February 25, 2019 - No. 016 In This Issue Bombardier Funds Design, Green Technologies Research Etihad Aviation Group Showcases Innovative Aviation Solutions at Think Science Fair 2019 Autonomous Flight Ready To Build Flying Prototype Y6S FARSOON TECHNOLOGIES DEBUTS HIGH-SPEED 3D PRINTING FLIGHT TECHNOLOGY, PARTNERS WITH ARKEMA AND AUTODESK On-Demand Mobility As 'Important in Aviation As the Dawn of the Jet Age'. Northrop Grumman selected to continue F-35 program mission critical work Two Major Airlines Admit to Undisclosed Cameras in Aircraft Entertainment Systems Eviation Taps Siemens for Alice's Electric Motors IFC Provider Gogo Declares Turnaround in Progress, No Sale NASA, SpaceX and a test dummy are ready for Dragon 2's first trip to space station WWII Aviation Pioneer Leaves Legacy At 103 Bombardier Funds Design, Green Technologies Research Bombardier is investing $16.7 million over three years into two cooperative aerospace research projects involving advanced aircraft systems design and development and more environmentally friendly technologies. Both projects are part of larger industry, government, academic, and research institute collaborations. "Through this strong alliance between industry, government, and researcher partners, we are proud to not only push the limits of technology and build greener, more efficient aircraft but also to increase the competitiveness of the Québec aerospace industry," said Bombardier chief technology officer François Caza. The first, Aéro21, will involve 24 companies and a $49.3 million investment over three years. The Government of Quebec is contributing 25 percent of that total and Bombardier is committing $14.2 million. The Montreal-headquartered manufacturer said its participation would focus on expanding the use of computerized models to test aircraft systems and components from design through certification. The goal is to bring products to market faster and at lower development costs. The remaining part of the Bombardier investment is for the third phase of the Smart Affordable Green Efficient (SA²GE) project. Launched in 2010, the project is exploring possibilities for "smarter, more efficient, and effective technologies" that reduce the environmental footprint. One area being explored under this project is the development of multifunctional business and commercial aircraft wings that optimize aerodynamics and weight, reducing costs and fuel consumption. https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2019-02-22/bombardier-funds-design-green-technologies-research Back to Top Etihad Aviation Group Showcases Innovative Aviation Solutions at Think Science Fair 2019 Etihad Aviation Group is taking part in Think Science Fair 2019, which is held on 24 February at Khalifa University in Abu Dhabi, as part of its efforts to encourage the youth across the UAE to engage with science and technology and pursue a career in the world of aviation and aircraft engineering. The Abu Dhabi edition of Think Science Fairs follows the successful event last week in Dubai, in which Etihad also participated. The annual fair is held under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, who is also the Chairman of the Emirates Foundation, which organises the fair in partnership with the Ministry of Education. Under the theme of 'Seven Fairs for Seven Emirates', the Think Science Fairs take place across all emirates this year. Ibrahim Nassir, Chief Human Resources & Organisational Development Officer, Etihad Aviation Group, said: "Empowering the youth and engaging them in science and technology is a key driver of our efforts to draw more UAE talent to pursue careers in aviation and for Etihad to become the employer of choice for them in the near future. "We are very proud to participate in the annual Think Science Fair, through our long-standing partnership with Emirates Foundation, and to play our role in achieving the national Science, Technology and Innovation Policy objectives." Through interactive demonstrations and discussions with experts, visitors to Etihad Aviation Group's stand will get a chance to know more about the aviation biofuel project, led by the Sustainable Bioenergy Research Consortium (SBRC), a non-profit entity established by Masdar Institute that is part of Khalifa University of Science and Technology. The SBRC partners, including Khalifa University, Etihad Airways, Boeing, ADNOC, Safran, GE and BAUER Resources, announced last January the world's first commercial flight using locally produced sustainable fuel on an Etihad Airways Boeing 787 powered by GE's GEnx-1B engines. Samples of plant-based oil and mock-up components of the