August 23, 2021 - No. 65 In This Issue : Nexteon Technologies Completes First Commercial Aviation Cyberattack Detection Flight Test : China tests superfast aircraft tracking satellite that could prevent another MH370-style tragedy : Siemens and SITA Team Up to Deliver Next-generation Airport Experience at New Kansas City International Airport Terminal : How AI and data analytics are transforming aviation : To solve space traffic woes, look to the high seas : SOMEWHERE OVER THE HYDROGEN RAINBOW : PIA Aviation Maintenance Grads Hired Faster Than Most U.S. College Grads : How Technology’s De-skilling Dimension Affects Our Lives : Long Beach Reemerges as an Aerospace Hub : Space SPAC: Virgin Orbit to go public via $3.2bn merger : SpaceX Thinks it can Send Humans to the Moon Sooner Than 2024 Nexteon Technologies Completes First Commercial Aviation Cyberattack Detection Flight Test AMBLER, