April 20, 2017 - No. 032 In This Issue SpaceX's next launch to mark start of new era GE Aviation (China) Repair Technology Development Center Now Open Korea Aims to Develop Its Own Key Aviation Technologies within 10 years PartsBase Launches New Aviation Parts Procurement Industry Tradeshow Solar Impulse spin off to develop electric propulsion technology for the aviation industry Mobil Jet Oil 387 Goes Fleet-Wide with Singapore Airlines MSL announces 4-passenger future hydrogen-powered VTOL flying car Etihad Airways Engineering and Diehl Sign Deal for First Commercial 3D-Printed Part Retrofit Project StandardAero's European Service Center Receives EASA and FAA Certifications for HTF7000 Aviation Museum of NH seeks entries for inaugural paper airplane exhibit Russian Soyuz craft blasts off for space station with veteran cosmonaut, rookie astronaut SpaceX's next launch to mark start of new era An upcoming launch of a government spy satellite for the National Reconnaissance Office will mark the first time the U.S. Department of Defense has used SpaceX for a mission. For at least the last six years, that arena has been the exclusive domain of competitor United Launch Alliance, which also launches regularly from Florida. The satellite is scheduled to launch on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket no earlier than April 30. The NRO revealed in May that it had awarded SpaceX the upcoming launch. The mission will reflect a new area of competition for SpaceX and ULA, two of the main launch providers from the Space Coast. That could mean more business for Florida. "This satellite was going to launch from Florida anyway," said Dale Ketcham, Space Florida's chief of strategic alliances. "But it reflects more competition. That will drive down prices and could result in it being cheaper to get into space, meaning more launches. Competition is a good thing." SpaceX until now has focused primarily on telecommunications satellites and cargo missions for the International Space Station. But landing the government deal did not come without a testy exchange and threat of legal action. Musk had planned to sue the Air Force, which he accused of rewarding United Launch Alliance because some there planned the company as "their future retirement program." "Essentially we're asking them to award a contract to a company where they are probably not going to get a job, against a company where their friends are," he told Bloomberg Business Week in early 2015. Shortly thereafter, the Air Force opened bidding to the Hawthorne, Calif.-based company. Ultimately, it represented a win for the government, space historian Roger Launius said. "From the government angle, they now have more than one launch provider," said Launius, formerly of the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C. "That's important because if you lose one and have to stand down for whatever period of time, especially for national security payloads, you still have options." When the National Reconnaissance Office revealed SpaceX as its provider for the satellite launch, industry observers saw the move as a big moment because it essentially opened the door to competitive bidding on national security contracts. SpaceX landed a deal in March to send a GPS navigation satellite for the Air Force into space for $96.5 million. That launch is expected to take place within the next two years. In the competitive space, Launius said SpaceX's advantage comes at the top. "At this point, I'm not willing to bet against Elon and his people," he said. "They have proven over and over that they can pull this stuff off." SpaceX's successful relaunch March 30 of a used Falcon 9 rocket marked another first for Musk's company, carrying a telecommunications satellite toward orbit before landing the booster on a barge at sea. That accomplishment is early proof that the company's plan to reuse boosters could eventually lower launch costs. Few details are available about the upcoming NRO launch, scheduled for as early as April 30 according to a launch-tracking website. The NRO generally keeps those details under wraps. SpaceX has not confirmed the launch date. ULA and SpaceX have ramped up their manifests this year, with ULA launching a cargo resupply mission to International Space Station on Tuesday. Spokespeople for SpaceX and United Launch Alliance did not respond to emails requesting comment. "This is their way of (SpaceX) breaking into the game of government and defense launches," said Justin Karl, program coordinator of Commercial Space Operations at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. He said SpaceX's capabilities could grow quickly from the NRO contract. "It's a very big deal," he said. "For government orbital launches, there are very few flight provider options. That is a huge segment of a changing market they have potentially captured." http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/space/os-bz-spacex-government-launch-20170419- story.html Back to Top GE Aviation (China) Repair Technology Development Center Now Open