aviation biofuel, made in the UAE from plants grown in saltwater, are on display at the stand. Emirati pilots, cadets and engineers from Etihad Aviation Group will be present at the event to promote the aviation industry and its various career opportunities. The Think Science Fair is one of the biggest events of its kind in the region and attracts thousands of visitors every year, encouraging cooperation and interaction between young scientists and science and technology business sector. The seventh edition of Think Science takes place across the UAE, with events in each emirate from February to 21 March. Over 70,000 UAE youth have benefited from the programme in recent years, and approximately 16,000 school and university students have participated in the competition since its inception. https://www.albawaba.com/business/pr/etihad-aviation-group-showcases-innovative-aviation-solutions-think-science-fair-2019-12 Back to Top Autonomous Flight Ready To Build Flying Prototype Y6S Autonomous Flight-the Sevenoaks, UK-based start-up that is developing a two-seat, all-electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft-said it has very nearly finalized $25 million of funding for the next stage to build a prototype capable of flight and able to undertake a certification program. It has spent the past year completing a full-size (20-foot wide by 22-feet long) developmental mockup. The Y6S (Y as it is Y-shaped; 6 since it has six fans, two in each shroud; and S for "sport") is designed to fly two people at 72 mph and 1,500 feet above the ground, with a range of 80 miles (68 net of reserve power). It has tilt-props and two wings that can support its entire 2,000-pound mtow in cruise. Company chairman and founder Martin Warner told AIN during a February 21 preview of the Y6S, which included operating the fan controls in the two-person cockpit, that the next design will be a nine-seater (including pilot) named the AS1, for Air Shuttle One. Having analyzed various cities-in particular London, Los Angeles and Paris-Warner said having two- or four-seater eVTOLs will not meet demand or be viable as "flying taxis" since there's only so many urban aircraft a city can accommodate, at least in the early days of this new technology. The AS1 would overcome this issue, be more viable for operators, and also have other applications, such as for cargo carriage. The Y6S would still be available for private users-"People like me," said Warner. Autonomous Flight is lagging behind its original timetable, as it had expected to have a flying Y6S prototype by the end of last year, but at present it is just at the start of the prototype design and build process. The company plans to fly it in the third or fourth quarter. Its Y6S will have six removable racks of Li-ion batteries-a total of 4,500 cells, and total weight 450 pounds-which can easily be swapped out, said Warner. "If we can produce 1,000-plus vehicles, the price could be at the $40,000 level," Warner said, while criticizing some competing designs for rushing in and not thinking things through. "What makes the Y6S unique is its six motors and its Y-frame, and that it is a transition aircraft. Nothing else combines all these elements." Warner, who netted millions of dollars after inventing a desktop 3D printer, estimates that a total of between $32 million and $35 million will be the total funding required to bring the Y6S to market and estimates it will take seven years to break even. He envisions a build number "in the low thousands." Warner does not rule out selling Autonomous Flight if he received the right offer, but for now he is dedicated to pushing the program through the next stage and pulling in the resources to fully "refine" the design, which started life as a UAV-like mockup that now adorns the company's wall at its headquarters. The company currently has 10 employees, but Warner said this will grow to 30 employees, with 80 percent of the recruitment for that due to be completed within six months of second-stage funding being completed¬. https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/general-aviation/2019-02-22/autonomous-flight-ready-build-flying-prototype-y6s Back to Top FARSOON TECHNOLOGIES DEBUTS HIGH-SPEED 3D PRINTING FLIGHT TECHNOLOGY, PARTNERS WITH ARKEMA AND AUTODESK Farsoon Technologies, a Chinese manufacturer of SLM and SLS 3D printers, has introduced its Flight Technology, an additive manufacturing process for enhancing the productivity of plastic laser sintering. This technology, also known as Fiber Light Technology, leverages powerful fiber lasers instead of standard CO2 lasers built into laser sintering systems. Fiber