for a number of years, the Hunter is now believed to
for its 100th year
be ready for flight testing. The Hunter is similar in size to Northrop Grumman’s UK flag carrier British as flown on the carrier’s
X-47B and appears to be powered by a fighter jet engine. Images have also
Airways has announced original 747-100s. BA
appeared of a Russian Sukhoi Su-57 with tail markings showing the shape of a
Hunter, suggesting that manned-unmanned teaming trials are underway. the first of four ‘retro’ says the aircraft will
paint schemes to carry the paint
mark its centenary scheme until
Br
ii s h
this year. The its retirement
A ir w a y s
first airliner to in 2023. As
sport a historic AEROSPACE
livery will be one goes to press, the
Russian stealth UCAV of the airline’s Boeing BOAC retrojet is
Russian internet
747-400s, which is being set to make its first public
breaks cover painted with the classic
1964-74 BOAC livery,
appearance at Heathrow
Airport on 18 February.
SPACEFLIGHT AEROSPACE
Stratolaunch to scale back Canadian manufacturer Bombardier has launched a new 50-seat regional jet.
Named the CRJ550 the new aircraft will be added to Bombardier’s CRJ Series
ambitions range, with a type-certificate based on the CRJ700. An order for 50 of the new
CRJ550s has been placed by US carrier United Airlines.
Space launch start-up death of Stratolaunch’s
Stratolaunch Systems billionaire founder, Paul
is to scale back its Allen in late 2018. The
operations and company, which only
axe plans for revealed that it
St
ra to
a family of was working on
luanch
launchers to be a family of air-
air-dropped by its launched rockets
giant mothership for its six-engined
aircraft. ‘Roc’ aircraft last year,
The news, which sees 50 will now focus on using
Bombardier
staff also losing their jobs,
comes after the recent
the Northrop Grumman
Pegasus XL rocket. Bombardier launches 50-seat CRJ550
NEWS IN BRIEF
Reality TV space mission
into Bombardier’s
Aerostructures and
($350.4m), compared to
a loss of NOK 713m in
a joint Future Combat Air
System sixth-generation
Correction
Mars One, which sought Engineering Services Q4 2017. To cut costs, fighter, with a €65m In the February 2019 issue of
AEROSPACE, a picture caption
applicants for a one-way division. Norwegian is to postpone concept study awarded to on p 39 in the Electric pioneer
televised trip to colonise deliveries of 12 Boeing Airbus and Dassault. article incorrectly located
the Red Planet, has been Bristow Group has called 737 MAX 8s from 2020 Sumburgh Airport as being in
the Orkney Islands. Sumburgh
declared bankrupt. off a $560m acquisition of to 2023/2024 and four As AEROSPACE goes to is, of course, on the Shetland
heavy-lift rotary specialists Airbus A321LRs from press, NASA is set to make Islands.
Bombardier is to acquire Columbia Helicopters in 2019 to 2020. The carrier one last attempt to contact We apologise for any confusion
the Global 7500 bizjet a mutual agreement to blamed the loss on engine its Opportunity rover on caused.
wing programme from terminate the deal. issues with the 787, Mars, which has been
Triumph Group. The wing fuel hedge losses and silent for the past eight
for the business jet will Norwegian Air has increased competition. months after a large dust
continue to be produced delayed some aircraft storm. The rover has been
at Triumph’s Red Oak deliveries following the France and Germany on the planet for 15 years
facility in Texas which announcement of a 2018 have signed the first and its mission was only
will be incorporated Q4 loss of NOK 3bn development contracts for expected to last 90 days.
8 AEROSPACE / MARCH 2019
GENERAL AVIATION AEROSPACE
Speaking at a lecture at Royal Aeronautical Society HQ on 5 February, Jeff Zaltman, Ordnance Survey
CEO of Air Race E revealed that Airbus has signed up to become the Official
Founding Partner in the Air Race E electric aircraft race due to begin in 2020. The race reveals HAPS project
will see eight electric-powered racers compete over a 5km circuit.