GE Aviation (China) Repair Technology Development Center held its grand opening ceremony in the Lingang Industrial Park in Shanghai on March 28. This center is the first footprint for GE Aviation's repair technology development in China and will focus on developing and industrializing the advanced engine service and repair technology to support MRO shops, component repair facilities and on-wing support operations in China. Yuan Guohua, president of Shanghai Lingang Group Weiming Xiang, president of GE Aviation Greater China region, Patrick Wang, engineering leader of GE Aviation China, Mike Hoffmeister, general manager of global service technology, GE Aviation, and Tony Matacia, business development director of global repair technology, GE Aviation, attended the ceremony. With the rapid growth of Chinese civil aviation, aircraft engine maintenance and repair needs are increasing. Currently, nearly 5,000 GE and CFM engines are in operation in the Greater China region. GE provides technical and on-wing support to these fleets along with maintenance and overhaul services for customers' engines through our global service network. GE invests in developing advanced repair technologies to further improve reliability and lower maintenance costs - as well as using big data and analytics to forecast time on wing and shop visits, performing on-wing inspection and repair to reduce engine removal and utilizing advanced repairs to shorten maintenance turnaround time. Repair Development Focus Areas Early projects include the development of advanced cleaning technologies for aircraft engines, part stripping and laser cleaning - with gradual expansion into the development of repair technologies, such as failure analysis and laser cladding. The center will also develop and support technologies for in-region MRO shops like TEXL in Xiamen, EGAT in Taipei and SSAMC* in Chengdu in which GE is a shareholder, as well as other overhaul shops authorized by GE Aviation, to help improve the repair capability and quality, shorten turnaround time and reduce costs. For more information on GE Aviation's repair capabilities, click here. *SSAMC is a 60/40 joint venture between Air China and CFM International. CFM is a 50/50 joint venture between GE and Safran Aircraft Engines. http://aviationweek.com/optimizing-engines-through-lifecycle/ge-aviation-china-repair-technology- development-center-now-op-0 Back to Top Korea Aims to Develop Its Own Key Aviation Technologies within 10 years The public and private sectors of Korea set a goal of being able to independently develop key technologies such as aircraft engines and electronics within 10 years. To do this, 1.8 trillion won (US$ will be invested for five years. The Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Energy (MOCIE) held an industry-academy-research institute meeting to discuss the development of the aviation industry at the Plaza Hotel in Sogong- dong, Seoul on April 19 and announced strategy on the development of the aviation industry during the 4th industrial revolution era. The ministry proposed three policy directions for developing Korea into an aviation powerhouse -- securing future core technologies such as engines, aviation electronics, lightweight new materials, expanding into global markets and creating new markets and building an ecosystem with Korea's all capabilities. With an eye towards localizing core aviation technology such as engines and aviation electronics within the next 10 years, the government will invest 1.8 trillion won in the next five years. Until 2025, Korea will be able to develop engine technology on its own, and aviation electronics and lightweight new materials will be developed as well. PAV technology will also be preemptively developed so a prototype will be launched by 2022. In addition, the government will dial up the market size (currently US$5.1 billion) more than four- fold by the end of 2025. For this objective, Korea will expand orders for parts from overseas, secure the domestic market in connection with the Korean military demand, commercialize and export finished military aircraft, and pursue niche markets. Also in the works are plans to receive more orders by strengthening offset trades and participate in the joint development of new civilian aircraft through global partnership projects with Europe and the US among others. In order to secure competitiveness in new markets such as drones, PAVs, and services, the government will rise the public demand up to 200 billion won (US$180 million) for three years. A convergence ecosystem also will be built to create a variety of businesses. An ICT alliance and a drone convergence alliance will be formed to develop business models to spread the convergence research. The government will also expand smart factories focusing on fuselages and others and go forward with building aviation industry complexes, infrastructure for testing and evaluation, and aviation industry guarantee funds to give support to small and mid-sized