lasers are said to provide increased laser longevity and energy absorption which expands the range of processable materials for Farsoon's systems. "The additive manufacturing world is evolving at an amazing pace," stated Dr. Xu Xiaoshu, Founder and Chairman of Farsoon Technologies. "In order to meet the demands of existing and new customers who are looking to adopt this technology for manufacturing we need to match their requirements for productivity." Flight Technology Farsoon has over 25 years of experience in additive manufacturing. Recently, the company announced a partnership with international aerospace company Airbus to develop polymer additive manufacturing materials for civil aviation. In a recent interview with Chenlu Fang, Global Marketing Manager at Farsoon, 3D Printing Industry also learned of the secret behind the company's new additive manufacturing method for pure copper. Its machine portfolio consists of several machines for both polymer and metal processing. Each system is open platform, giving users access to advanced parameters and third party material usage. Working to better polymer additive manufacturing with its latest open platform 3D printer the HT1001P Continuous Additive Manufacturing Solution (CAMS) the company signed an agreement with Modellbau Kurz, a German model builder, in November 2018, for the machine's beta-testing. Surpassing sintering speeds Compared to CO2 lasers, Flight Technology's fiber laser enables an improved energy distribution to the material, as well as a smaller laser spot size. The higher power density from this process allows the powder to be fully sintered in a shorter amount of time. Flight Technology also has a scanning speed of over 20m/s (66 ft/s) which improves sintering speeds, ultimately accelerating productivity. As stipulated by Dr. Xiaoshu, the aim of this technique is to advance 3D printing for high volume production, a challenge faced by the industry as a whole. At Formnext 2018, German 3D printer OEM EOS revealed the development plans of its LaserProFusion technology. Though this technology won't be machine-ready for another few years, it too is tackling high speed, high volume production by 3D printing. Conversely, this method harness the power of a million diode lasers to achieve a high throughput. Farsoon's Flight Technology will be offered for the company's upcoming 3D printers. At present, it is welcoming customers to the method's early adopter program. Farsoon Technologies, Arkema & Autodesk Also at TCT Asia this week, Farsoon has announced a partnership with French chemical and materials company Arkema, and award winning software developer Autodesk. Together the partners will work to optimize the polymer laser sintering process. Guillaume de Crevoisier, Arkema's Global Business Director for 3D printing, explained, "This evolving market needs much more than materials alone. It is essential to enable and leverage key strategic partnerships throughout the digital design and manufacturing chain. It's all about synergies." https://3dprintingindustry.com/news/farsoon-technologies-debuts-high-speed-3d-printing-flight-technology-partners-with-arkema-and-autodesk-149586/ Back to Top On-Demand Mobility As 'Important in Aviation As the Dawn of the Jet Age' Electric or hybrid-electric vertical-takeoff-and-landing (EVTOL) aircraft are a reality today, and that industry is working with the FAA to chart the course that will define the future of aviation. That was one of the big takeaways at the General Aviation Manufacturers Association's (GAMA) 2019 state of the industry event. GAMA's membership includes 79 companies focused on EVTOL aviation. "I think there is consensus among all of us that this is as important in aviation as the dawn of the jet age," said GAMA President and CEO Pete Bunce. Companies seem to take it seriously: Uber has said it expects to scale to more than 1,000 takeoffs per hour at each of the skyports it wants to install across the United States. Airbus and Audi are partnering on an air-and-ground on-demand mobility solution. American Airlines just teamed up with Blade. The FAA with NASA in America, EASA and Eurocontrol in Europe and other regulatory bodies around the world are trying to figure out how they're going to certify, accommodate and monitor all of this new technology occupying new space in the air. There is an urgency to that question as the technology is advancing quickly. "A lot of people thought this wouldn't happen until well into the 2020s. This is happening now," Bunce said. Because of that, on-demand mobility can help attract engineers to aviation, according to Anna Dietrich, co-founder of flying