UK mapping agency, first low-altitude flight
Ordnance Survey has taking place in June 2016.
revealed that is has The next step, says Brian
been developing a Jones, Astigan’s Managing
solar-powered HAPS Director, is moving to a
(High Altitude Pseudo fully operational high-
Satellite) with a team of altitude flight testing
aeronatuical engineers. adding: "By the end of
The enterprise 2019 we aim to
called Astigan be completing
A3, will weigh endurance
Airbus joins start
Ord na nc e S u
149kg and has flight testing,
a wingspan building up to
grid for electric air racing
Air Race 1
of 38m. It 90 days non-
rve
will operate at stop, which is
y
DEFENCE 67,000ft, says
the OS, for up to 90
the operational
capability we’re
UK to field drone swarm squadron days to return images of
the Earth for mapping
striving for." Entry into
service is set for 2020.
purposes. The project Astigan joins Airbus’
UK Defence Minister Gavin believed to be the RAF's UCAV. However, the MoD has been underway since Zephyr and BAE Systems’
Williamson has announced Rapid Capabilities Office subsequently confirmed 2014 and the UAV has Phasa-35 as the UK’s
that the RAF is to field a (RCO) LANCA project that the project is a three- already completed eight third HAPS solar-powered
squadron equipped with for a low-cost ‘attritable’ year one. full-scale flights, with the drone project.
swarming UAVs able to
confuse and overwhelm SPACEFLIGHT
enemy air defences, with
the goal of having them INFOGRAPHIC: Humans in space − from Vostock to
‘ready to be deployed’ by
the end of the year. No Shenzhou
specfic type of drone was
mentioned, with the effort
ON THE
MOVE
Steve Berroth is to
become CEO and
Program Manager at
Aerion.
Nexcelle has named
Patrice Provost as
President.
Ma Xulun has been
appointed as GM of China
Southern Airlines.
Airbus has appointed
Jean-Marc Nasr as
President Asia-Pacific.
Byrce
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antenna: Global Outlook and
Analysis with
HOWARD WHEELDON
Airbus – last throw of
the dice before Brexit?
B
y the time this ‘Antenna’ column is cost’. Interpreted, this means that, if the UK leaves the
published in AEROSPACE at the EU without an appropriate deal in place, aerospace
beginning of March, the United Kingdom companies face the serious threat of supply chain
will be, unless Article 51 has been pushed disruption and thus, higher manufacturing costs.
back or revoked, less than 29 days from This would be made even worse if imports from the
leaving the European Union. At the time of writing, EU were to be subject to tariffs and other forms of
Parliament had failed to back the agreed deal which restriction. Breaking this down further means that,
Prime Minister Theresa May had put before the if restrictions were to be placed on the movement
House of Commons and the risk of the UK leaving of people and goods, this would create logistical
without an agreed deal with Brussels remained. problems for companies such as Airbus who use
While not alone among industries that are at risk a ‘just in time’ process of manufacturing. It would
of being seriously impacted by the prospect of Britain also raise costs, as components would have to be
leaving the EU without an agreement, the aerospace stockpiled in advance because of the need to have
industry has been one of the most vociferous in additional customs procedures and immigration
expressing concern. Whether you consider the fears checks. The bottom line is that it is not only costs that
expressed by senior industry leaders together with are increased but also the potential weakening of the
threats of moving production abroad to be a sensible UK aerospace sector’s global competitiveness.
response is a matter best left to you the reader but, in
the case of Airbus, I venture to suggest that in respect A cry of dissent
of the UK leaving without a deal Tom Enders' words
that “Brexit may lead to a slow motion crash for Britain’s Airbus CEO Tom Enders has been one of the most
aerospace industry” should not be taken lightly. vociferous and consistent voices expressing concern
over Britain leaving the EU without a deal. You could
UK giant argue that Enders, who retires from Airbus at the
AGM next month, has nothing to lose but that would
With an annual turnover of £6bn and a large UK be to misunderstand the genuine love that he has
exporter, Airbus is undoubtedly not only a major for what Airbus has created in the UK and a concern
contributor to the UK balance of payments but is of how the next generation of Airbus management
also hugely important to the UK economy and the will view a UK outside of the EU without a deal in
retention of vital engineering and technical skills. place that can answer the concerns that the current
In the UK Airbus employs no fewer than 14,000 generation of management have expressed.
highly skilled personnel across 25 different sites In a final throw of the dice, in a video message
in the UK, of which around 6,000 are based at the released in late January, Enders called the UK
centre of excellence wing manufacturing plant in government’s handling of Brexit a “disgrace”, warning
Broughton, North Wales. At Filton, near Bristol, Airbus that the company could [ultimately] pull out of the UK
employs another 3,000 highly skilled personnel should the UK crash out of the EU without a deal.
designing and engineering wings, fuel systems and If there was a no-deal Brexit, Airbus would have to
landing gear. There are also 200 staff employed make 'potentially very harmful decisions for the UK'.