firms. http://www.businesskorea.co.kr/english/news/industry/17903-aviation-tech-independence-korea- aims-develop-its-own-key-aviation-technologies Back to Top PartsBase Launches New Aviation Parts Procurement Industry Tradeshow BOCA RATON, Fla., April 19, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- PartsBase, the world's largest and most comprehensive online aviation, aerospace and defense marketplace, announces today the launch of a new tradeshow aimed at expanding relationships between buyers and sellers in the aviation parts procurement industry, while incorporating ecommerce and technology business related solutions. PBExpo (PBX) will be held May 16 - 17, 2018 at the Greater Broward County Convention Center in Fort Lauderdale, FL. PBExpo is an open venue to all companies who buy, sell, manufacture or repair aircraft parts, or those involved in B2B or B2C ecommerce and technology solutions. The event begins May 16, 2018 with a keynote presentation focusing on emerging industry trends. For two days, attendees will have the opportunity to visit the PBExpo exhibit hall featuring buyers, sellers, repair facilities, manufacturers and other ecommerce and IT solution companies. Educational seminars will be a highlight both days of the show featuring several tracks, including Industry, IT/Ecommerce and PartsBase User presentations. In addition, several networking events will give exhibitors and attendees valuable opportunities to meet face-to-face. PBExpo will also feature seminars and exhibitors focused on IT and ecommerce business solutions. The addition of these exhibitors and seminars will give the traditional PartsBase online reseller attendees advanced knowledge and insights to improve their current business practices and resources to build their online marketplaces. IT and ecommerce seminar topics will include payment options, escrow services, merchant services, website building and enhancement, ecommerce solutions, and web-based communication tools. "PBExpo is an exciting addition to the PartsBase product portfolio and the aviation parts procurement industry," said Robert Ross, Vice President of Sales for PartsBase. "At PartsBase, we constantly focus on creating the maximum value and highest return for our members on all of our products. While the current online platform provides a virtual resource for buying and selling aircraft parts, we understand face-to-face business interaction is absolutely vital for building long- term business relationships. Creating an industry-wide tradeshow, unsegregated by niche or specialty audience, is a tremendous benefit for our members and the industry. Incorporating ecommerce and technology solutions will offer additional ways our members can maximize their online investment and provide new resources to expand their business enterprise." PartsBase members will have the opportunity to participate in several members-only educational seminars, aimed at providing a deeper look into the platform and educating current members on additional investment maximizing features. PartsBase delegates will be available throughout the event for members to provide feedback on the current site, offer suggestions for future improvements and get a first-look at new features. http://finance.yahoo.com/news/partsbase-launches-aviation-parts-procurement-140000763.html Back to Top Solar Impulse spin off to develop electric propulsion technology for the aviation industry André Borschberg, one of the designers and pilots of the two Solar Impulse airplanes - the second of which flew around the world using just solar power - has co-founded H55. The spin out company will develop electric propulsion for the aviation industry. Borschberg said: "I am very excited to be part of this initiative as electric propulsion offers numerous opportunities for future air transportation which is cleaner, quieter, safer and more affordable." H55 will focus on the entire propulsion chain starting from the energy source and its management, right through thrust and power, as well as pilot interface and all control systems. It's electric demonstrator aircraft, aEro1, has successfully flown more than 50 hours with a battery endurance exceeding more than one hour. Commenting on the prospects of electric propulsion, Borschberg believes "electric air transport will undoubtedly disrupt the aviation industry. 