car company Terrafugia. It also means the new aviation trends, heavily featuring automation and angling toward unmanned vehicles, should be taken into account when training new pilots, she said. "I think that we would be foolish to not take that into account," Dietrich said, adding: "The person has always been the fallback, which isn't using [automation] the best. The pilot doesn't [need to] get tossed the hot potato of, 'Oh, now there's a problem, you deal with it.' That has implications for pilot training, if the system retaining some responsibility even in the event of something going wrong." Bunce said that as automation in aircraft increases, he expects the licensing to change: a basic license will cover the privilege to fly certain aircraft, but pilots will need specific endorsements to fly ones with less automation. "I don't think it's beyond reason that, in the future, to fly on steam gauges you'll need an endorsement," he said. GAMA, which has a dedicated EVTOL subcommittee, is working with the FAA to smooth certification of those aircraft. Dietrich, who co-chairs that subcommittee, said that work with regulators is necessary for both the short- and long-term success of the EVTOL market. "I think there is a very solid consensus that the Part 23 that was rewritten recently is a very solid basis on from which to build on a certification plan for this aircraft. But that's just one piece," she said. "We need to be playing the long game and working toward solutions that are durable, expandable, but we also need to be getting responsiveness and clarity in direction today on this crawl-walk-run approach that will get us to market." That is an issue that needs to be tackled from both the side of aircraft certification and airspace integration, which will require a lot of bodies working together to facilitate. Bunce said talks with the FAA's Teri Bristol, COO of its Air Traffic Organization, and Paul Rinaldi of the ATC union NATCA, have engendered confidence. "We can do this," he said. "They are not worried about that type of operation. If we are going to use these vehicles to be able to go and transit, say, from a suburban pickup point to the airport itself and we can go inside the security envelope so now we're starting to relieve pressure on the TSA lines ... we know that there is a model that will work and it can work in an urban area mixed with existing traffic that is in our hub airports." "I think where we're headed is to do a crawl-then-walk approach to that as well, where we start with airspace corridors like the GA corridors that are in use today, where within those corridors the on-demand aircraft that are traveling there can fly and air traffic control will keep other traffic out," Dietrich said. "That is a baby step, it is a point-to-point solution, not a general sort of everywhere-you-want-to-go solution, but also, keep in mind that as much as we are charging full steam ahead, this is going to be a gradual implementation. We're not going to start with 10 thousand aircraft tomorrow, so we will work up to larger volume." Things will have to scale quickly for Uber's proposed thousands-per-hour model to be workable, but the infrastructure has to start somewhere while the airspace system, controllers, fellow aviators and the general publicget used to the new kind of traffic. "I think back to when we first started having automobiles on the street," Dietrich said. "We didn't have stop signs, we didn't have streetlights, we didn't have yellow lines down the center of the road, so as these vehicles become more and more mainstream, more and more prevalent, if we continue the collaborate, we have with all the parts of the FAA and air traffic control, I think we will come up with solutions that are safe and efficient and beneficial for everybody. But, it's definitely a process. https://www.rotorandwing.com/2019/02/23/demand-mobility-important-aviation-dawn-jet-age/ Back to Top Northrop Grumman selected to continue F-35 program mission critical work Northrop Grumman Australia, a fully owned subsidiary of Northrop Grumman, welcomes the announcement of the assignment of maintenance, repair, overhaul and upgrade work for the multinational F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program to the Australian defense industry. Under this assignment announcement, Northrop Grumman Australia and fellow Australian companies, BAE Systems, MOOG, RUAG, NIOA, Survitec, and GE Aviation, will provide the capabilities underpinning thirteen of seventeen MRO&U component repair technology groups assigned to the Asia-Pacific region. These categories, assigned to Australian industry by the