at the Oxford-based Airbus Helicopters, as well Ratcheting up of the Airbus message coincides with
as 900 at Newport in Wales, primarily engaged in other manufacturers, such as Sony and Dyson, openly
secure information services and cyber security. In saying either that they plan to move operations out of
Stevenage and Portsmouth the company employs the UK or, as in the case of Rolls-Royce, that not only
2,200 highly skilled personnel designing and is the company being forced to stockpile more parts
manufacturing advanced satellite systems and military to maintain production but also that, from a regulatory
communications, together with a further 110,000 standpoint, it has been forced to make contingency
employed within the supply chain. plans to move design-approval processes for large jet
So what is so concerning about the prospect of engines from Britain to Germany should we leave the
a no-deal Brexit for high-value manufacturers such EU without an agreed deal.
as Airbus? Principally, it is about the prospect of What is particularly interesting is that it isn’t only
customs delays and the old adage that ‘time means those opposed to Britain leaving the EU that have
10 AEROSPACE / MARCH 2019Airbus
been expressing serious doubts as to the future. a lifetime in the aerospace industry and been
One of the most fervent Brexit supporters, the small responsible for effecting considerable change not only
privately owned aircraft manufacturer Britten-Norman in the structure of Airbus operation but also in respect
which manufactures the ten-seat Islander, is so of governance, Tom Enders hands over the CEO
discontented over how the planned exit from the reins in April to a Frenchman in the form of Guillaume
EU has been handled, that it says that it is seriously Faury. An engineer through and through, Faury will, in
considering moving some functions out of the UK into my view, concentrate efforts on increasing the output
IF THE UK LEAVES
either the EU or USA. of Airbus aircraft. THE EU WITHOUT
In choosing to say “Please don’t listen to the Also, with the recent retirement after 50 years in AN APPROPRIATE
Brexiteers’ madness, which asserts that because we the aerospace industry of the much respected Airbus DEAL IN PLACE,
have huge plants here [in the UK] we will not move Commercial Aircraft Chief Operating Officer Tom
and we will always be here” Tom Enders has been Williams, Airbus finds itself for the first time without a
AEROSPACE
accused by Brexiteers of everything from ‘bullying’ to UK member on the Board. COMPANIES FACE
‘Teutonic arrogance’. I disagree in the belief that this Williams' replacement is Michael Schollhorn, THE SERIOUS
was a simple and straightforward warning that there a German national who brings into the job a vast
THREAT OF
are plenty of other countries out there who would love amount of expertise in digitilisation, end-to-end
to build the wings for Airbus aircraft. process optimisation and manufacturing, quality and SUPPLY CHAIN
supply chain management. Add all that up and you DISRUPTION AND
Airbus at the door? conclude that the future is about producing the next THUS, HIGHER
levels of production efficiency.
The unanswered question, of course, is whether With a Frenchman at the helm of Airbus as CEO
MANUFACTURING
Enders might be right or wrong in respect of Airbus and a German as Chief Operating Officer, both of COSTS
eventually shutting the doors on the UK or whether whom appear to have a self-set mandate of getting
he is out to cause unnecessary angst. Almost by more aircraft out of the door through achieving
coincidence, I happened to be spending a couple of increased operating efficiencies, it doesn’t need an
days with Airbus in Toulouse on the very day that the academic to conclude that Airbus is unlikely to be in
Tom Enders' video/letter was released. The mood, any mood to tolerate reduced productivity from its
despite Airbus having delivered more aircraft than wing-making operation in the UK.
it forecast to do in 2018 was extremely subdued That is not to suggest that Airbus would or even
on the question of Brexit. Those involved on the could up sticks and leave the UK but it is to suggest
Continent said that Airbus manufacturing has no that thinking about long-term investment in its wing
wish for change. However, by the same token, they operation at Broughton is no longer part of the
then accept it as inevitable in the longer term if, as strategy.
a consequence of a no-deal, cross border deliveries As to the UK interpretation of the Tom Enders
of wings and wing components slow and costs rise. letter/video – Brexit secretary Stephen Barclay said
So, do I believe that Enders expressed concerns that he took the warning “very seriously.”
should be taken seriously by all concerned in the UK? I suspect that whether you voted to remain or
Absolutely I do and here’s why: leave the EU, the majority will share Enders' desire for
Firstly, in making a proper assessment of the a pragmatic withdrawal agreement that allowed for an
situation you have to also take into consideration orderly Brexit. I for one certainly do but I am also old
the massive change that Airbus is going through enough to know that you can take a horse to water
in respect of senior management. Having spent but you can’t force it to drink.