15 years ago, when I started with Solar Impulse, electric propulsion was anecdotal. Today is a major development path of every large aeronautical organisation as well as attracting many start-ups and new players. What is science fiction today will be the reality of tomorrow." Electric propulsion is very promising. It's highly efficient and lighter, which are key advantages in the world of transportation. Due to the flexibility and reliability of software, innovative designs such as VTOL are possible.Electric airplanes are therefore cost efficient and considerably less expensive to operate than traditional combustion aircraft. And all with much less noise and an environmental foot print.All combined, electric airplanes offer new possibilities for urban transportation and will play a key role in changing the way people travel. While H55 represents Solar Impulse's technological heritage, Bertrand Piccard, initiator, chairman and co-pilot of Solar Impulse, has recently initiated the World Alliance for Efficient Solutions, a platform to federate the main actors in the field of clean technologies with the objective of showcasing profitable and tangible solutions to environmental challenges. http://www.eurekamagazine.co.uk/design-engineering-news/solar-impulse-spin-off-to-develop- electric-propulsion-technology-for-the-aviation-industry/154004/ Back to Top Mobil Jet Oil 387 Goes Fleet-Wide with Singapore Airlines SPRING, Texas - ExxonMobil announced today that Mobil JetTM Oil 387, a synthetic High Performance Capability (HPC) turbine engine oil, will be used in all of Singapore Airlines' aircraft. Among the world's most awarded carriers, Singapore Airlines operates one of the youngest fleets in the aviation industry. Its fleet includes a range of Airbus and Boeing wide-body aircraft, powered by some of the most advanced and popular engine technologies, including numerous Rolls-Royce Trent and General Electric's GE90 variants. "Singapore Airlines' decision to use Mobil Jet Oil 387 across its entire fleet is a powerful recognition of the many performance benefits our oil can deliver," said Vipin Rana, global aviation lubricants sales manager at ExxonMobil. "We are confident that Mobil Jet Oil 387 will be a valuable fleet-wide lubricant solution for Singapore Airlines, and can be for other air carriers as well." Created entirely by ExxonMobil lubricant formulators, Mobil Jet Oil 387 features custom-made esters and unique additives that help deliver a combination of benefits that have never before been achieved with an HTS/HPC turbine oil. Since being introduced in late 2012, airlines and leading equipment manufacturers have seen how Mobil Jet Oil 387 can deliver outstanding deposit control, oxidative stability and seal compatibility. These key benefits help ensure that Mobil Jet Oil 387 meets the performance requirements for current and future turbine engine technologies, making it an ideal lubricant choice for carriers such as Singapore Airlines. Today, Mobil Jet Oil 387 has accrued nearly one million hours of on-wing performance, and protects more than 250 aircraft from carriers around the world. Approved for use in a wide range of engines and components, Mobil Jet Oil 387 meets demanding industry specifications, including SAE AS5780 High Performance Capability and U.S. Military Specification MIL-PRF-23699-HTS. Mobil Jet Oil 387 is produced at the state-of-the-art Port Allen aviation lubricants plant in Baton Rouge, La. The 90,000 square foot facility, which commenced operations in 2016, features advanced equipment and technologies that enable ExxonMobil to produce reliable supply of Mobil Jet oils and meet the increasing demands for high-performance synthetic aviation lubricants. To learn how using Mobil Jet Oil 387 can help your business, visit mobiljetoil387.com. To receive social media updates from ExxonMobil Aviation, follow us on our Linkedin page. About ExxonMobil ExxonMobil, the largest publicly traded international oil and gas company, uses technology and innovation to help meet the world's growing energy needs. ExxonMobil holds an industry- leading inventory of resources, is the largest refiner and marketer of petroleum products, and its chemical company is one of the largest in the world. For more information, visit www.exxonmobil.com or follow us on Twitter www.twitter.com/exxonmobil. About High Performance Capability Oils The High Performance Capability (HPC) classification represents the highest aviation industry standard for aviation turbine engine oils. To meet the HPC classification, oils must deliver exceptional overall performance, high levels of oxidation resistance and outstanding deposit control. Mobil Jet Oil 387 is certified as a HPC oil. http://www.aviationpros.com/press_release/12326654/mobil-jet-oil-387-goes-fleet-wide-with- singapore-airlines Back to Top MSL announces 4-passenger future hydrogen-powered VTOL flying car Metro Skyways Ltd. (MSL), a subsidiary of Urban Aeronautics, plans to launch the design and development of a four-passenger, vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) flying car based on Urban Aeronautics' internal rotor, Fancraft technology. The vehicle will initially be powered by jet fuel, but will be designed from the outset to convert to liquid hydrogen and eventually also to 700 bar compressed hydrogen, once such options become commercially feasible. MSL was established by Urban Aeronautics in 2013 to focus exclusively on developing Fancraft for the manned, civil market. MSL will develop the CityHawk under a license to utilize UrbanAero's 39 patents covering all aspects of Fancraft technology. CityHawk will be designed to meet Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) certification standards for manned VTOL aircraft. CityHawk is unique in combining a compact, car-sized design