U.S. Department of Defense for the sustainment of F-35 Lightning IIs based in the Asia-Pacific region, include depot repair for avionics, munitions/weapons delivery, canopy systems, aircraft composite structure, electro-optical systems, electrical components, valves, auxiliary power systems, hydraulics, pneumatics, pneudraulics, hydro-mechanical systems, landing gear, life support and pumps. "Northrop Grumman Australia continues to be fully committed to growing its in-country technical sustainment workforce and capabilities, and this work will allow us to continue supporting the Royal Australian Air Force's (RAAF) mission and the Australian defense industry at large," said Warren King, interim chief executive, Northrop Grumman Australia. "We are grateful to our industry teammates, the Australian JSF Division, the Commonwealth government, and the U.S. JPO for this recognition." Northrop Grumman's capabilities related to F-35 are reinforced by the company's support to the RAAF's KC-30A Multi-Role Tanker Transport, Special Purpose Aircraft fleet and C-27J Spartan battlefield airlifter. With the sustainment and modernization solutions we will offer for other mission-critical platforms such as the MQ-4C Triton, Northrop Grumman is well positioned to continue to drive strategic value creation in the MRO market. Based on the assignment, Northrop Grumman Australia will deliver avionics, composites (teaming with Quickstep) and electro-optics repair (teaming with BAE Systems) services. In providing these services, the company will leverage its existing capabilities, as well as introduce new technologies to the Australian defense industrial community. To further support the execution of this assignment, Northrop Grumman Australia is establishing an Electronic Sustainment Centre to sustain mission-readiness capabilities within the Commonwealth. After achieving readiness in January 2019 to support regional APN-241 radar repair, the ESC is prepared to support key fifth-generation communications, navigation, and identification systems. "MRO&U components are one element of the F-35 global sustainment solution. As the U.S. and partner nations activate their F-35 fleets, Northrop Grumman and its industry team will continue to ensure critical systems are available for tasking and mission training," said Steve Hogan, vice president, global sustainment and technology services supply chain, Northrop Grumman Technology Services. http://www.aerotechnews.com/blog/2019/02/22/northrop-grumman-selected-to-continue-f-35-program-mission-critical-work/ Back to Top Two Major Airlines Admit to Undisclosed Cameras in Aircraft Entertainment Systems Even cruising through the sky, the possibility of a digital privacy invasion remains. Two entertainment systems used by Singapore Airlines and American Airlines were recently discovered to have outward-facing cameras. Both airlines failed to notify passengers that their aircraft entertainment systems were equipped with such devices, but the carriers insist the cameras were never activated, BuzzFeed News reports. A recent discovery was made by a savvy passenger, who spotted the small lens immediately beneath the screen monitor on the seat in front of him on a Singapore Airlines flight. Vitaly Kamluk tweeted photos of his finding, which drew a fair amount of engagement online. Singapore Airlines responded to his pictures on Twitter, writing: "These cameras have been disabled on our aircraft, and there are no plans to develop any features using the cameras. Thank you." Another passenger who spoke to BuzzFeed noticed a similar camera on an American Airlines flight in 2017. A spokesman for the airline confirmed the cameras to BuzzFeed, saying they're a common feature on in-flight entertainment systems used by a multitude of airlines. The cameras exist to potentially enable passengers to make entertainment selections with hand gestures, the spokesman said. The news stretches the growing paranoia concerning digital privacy into the aviation industry, which is notorious for its outdated and vulnerable technology. Hacking a connected device at 35,000 feet wouldn't be easy as breaching an airline's website, but the vulnerability of networked cameras in general remains. The recent onslaught of privacy related news won't help the public's sense of unease, either: Earlier this week, Google admitted that it failed to disclose that its Nest Secure home security devices have a microphone wedged inside. Less than a month before that, Google confirmed a recent uptick in hacks on its Nest security cameras, allowing attackers to peer into users homes and utter obscenities and abuse through its microphone. Now