@aerosociety i Find us on LinkedIn f Find us on Facebook www.aerosociety.com MARCH 2019
11Transmission
LETTERS AND ONLINE
f
Lion Air crash and pilot safety training
With reference to the very controllable by pilots. The
Boeing
informative article ‘Lion majority of airline pilots
Air Lessons’ by David today have lost their basic
Learmount(1), who covers manual flying skills due to
the subject with his usual airlines forbidding their pilots
thoroughness, I would like to fly manually except during
to add a few points. I trained the initial take-off stage and
a number of pilots on the the final landing one (which
DC-10 and B747-200, can also be done by the Air Race E rules
checked them on line, and ‘auto-land’ system). Pilots
The rules regarding number
was one of the few test must be given occasional
of main wheels needs
examiners that could clear a manual flying practice for
clarification please. The first
pilot for a first command on descent, approach and
rule states the main gear
these types. When training landing when line flying.
must be fixed but does
pilots (who were already Simulators are very useful
not specify any minimum
captains on jet airliners but do not fully reproduce
Lion Air Boeing 737 MAX 10. number of wheels. Then the
such as the A300 B4) a the experience and
next two rules regarding
runaway stabiliser was part atmosphere of actual flying
‘stick loads’ by grasping the THEN hit the stab switches brakes and tyres are both
of the syllabus. This was to – so that when manual
control column on his own but they could have been using plurals which would
be followed in training by a flying has to be done on
side, about midway from the fooled by the period in indicate more than one main
‘jammed stabiliser landing’. line, as in the case of a
cockpit floor to the wheel which the stab runaway wheel is required. It seems
However, the trainees visual approach when an
so as not to interfere with automatically stopped and like the rules have been
were so quick to detect the ILS is not available, manual
control wheel inputs, and then restarted, ie the ‘brake’ adapted from the existing
runaway stabiliser that they flying becomes, in itself, an
responding to the flying was working intermittently F1 rules but not checked for
used the ‘one–two’ reaction emergency. While it may
pilot’s request for “more” and confusing them. The clarity where changed.
that I taught them, by pulling not be valid in this particular
back on the control column or “less” pressure. Almost voice recorder may throw case, the aviation industry
every airliner had this stab- some light on this but it is Andy McKee
(in the case of a forward should be aware, when they
trim malfunction) which brake system installed – possible that this confusion pursue a goal of pilotless Brexit and business
engaged the stab brake and right from the B 707/720s could have caused ‘fixation’ aircraft, that a mistake by a
that I flew in the late 1960s or ‘tunnel vision’ that [On Airbus threat to quit UK
turning off the stab cut-off ground maintenance person
to the 70s. The 737 MAX stopped them from going to post Brexit] I believe Brexit
switches on the centre could result in erroneous
departed from this system the stab switches off action. is a ‘political and a security’
pedestal a split second later. information being sent to
by having the MCAS which Airliner manufacturers issue. Business-wise the
This resulted in hardly any the flight controls – and
did not have a stab brake. should not only tell pilots UK and the rest of Europe
trim change, so to make the then a well trained and
As Mr Learmount points out, about any different system are still intact! We have one
jammed stab landing in a skilled manual flying pilot
pilots were not informed differences on new aircraft Airbus ... one industry.
worse possible scenario; I will not be there to save
gave them the landing with about this difference and but also make sure that, the day!
would naturally expect the even if a full nose down or Anthonile Greenman
a fully forward jammed stab.
i
The pilot flying was assisted pull on the control column up stab trim situation occurs, Capt J Sadiq
by the other pilot in reducing to engage the brake and it should be manually FRAeS
Adapting automotive engines for aircraft
In the December 2018 with its application. This as a simple spring-mass with Rotax 912, is required.
edition of AEROSPACE means a gearbox is system with the crankshaft There is an outfit here in
there was an article on required; this immediately being the mass. The Australia making liquid-
piston engines(2). As one means that drive system dynamic spring constant cooled heads for formerly
who has done several torsional dynamics must be can be set such that the air-cooled heads; this
conversions of automotive considered. In the case of first natural frequency can leads to greatly improved Drone security
engines for aeronautical the Vimy, the engine was be passed on start-up, of cylinder head and valve
purposes, I thought I would a 454 Chev running at course there must be some performance. One can also [[On Securing Gatwick’s
point out a few things 4,500rpm and a very large internal damping. I have use oil to cool the heads. Skies(3)] The question is why
that I have learned. For prop running at around always used elastomeric Also, under-piston oil squirts is it ‘now’ top of the agenda
an engine to be efficient, 1,000rpm. In most cases springs; these also generate are great. In Australia with and not since drones
it must run fast and hot the rotational inertia of the some heat so some surface temperatures in became so affordable and
but it must be connected prop will be many times cooling air over the spring summer at +45°C, cooling easy to acquire (or build)?
to a propeller which, for that of the crankshaft and is required. Concerning is quite an issue.
efficiency, must be as large its rotating masses. So, running a hot engine, liquid Eleftherios
as possible consistent analytically it can be treated cooling of the head, as Bill Whitney Kalochristianakis
12 AEROSPACE / MARCH 2019Air transport and Brexit @Coffey1_david It’s
RAeS/NAL
50th anniversary of first 747 flight carrying a spare engine.