that has a four-passenger capacity, no exposed rotors or wings, no batteries and potential for zero carbon emissions. Hydrogen's only byproduct is pure H2O. Perhaps most critical is that CityHawk achieves these groundbreaking qualities while meeting all design criteria that are the basis for eventual FAA/EASA certification. This paves the way for true, unrestricted commercial viability. The development of CityHawk is expected to take five years and draws on UrbanAero's experience in developing and flight testing its one ton, unmanned Cormorant that is being developed by the company's second subsidiary, Tactical Robotics Ltd. CityHawk will be similar to Cormorant in shape and size. Cormorant has so far accumulated in excess of 200 flight tests. CityHawk's first public demonstration will take place at an airshow shortly after completion of development. While CityHawk will initially be piloted by a human pilot, the vehicle's flight control and flight management systems will be capable of a high degree of autonomy from the outset. The technology is being developed and tested on Tactical Robotics' Cormorant prototype, which already flies fully autonomously. As the technology of autonomy and regulatory infrastructure mature, CityHawk will eventually transport passengers robotically. CityHawk's future, groundbreaking hydrogen power may rely on direct feed of hydrogen into a state-of-the art (FAA/EASA certified) turboshaft engine as an alternative to fuel cells, power conditioners, cables and electric motors. This direct and compact conversion of hydrogen into shaft power, combined with UrbanAero's unique Fancraft aerodynamics, makes CityHawk's unique size and passenger capacity possible, while keeping an FAA/EASA certified primary power unit at the 'heart of the machine'. https://www.verticalmag.com/press-releases/msl-announces-4-passenger-future-hydrogen- powered-vtol-flying-car/ Back to Top Etihad Airways Engineering and Diehl Sign Deal for First Commercial 3D-Printed Part Retrofit Project Etihad Airways Engineering has signed an agreement with Diehl Aerosystems to jointly design, manufacture and install the first serial produced 3D-printed cabin plastic part on an aircraft for one of its customers. Additive manufacturing - commonly referred to as 3D-printing - reduces lead time in design, decreases production cost of and enables speedier manufacturing. Etihad Airways Engineering and Diehl have collaborated to develop and manufacture an inflight entertainment (IFE) cover plate which will be installed in economy seats on several aircraft of a Middle Eastern airline. The two companies plan to create a range of products based on the experience gained from this pilot project. Jeff Wilkinson, Etihad Airways Engineering Chief Executive Officer, said: "Etihad Airways Engineering is leveraging its Part 21J Design Organisation approval by EASA - with Diehl contributing as a Part 21G Production Organisation - in this pilot project. "Our partnership with Diehl will help us commercialise this technology and make it available to our customers around the world." He explained that the 3D-printed part offered a cost saving of around 20 to 30 per cent, with the added benefit of not requiring tooling and avoiding any permanent modification to the seat. Etihad Airways Engineering is the first airline maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) provider with European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) approval to design, certify, manufacture and fly 3D- printed aircraft cabin plastic parts. Diehl Aerosystems has been working in the field of 3D printing technology for several years, building up knowledge and capabilities to supply EASA-certified 3D-printed aircraft parts to the aviation industry. Diehl can act as design partner and Production Organisation, depending on the customer requirements. Etihad Airways Engineering is an AS9110 certified organisation and already holds EASA 145 approval, alongside EASA 21J approval for designing and undertaking minor and major changes and repairs. The company is the Middle East's leading aviation MRO provider. http://www.aviationpros.com/press_release/12326855/etihad-airways-engineering-and-diehl-sign- deal-for-first-commercial-3d-printed-part-retrofit-project Back to Top StandardAero's European Service Center Receives EASA and FAA Certifications for HTF7000 SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. - April 19, 2017 - StandardAero's European Service Center (ESC), located in Tilburg, the Netherlands, has received EASA and FAA certifications for Honeywell HTF7000 turbofan MRO services and is now authorized to support business aviation operators within the EMEA region. In March of 2016, StandardAero was authorized by Honeywell Aerospace as the industry's only independent MRO heavy maintenance provider for the Honeywell HTF7000 family of turbofan engines. Subsequently, the company was also authorized to provide HTF7000 minor and line maintenance services for European business aviation operators from its ESC. The minor and line