an invasion of privacy could be possible even from the cramped quarters of the economy cabin. https://www.popularmechanics.com/flight/airlines/a26469057/american-airlines-singapore-airlines-hidden-cameras/ Back to Top Eviation Taps Siemens for Alice's Electric Motors Eviation Aircraft has selected Siemens to provide high-power, electric propulsion systems for the nine-passenger Alice. The all-electric airplane is expected to be able to fly 650 nm at a speed of 220 knots on a single charge, according to Eviation. "Siemens was selected for its leading development in extremely low-weight and high-power compact efficient motors designed to meet aviation standards and safety regulations," Eviation said. "With a significant push toward bringing all-electric flight to regional markets, Siemens and Eviation will work on propulsion-system integration, including electrical integration, fly-by-wire system connectivity, thermal-management system development, and mechanical mounting." Siemens head of eAircraft Dr. Fran Alton said the partnership "will serve as an industry milestone to demonstrate information exchange and system adaptations to create the first all-electric solution." Alice will be displayed at the Paris Air Show in June and is slated to achieve first flight later this year. Certification is scheduled for 2021, with deliveries to follow in 2022. Eviation said the airplane will incorporate advances in thermal management, autonomous landing, distributed electric propulsion, battery technology, and composite body frames. https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2019-02-22/eviation-taps-siemens-alices-electric-motors Back to Top IFC Provider Gogo Declares Turnaround in Progress, No Sale Inflight connectivity (IFC) provider Gogo no longer is for sale and it instead expects to close on a large investment in coming months as it eyes major growth, the company's CEO said Feb. 21, marking a dramatic turnaround for a company seemingly on the brink of collapse just last summer. CEO and President Oakleigh Thorne expects to close a round of funding from strategic and financial investors by early May, on better terms than a round debt and credit financing the company closed late last year during unfavorable debt market conditions. What is more, selling a division or more of the company now appears unlikely, a reversal of events when Thorne took over about a year ago. "At this point, I think that is less likely as we have other approaches to dealing with our debt that we believe create more value for shareholders," he told a quarterly teleconference. "Over time, we continue to believe that the IFC industry would benefit from consolidation and we would like to play a role in that consolidation from a position of strength." Thorne added that he sees growth for the company, especially via business aviation work, starting in 2020. But before then, the company will have to work through its restructuring, and it forecast lower consolidated revenue in 2019 than 2018, as well as around a $100 million cash outflow - albeit half of each of the last two years - and only moderately higher pretax earnings. Total consolidated revenue this year should be $800-850 million and adjusted pretax earnings of $75-95 million. Total revenue for 2018 was $893.77 million compared with $699.09 million in 2017. Adjusted pretax earnings were $71.2 million against $58.5 million in 2017. Net loss in 2018 decreased to $162 million, 6% better than 2017's loss, primarily due to a "strong" performance in BA. Net loss attributable to common stock per share was $2.02 versus $2.17. In turn, stock traders knocked off almost 8% after the teleconference. One of the bright spots in Gogo's apparent turnaround is BA. For 2018, the division saw total revenue grow 21% and segment profit expand more than 40% to $140 million. BA revenue growth was led by a 34% growth in equipment revenue based on continued strong sales and installations of its AVANCE L3 and L5 products. Service revenue grew 15% to $196 million through growing the number of aircraft with its air-to-ground (ATG) technology, as well as increasing ATG average monthly revenue per unit, which grew 12% and 3%, respectively. Thorne said 65-70% of customers were new. https://www.mro-network.com/technology/ifc-provider-gogo-declares-turnaround-progress-no-sale Back to Top NASA, SpaceX and a test dummy are ready for Dragon 2's first trip to space station NASA gave the all-clear today for the first test flight of SpaceX's Crew Dragon spaceship to the International Space Station in a week, setting the stage for crewed missions later this year. There won't be any crew aboard this