[On No-deal, no flights?(4)] draws memories BOAC VC10s and B707s
Once again, the no deal had special pod and carried
Brexit lobby demonstrate spare engines under the
a complete lack of wing on commercial flights. It
understanding of the was a cost efficient method
consequences in terms of of getting a replacement
our air transport industry, engine to aircraft stranded
let alone our aerospace away from base.
Airbus joins Air Race E
manufacturing base and
regulations. You cannot @GuardedDon The engine
just take-off and land Spot anything unusual in this photo of a British Airways to be ferried has its LP fan
anywhere in Europe with Boeing 747-200 during Rolls-Royce RB211 engine testing removed and a cap is fitted
jet liners full of passengers, in 1977? over the duct leading to the
Air Race E
as you apparently can with turbine core.
private aircraft. This should @RayLRiv Three engines @fairoaks_aero Other
be made compulsory portside. than everything already @a346b747 Virgin Orbit’s
reading for the negotiators In February Airbus joined mentioned, I’d hazard Cosmic Girl is today using
on both sides, so that a Air Race E as a Founder a guess that the most this hard point for rocket
clear understanding of Member. @PeterLay4 Fifth pod. unusual thing is that it’s launches .... not at BA jets on
the potential implications #leavingonschedule? short finals I might add.
of Brexit on air transport
@Jonititan Thanks,
for the UK as a result of
that’s fantastic. I would be RAF Tornados return from ops for Derek Piggot – RIP
range of options. I know
especially interested to last time
it is extremely late in
hear what lessons on race
the day but, if there is a
strategy could be taken
nine-month delay, as some
from @airrace1 experience.
amendments indicate, now
If transponder data or
would be the time to read
telemetry could be made
this very good research on Derek Piggot HonCRAeS
available this would be
behalf of the RAeS. (1922-2019) was a gliding
key. Balancing turning vs
straight line speed etc in instructor and a stunt pilot
Geoffrey Wardle in films – including flying
design choices.
MSc CEng MRAeS a Fokker DR1 under the
Carrigabrick viaduct in Ireland
Electric aircraft @jcbetancourtpho On 5 February the last RAF Tornados returned to RAF in The Blue Max.
Congratulations to Jeff Marham from combat operations.
[On Electric Pioneer(5)]
Zaltman and the @airracee @GilesHuby I remember
Another very interesting @PaulAllan262 Well done @Grs_st Of course we are
team for this achievement! studying his book when
piece on the drive towards guys. losing the Tornado but it learning to glide in the
more electric aircraft. should be noted we’re losing
Watchkeeper arrives 1980s but had no idea
This programme will @richcatp Great legacy. a RAF trade – no more FJ
late about his stunt flying
undoubtedly provide an Not many aircraft can claim back seaters. background! A life well lived.
interesting case study on [On Watchkeeper UAV statistics like that.
the technical challenges achieving full operational
and the economics of the capability] @macilree How many @Jamienorth2017 Very
modification of an existing, @Mark_Bate_UK Where @cyndey0071 Any idea Tonkas produced for the sad news indeed, a very
certificated aircraft. But are we at, 7-8 years late? It what they plan to do with RAF? How many lost talented pilot with some
surely in this type of air taxi was supposed to have been the Tornados. Are they in accidents or enemy great tales to tell. RIP and
application where short FOC for HERRICK 15. going into storage or being action? What future for the take thy wings to eternal
flights and low passenger chopped up? backseaters? flight and fly among the
volumes are typical, a
heavens.
system based around @RThompsonPTH How
a smaller vehicle, such many years has that been? Is 1. AEROSPACE, January 2019, p 18, Lion Air lessons
2. AEROSPACE, December 2018, p 22, Clean sky thinking
as those recently flight the CONUSE still relevant? 3. AEROSPACE, February 2019, p 3, Editorial – Securing Gatwick’s skies
tested by Airbus, Boeing, 4. AEROSPACE, February 2019, p 30, No deal – no flights?
Lilium, etc, would provide @Aerostatpilot Just 5. AEROSPACE, February 2019, p 38, Electric pioneer
more flexibility and better in time to be replaced.....
economics?