authorization allows StandardAero's ESC to perform all scheduled and unscheduled workscopes up to and including the 8,000 hour borescope inspections, including combustor liner changes. StandardAero also manages and administers a rental pool of HTF7000 series engines. "Our EASA and FAA certifications, along with our ESC minor line maintenance authorization, demonstrate the new competencies we bring to HTF7000 engine operators on the European continent," said Marc McGowan, President of StandardAero Business Aviation. "We are continuing to ramp up our HTF7000 capabilities both in Europe and the U.S. and we are currently well ahead of our plans for servicing operators all around the world." StandardAero is one of the world's largest independent providers of services including engine and airframe maintenance, repair and overhaul, engine component repair, engineering services, interior completions and paint applications. StandardAero serves a diverse array of customers in business and general aviation, airline, military, helicopter, components, energy and VIP completions markets. The company celebrated its 100th year of industry leadership in 2011. In 2015, StandardAero was purchased by Veritas Capital, a leading private equity firm headquartered in New York City. Veritas invests in companies that provide critical products and services to government and commercial customers worldwide including those operating in aerospace & defense, healthcare, technology, national security, communications, energy and education. More information can be found on the company's web site atwww.standardaero.com. http://www.aviationpros.com/press_release/12327080/standardaeros-european-service-center- receives-easa-and-faa-certifications-for-htf7000 Back to Top Aviation Museum of NH seeks entries for inaugural paper airplane exhibit LONDONDERRY, NH - The Aviation Museum of NH invites you to submit to the museum's first paper airplane exhibit, "Celebrating Flight!" Submissions are due May 1 - 13 during the museum's normal hours of operation, or by appointment. The theme of the exhibit is "Celebrating Flight." Unique and functional airplanes made only of paper will be accepted. They can and are encouraged to be decorated. The theme can be loosely interpreted, and is intended to inspire creativity and an enthusiasm for aviation of all kinds. Airplanes are requested to be less than 18" in width, height or length, if larger they must be submitted digitally prior to delivery for approval, at jpappathan@nhahs.org. Airplanes should be constructed with the ability to hang via string. Submissions must be brought to the museum between May 1 - May 13, 2017 during the museum's regular hours of Friday and Saturday 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., Sunday 1 - 4 p.m., or by appointment. Entry forms are available on the museum's website www.aviationmuseumofnh.org and at the museum during delivery. Each submission must have an accompanying entry form. Entries will not be returned, unless by special loan agreement between the museum and the builder. There is no entry fee. Up to three submissions per builder will be accepted. The exhibit will run from May 13 through May 28, 2017 and be on display during the museum's regular operating hours. Visitors are invited to add to the exhibit during the duration of the show! We will have paper on hand ready for builders. The Aviation Museum of NH reserves the right to photograph works for publicity use. The mission of the Aviation Museum of NH is to preserve New Hampshire aviation history through dynamic and hands-on exhibits and programs. The museum engage's the public through learning opportunities in aviation science and technology. The museum offers a unique cultural experience, that inspires aviation enthusiasm in people of all ages. The museum is located at 27 Navigator Road, Londonderry, NH 03053 https://manchesterinklink.com/aviation-museum-nh-seeks-entries-inaugural-paper-airplane- exhibit/ Back to Top Russian Soyuz craft blasts off for space station with veteran cosmonaut, rookie astronaut Veteran cosmonaut Fyodor Yurchikhin and rookie flight engineer Jack Fischer were boosted into orbit Thursday after a picture-perfect midday launch from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, kicking off a six-hour flight to the International Space Station. Taking off from the same launch pad that Yuri Gagarin used to become the first man in space, the Soyuz MS-04 spacecraft thundered to life at 3:13:44 a.m. EDT, roughly the moment Earth's rotation carried the rocket into the plane of the space station's orbit. The workhorse booster quickly climbed away, arcing to the East as it set off on a tightly choreographed rendezvous to catch up with the space station, which passed 250 miles directly above the launch site three minutes before liftoff. Live video from inside the Soyuz showed Yurchikhin, making his fifth space flight, and Fischer, making his first, calmly monitoring cockpit displays as the rocket accelerated toward orbit. Eight minutes and 45 seconds after launch, the