first Crew Dragon, also known as the Dragon 2, but there will be an instrument-laden, spacesuit-wearing mannequin sitting in one of the seats, to provide data about the environment that astronauts will experience. "Should I say 'dummy,' is that the right word?" Hans Koenigsmann, SpaceX's vice president of mission assurance, asked during a briefing for reporters at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. "ATD, ATD," said Kathy Lueders, program manager for NASA's commercial crew program. "We prefer to not call them dummies." (For the record, ATD stands for Anthropomorphic Test Device or Anthropomorphic Test Dummy.) There'll also be a load of cargo to be sent up to the station from Launch Complex 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, at 2:48 a.m. ET March 2 (11:48 p.m. PT March 1). Lueders said the total mass would be "pretty close" to what the Dragon 2 will carry when astronauts climb aboard. The Crew Dragon is an upgraded version of SpaceX's robotic cargo-carrying Dragon - which has been resupplying the space station since 2012, a year after NASA retired its space shuttle fleet. Like Dragon 1, Dragon 2 is designed to be launched by SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket. But the upgraded Dragon has a more robust thruster system that's meant to power the spacecraft and its crew out of harm's way if something goes wrong during launch or ascent. It has side-mounted solar arrays and can seat up to seven spacefliers. And instead of having to be pulled in for its berthing with the space station's robotic arm, Dragon 2 can fly directly in for its docking. Commercial Crew: Prepare For Launch NASA and SpaceX are still working to close out some remaining issues in advance of next week's launch of Demonstration Mission 1, or DM-1. For example, Russian space officials voiced concerns about the computer system that SpaceX will use when the Dragon approaches the station for docking early on March 3. NASA officials said their Russian counterparts registered a dissenting opinion when mission managers approved the launch date at today's Flight Readiness Review. Bill Gerstenmaier, NASA's associate administrator for human exploration and operations, said the spaceships that dock with the station typically have a separate backup system that kicks in if the main computer system goes out of commission during approach. SpaceX, however, is using a single, fault-tolerant computer system. "We think that's acceptable," Gerstenmaier said. But because of the Russians' concerns, NASA engineers will take a closer look at the potential failure modes. "I don't think it'll be a problem once we go through the details of why it's safe, and we can explain to them why we're moving forward," he said. "I fully expect we're going to learn something on this flight," Gerstenmaier added. "I guarantee everything will not work exactly right, and that's cool." After the Dragon is docked, the station's spacefliers will open up the hatch, move cargo backhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Pyd_ZfpxsA and forth and conduct a survey to assess how the spacecraft weathered its maiden voyage. Exterior surveys will be made using the station's camera-equipped robotic arm, to check for any dings from orbital debris. The Dragon and its dummy ... er, ATD ... are due to leave the station on March 8 and splash down in the Atlantic Ocean, a couple of hundred miles off the Florida coast. A ship will recover the capsule and bring it back to shore for study. "When we have the crewed missions, it'll be closer in," Lueders said. NASA TV - SpaceX DM-1 Post Flight Readiness Review Press Conference There's a list of issues to be resolved more fully before NASA gives the go-ahead for the crewed test flight to the station, known as Demonstration Mission 2 or DM-2. Two NASA astronauts, Robert Behnken and Doug Hurley have already been assigned to that flight and are undergoing training. Gerstenmaier said the open issues include: • Concerns about carbon-composite oxygen tanks on the Falcon 9 rocket that were implicated in launch-pad explosion that occurred in September 2016. SpaceX says the tanks have been redesigned to solve the problem, but NASA wants to make sure they're safe. • A condition that could lead to parts of SpaceX's Draco thrusters breaking free under low temperatures. "We're totally avoiding that condition on this mission by controlling the operational parameters of the mission," Lueders said. • Further testing that's required for the Crew Dragon's parachute system. "We're comfortable that this parachute system is perfectly good for DM-1," Gerstenmaier said. "It could be also OK for