Kieron Parnell
These things were having
‘uncontrolled landings’ when Online
Additional features and content are available to view
I lived near Aberporth...
online at http://media.aerosociety.com/aerospace-insight
@aerosociety i linkedin.com/raes
Find us on LinkedIn f facebook.com/raes
Find us on Facebook. www.aerosociety.com
www.aerosociety.com MARCH 2019 13Beautiful bird,
lovely plumage
RAeS/NAL
14 AEROSPACE / MARCH 2019Some 50 years after the first flight of Concorde, why does this
aerial icon still hold our imagination? Legendary advertising guru
TREVOR BEATTIE pays tribute to the one and only Concorde.
I
t’s Saturday, 13 July 1985. At Wembley Stadium, Knowing the legend
Live Aid is in full swing. Many global superstars
will perform on this day. Only one will steal the In all I was lucky enough to experience eight
show. Somewhere backstage, a nervous Freddie Concorde flights, with both British Airways and, in the
Mercury is ironing his stonewashed slacks. He later years, Air France. Some business, all pleasure.
needn’t have bothered. I once flew my Mum on a supersonic return to a
Trevor
Out front, 72,000 people feel a tingle of Broadway show for her birthday. (She Be
at
ti e
excitement running up and down between 144,000 hated the show, the prancing herberts
satin shoulder pads. Hearts flutter. Lips tremble. Up of ‘Chicago’ were no match for the
in the posh seats, Princess Diana is doing neighbour-impressing
her best Lady Di face for Simon le Bon. experience of sipping
Suddenly and as one, the crowd turns champagne at
away from the stage and squints skyward, 55,000ft). Over the
much to the chagrin of Nik Heyward. A years, I’ve visited the
roar goes up. A roar comes down. And for flight decks, collected the
one fleeting moment, the most instantly CONCORDE certificates and stolen the safety cards
recognisable silhouette in the history of TALKS OF and pepper pots, sorry, and I never took
aviation soars overhead. FUTURISTIC one second of it all for granted.
Yet I can’t deny that, throughout
DREAMING its life, Concorde was dogged by
King of the stage
AND FAME AND detractors. The glossy white bird
‘THE Concorde!’ they cry. Note, not ‘a’ WHITE HOT has been likened to all manner of
but ‘the’ Concorde. This is a very singular
TECHNOLOGY disparaging creatures, from dodo
supersonic superstar. Concorde, in the through white elephant to albatross.
words of the aforementioned Heyward AND A Speaking of which, the year 1969 saw
(via Chesney Hawkes) is indeed The One CLAMOUR FOR not only the first flight of Concorde,
And only. Iconic celebrity goes by a single GLAMOUR AND but a fledgling appearance of Monty
name: Elvis. Mandela. Ali. Madonna. Prince.
Pele. Concorde. It’s hardly surprising they
THE GLAMOUR Python’ s ‘Dead Parrot’ sketch.
Perhaps the most unintentionally, yet
thought we’d only built one. OF FLIGHT prophetically, apt slight of them all.
How do I know all this? Because, as ITSELF. OF A You see, in the world beyond
the scene unfolded, I had the best seat in MACHINE WITH aviation circles (I’ve never been there
the house. Seat 1A aboard the very BA but apparently it exists), there are really
Concorde in question. We’d left the Air A SOUL only TWO aeroplanes: Spitfire and
Tattoo at RAF Fairford earlier in the day Concorde, but if this golden duo were
and indulged in some formation gallivanting with forced into an airborne celebrity death match, I have
the Red Arrows before a Mach 2 tear-up over the no doubt who would come out on top. For while the
Bay of Biscay and low pass over Wembley en route casual spotty teenage spotter may glance up at a
to Heathrow, where we’d drop off our pointy taxi BBMF flypast and ask: “Which one’s the Spitfire?”
ahead of it whanging a certain Phil Collins over to (and hopefully receive a clip round the ear), Concorde
Philadelphia. That’s how we rolled in the Eighties. is Concorde is Concorde. Or rather, it WAS. And
And all for the princely sum there’s the rub.