booster's third stage shut down and the Soyuz MS- 04 spacecraft was released to fly on its own in an orbit measuring 123 by 159 miles. A few moments later, antennas and both two solar panels unfolded and locked in place. If all goes well, Yurchikhin and Fischer will monitor an automated approach to the space station, moving in for docking at the upper Poisk module around 9:23 a.m EDT. After verifying an airtight seal, hatches will be opened and the Soyuz crew will be welcomed aboard by Expedition 51 commander Peggy Whitson, European Space Agency astronaut Thomas Pesquet and Soyuz MS-03 commander Oleg Novitskiy. This was the first launch of a Soyuz spacecraft carrying just two passengers since 2003. The Russian spacecraft normally carries three crew members, but Roscosmos, the Russian federal space agency, recently opted to reduce its crew complement by one, and to cut back the number of Progress supply ships needed, in a bid to save money in the near term. As a result, the MS-04 spacecraft was launched with an empty seat, carrying additional supplies instead of a crew member. That seat will be filled by Whitson when Yurchikhin and Fischer return to Earth Sept. 3 to close out a planned 135-day mission. Whitson, who launched with Novitskiy and Pesquet in the Soyuz MS-03 spacecraft last Nov. 17, will remain in orbit when her crewmates return to Earth June 2. Extending Whitson's mission ensures two U.S. astronauts will be aboard the station this summer when otherwise only one -- Fischer -- would have been available, keeping U.S. research on track. It also protects the option for a contingency spacewalk if problems crop up on the U.S. segment of the station. Yurchikhin is a 58-year-old father of two who holds a Ph.D. in economics. He is a former military pilot and veteran of four earlier space flights, one aboard a space shuttle and three long-duration stays aboard the station. With a combined 537 days in orbit, he is one of the world's most experienced space fliers. Fischer, 43, is an Air Force colonel and former test pilot with a master's degree in aeronautics and astronautics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. A father of two teenage girls who frequently refers to his wife Elizabeth as "a smokin' hot blonde chick," Fischer flew F-15E fighters during two combat tours in Afghanistan and Iraq. He later attended Air Force Test Pilot School at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., and eventually helped put the F-22 Raptor through its paces. With more than 3,000 hours flying time, Fischer will serve as Yurchikhin's flight engineer during launch and landing, a daunting task given the need to be fluent in Russian. "You have to spend a lot of time here in Star City (near Moscow) and because of the complexity of the vehicle, it makes the training very complex," he said. "You have to understand when those systems work, when they don't work, when you need to switch to the others. But all in all, it really is a fantastic little vehicle. A little tight on space, but she works pretty good." Yurchikhin and Fischer face a busy stay in space. On Saturday, an Orbital ATK Cygnus cargo ship launched Tuesday will arrive for berthing at the central Unity module's Earth-facing port. On Monday, President Trump and daughter Ivanka plan to call the station for a video conference with Whitson and Fischer to congratulate the station commander for setting a new space endurance record. Already the most experienced female spacewalker, Whitson will become NASA's most experienced astronaut around 1:27 a.m. Monday, passing the previous U.S. mark for cumulative time in space of 534 days two hours and 48 minutes. When she returns to Earth with Yurchikhin and Fischer on Sept. 3, she will have logged 666 days in space during three missions, moving her up to eighth in the world, one spot behind Yurchikhin, who will have logged 672 days aloft over his five missions. On May 12, Whitson and Fischer plan to carry out a spacewalk that originally was planned earlier this year. During a six-and-a-half hour excursion, they will replace an external computer, install a high-definition camera on the station's power truss, attach micrometeoroid shielding to a docking port and help engineers troubleshoot cooling issues with a high-energy physics experiment. Novitskiy and Pesquet will return to Earth on June 2 and Yurchikhin will take over as commander of Expedition 52. A SpaceX Dragon cargo ship is scheduled to arrive the next day carrying another load of equipment and supplies and a Russian Progress cargo ship is scheduled for launch June 14. Yurchikhin, Whitson and Fischer will have the station to themselves until July 28 when the Soyuz MS-05 spacecraft shows up carrying three spaceflight veterans: vehicle commander Sergey Ryazanskiy, Randy Bresnik and European Space Agency astronaut Paolo Nespoli. Yurchikhin and Ryazanskiy plan to stage a Russian spacewalk in August before the Soyuz MS-04 crew returns to Earth Sept. 3. http://www.cbsnews.com/news/russian-soyuz-takes-off-with-two-bound-for-station/ Curt Lewis