DM-2 the way it is, but we need to get through this qualification testing and understand how much margin we have in certain areas to see if it's the right thing to do." Assuming that DM-1 is a success and that all the open issues are resolved, SpaceX plans an uncrewed in-flight abort test of the Crew Dragon in June, followed by DM-2 in the July time frame. Meanwhile, Boeing is on a separate track to get its Starliner space taxi ready for orbital test flights. The current schedule calls for sending an uncrewed Starliner to the station and back in April or so, followed by a pad abort test a month later. The first crewed Starliner flight is set for no earlier than August. After the first crewed test flights, NASA will once again take stock of the space taxis' performance and get any remaining issues resolved before certifying them for operational missions. That process seems certain to slop over into 2020. To ensure continued access to the space station, even if snags develop, NASA is looking into buying more seats on Russian Soyuz spacecraft - or converting Boeing's crewed test flight into an operational crew transfer mission if necessary. Gerstenmaier said a decision on that score would be made later this year when the test program is further advanced. https://www.geekwire.com/2019/nasa-spacex-test-dummy-set-dragon-2s-first-trip-space-station/ Back to Top WWII Aviation Pioneer Leaves Legacy At 103 LAKEWOOD, Colo. (CBS4)- When the Gunderson sisters think about their mom, they can't help but feel a great sense of pride. She was a war hero among a group of women who sometimes don't get the credit they deserve. "She was a pioneer in women's aviation," Patrice said. "Mother was a great judge of character," Sheila added. "I don't think anybody could live up to what she did," said Kathryn. Kay Gunderson fell in love with flying early in life. She took that passion into World War II working for the U.S. Navy teaching pilots on the Link Trainer. Then Kay learned of the WASPs - Women Airforce Service Pilots - and immediately applied. In 1943, Kay became a part of the WASP 5th class. Women were not in combat, but Kay's job was still dangerous. "She was assigned to fly tow targets for machine gun practice for the cadet pilots at Eagle Pass, Texas," her daughters explained. "Live rounds, one tearing through a tail fin, but they never took [Kay] down." Sheila said her mom never expressed being afraid during those live-fire exercises. "She did say, 'I was never sure if I would get back,'" Sheila told CBS4's Kelly Werthmann. Kay's job also included delivering new models of airplanes to various bases all over the country, training waiting pilots on the newest technology and ferrying service personnel wherever they were needed. "It wasn't easy," Patrice said. "[My mom] said that every time somebody would land funny, they'd get on the radio and say, 'Is that one of the girls?' And she'd say, 'It never was.' [The WASPs] were very good pilots." Thumbing through photos at Kay's kitchen table in her Lakewood home, the sisters admire their mother's dedication and the hard work of every WASP. "If those women hadn't done that, women flying now would not be where they are," Patrice said. WASP service was long unrecognized. It wasn't until legislation passed in the late 1970s did the women finally get veteran status. Then, in 2010, Kay received a Congressional Gold Medal. "It's extraordinary to think about," Patrice said. Also extraordinary, Kay lived to be 103! "We asked her secret to life and she said 'junk food,'" Kathryn said with a smile. Kathryn said her mom not only loved being a pilot, she loved being a mom. "She enjoyed being a parent," Kathryn said. "She was always sad when we went back to school." The mother of five never slowed down, Kathryn added. "She took helicopter lessons in her 80s," she said. "She took tai chi in her 70s. She took exercise classes when she was 99 and 100. She never stopped!" Kay passed away on Feb. 12, and her family misses her dearly. "She was with us for so long, it's kind of hard to imagine her not marching into the room with an opinion about something," Sheila said with a smile. They all miss hearing her stories, as well as her sense of humor. "'I didn't go into any foreign countries except Texas,' she would say," said Patrice, sharing one of her mom's jokes. Yet Kay's family does find peace knowing she's still flying, but with a different set of wings. "Now she's flying with the angels," Patrice added. Kay was preceded in death by her husband of 60 years, A. Lee Gunderson. https://denver.cbslocal.com/2019/02/22/world-war-two-wasp-kay-gunderson-airforce-pilots-women/ Curt Lewis