of £385. I kid you not. And I still Spitfires grow in number and live appearances
have the paperwork to prove year after year. Concorde remains most definitely
it. A trip like that today would deceased. It is no more. It’s ceased to be. Bereft of life,
have broken the sound barrier, it rests in peace. It is an ex-SST. It’s lack of movement
Via author
the bank and the Internet. certainly not due to it being tired and shagged out after
Concorde, as well as stealing a long supersonic squawk but a slow strangulation by
the limelight at Live Aid, would have lit men in grey suits. If they hadn’t nailed it to the tarmac,
up social media. Talk about an Instagram Influencer. it would’ve been pushing up past Mach 2. A big part of
#twosunsetsoneflight Concorde’s iconic status is that we actually mourn its
@aerosociety i Find us on LinkedIn f Find us on Facebook www.aerosociety.com MARCH 2019 15AIR TRANSPORT
Concorde 50th anniversary
RAeS/NAL
RAeS/NAL
RAeS/NAL
Concorde
memorabilia above, via author
loss. We grieve for an aeroplane. I expect to hear no Towards the end of Monty Python’s legendary
passing-bells for the A380, do you...? ‘Dead Parrot’ sketch, Michael Palin’s pet shop owner
offers John Cleese a replacement for his expired
Hard to kill Norwegian Blue: “I’ve got a slug,” he suggests
optimistically. “Does it talk?” asks Cleese. “Not really,
It’s a sadness peculiar to this plane. A nostalgia for no.” “Well it’s scarcely a replacement then, is it?”
a kind of future past. Concorde was a time machine. If Concorde could talk and it talks to us still.
The veritable stuff of sci-fi legend. A living machine Concorde talks of futuristic dreaming and
so larger than life that it took three fame and white hot technology and a
assassination attempts to kill it. First via clamour for glamour and the glamour of
Concorde was built on some dirty DC-10 detritus on a Paris flight itself. Of a machine with a soul. Of
production lines at both runway. Next, as a lingering collateral mythical things, like the sound barrier,
Filton, UK, and Toulouse, victim of 9/11. And finally, fatally, upon sonic booms, the curvature of the Earth,
France. its solemn return home in an unbearable droop-snoots and caviar. Of overtaking
three-ship Concorde cortège to the sunset and landing before we took
RAeS/NAL
Heathrow. Terminal 3 indeed. At least the off. Of romance at the edge of Space. Of
public finally got to see proof that we had, London to New York in the time it now
Via author
after all built more than one. takes the smart detectors at Heathrow to
remove every last trace of human dignity
The ultimate one-off and place it in a clear plastic bag in a grey
plastic tray next to your trainers, loose change and
Will there ever be another? Could the SpeedBird be Preparation H. It will take a mighty beautiful suitable
replaced? Recent rumours at least hint positively replacement to silence that voice.
in the direction of a small, comically long-nosed, Palin’s pet shop owner had it right: “Beautiful bird.
teetering-on-supersonic sibling. We shall see. Lovely plumage.”
16 AEROSPACE / MARCH 20192019
ANNUAL BANQUET Supported by
Thursday 16 May 2019 / London
Established as a key event in the social Guest of Honour
calendar of the aviation and aerospace Guillaume Faury
community, the Royal Aeronautical Society CEO Designate, Airbus
Annual Banquet attracts high level industry Venue
attendance and offers the ideal opportunity The InterContinental London Park Lane,
for networking and corporate entertainment. One Hamilton Place, London W1J 7QY, UK
Programme
Individual tickets and corporate tables are
Reception: 7.15pm Dinner: 8.00pm
available with discounted rates for RAeS
members and Corporate Partners. What’s included?
This black tie event includes a pre-dinner networking
reception followed by an exquisite four-course dinner
with fine wines and coffee.
Enquiries to:
Gail Ward, Events Manager – Corporate & Society
Royal Aeronautical Society
T +44 (0)1491 629 912 / E gail.ward@aerosociety.com
www.aerosociety.com/banquetSPACEFLIGHT
The year ahead
Space 2019
2019 has started off as an exciting year already for spaceflight.
The RAeS SPACE GROUP looks ahead to the most significant
crewed/robotic missions and space news this year.
T
his year is a milestone year in space, as from these nimble, efficient (and sometimes
50 years ago, the Apollo astronauts first ephemeral) organisations while still pressing forward
set foot on the Moon. Fifty years later with the inspirationally ambitious science and
and we’re still some way from Arthur C technology agenda that only the public sector can
Clarke’s vision of 2001 (or 2010, the justify or sustain.
sequel) but then it is the role of science fiction to In truth, it is now possible to speak of ‘run of the
imagine what might be, not what will be. mill’ spaceflight. Launching a new satellite is cheap,
In reality, we have, or are on the cusp of, artificial reliable and quite standardised (all such matters being
intelligence, long-duration space flight, orbital tourism, relative). A good mid-fielder might cost you (a lot)
re-usable rockets and a space station the size of more than a new observation satellite.
a football field (albeit not a spinning one). Indeed, Perhaps, in the past 50 years, space technology
a return mission to the Moon is now unlikely to has actually overtaken ambition. Missions like
consume 2.5% of a year’s GDP for the US, as it did Voyager, Viking, Venera, Rosetta and even GPS,
in the 1960s and 70s (ten years at 0.25% GDP per required vision beyond their own time – to do a thing
annum). If the US, Europe or Russia have not put not yet done before. Forgotten missions that failed
‘boots on the ground’ in the intervening years, it is along the way only serve to demonstrate the reach
more a question of political imperative than capability that was attempted. When was the last time we
but watch out – China’s ambitious space programme reached that far?
may just be enough to spark a new Space Race (see Imagine the boldest mission that our latest
Launchers). technology might achieve today… Shall we?
Today, the space sector focuses on different
challenges. In many ways, it has matured into a tech Launchers
sector akin to any other. The ‘NewSpace’ movement
actually represents a movement away from its birth as Last year (2018) will be a hard one to beat for launch
a strategic and prestige-led sector – towards systems. The maiden voyages of SpaceX’s
the more ‘business as usual’ world of Falcon Heavy (the largest ever commercial
return on investment, marketing launcher), Japan’s SS-520-5 (the smallest
models and ‘as-a-service’ concepts. rocket to ever deliver a payload into
The challenge for space agencies orbit), Rocket Labs’ Electron and
and (inter)national programmes Virgin Galactic’s VSS Unity are all
is to take maximum benefit headline worthy.
Main image: On 11 January,
SpaceX successfully launched
the eighth and final set of
satellites in a series of 75
total satellites for Iridium’s
next generation global satellite
constellation.
18 AEROSPACE / MARCH 2019By now, the automated recovery of Falcon first in the year. Boeing’s Starliner capsule is also set on
stage engines has become almost routine. More a similar course – with one unmanned test and two
than 20 boosters have now been landed after launch manned both planned within 2019. The Starliner and
– some of those having flown twice. The Falcon Crew Dragon 2 represent a long anticipated return
Heavy test launch in February 2018 provided the to human spaceflight for the US, following the end of
truly spectacular site of two boosters landing back the Space Shuttle era. Meanwhile, India is targeting
on their pads, simultaneously, side by side. Attention its entry to the human spaceflight club in 2021, with a
is now turning to fairing recovery – which represents modified GSLV-III.
a surprising fraction of the overall launch cost During 2019, the International Space Station
(estimated at approximately 10%). (ISS) will receive a new module (the Russian Nauka
Both Virgin Galactic and Rocket Labs have research module), the much-delayed European
big plans for 2019, with both having completed Robotic Arm (ERA) and the Bartolomeo payload-
significant flights in 2018. hosting platform. The ERA enables robotic arm
However, the country that made the most operation from the Russian elements of the Station
launches in 2018 was China. With 38 successful for the first time. The launch schedule was severely
launches, it surpassed the US (31), Russia (19) impacted by the demise of the Shuttle programme
and ‘the rest of the world’ (24). Indeed, the publicly and Russian funding difficulties.
announced budget of China’s National Space Late in 2018, US legislation was approved aimed
Agency, while hard to be sure how much of the at extending the operational life of the ISS to 2030,
military space programme that covers, now appears although funding beyond 2025 has not yet been
to exceed those of Russia’s Roscosmos and the agreed.
European Space Agency combined. That still puts it
at just half NASA’s budget (with the space budget Space debris
of the US Department of Defense similar in size to
NASA’s) but the gap is clearly narrowing. Active debris removal came a step closer during
2018. The SSTL-built ‘RemoveDEBRIS’ satellite
The start of a new space race? was orbited – via the ISS – and performed a first
successful test of a space net system for capturing
Meanwhile, the UK is pressing ahead with its goal of target objects. Later tests will involve visual navigation
establishing a domestic launch capability. Lockheed around a target, harpooning and a drag sail. Several of
Martin and Orbex both plan to operate from the north these additional experiments will take place in 2019,
coast of Scotland, taking small satellites into polar with deorbit planned from 2020.
low Earth orbit. The first launches are a couple of Other organisations such as Tokyo and
years away yet but work is already underway, while Singapore-based Astroscale (with an operations
European interest in small launch vehicles is growing. centre in the UK) are also developing technologies for
removal (or servicing) of satellites as a paid service.
Human spaceflight With the imminent proliferation of smaller
satellites, it is to be hoped that cleaning up after
Two new US crew capsules will be tested in 2019. yourself will become standard practice – either
SpaceX’s Dragon capsule, already proven as a supply through self-removal or via services such as
vessel to the ISS, is expected to fly in a new ‘Crew Astroscale’s.
Dragon 2’ configuration in March 2019 (after several A reminder of the challenges ahead was provided,
postponements). If that flight is successful, two if needed, by ORBCOMM’s 20-year
manned launches are scheduled to take place later old OG1 satellite – which broke
MARCH 2019 19You can also read
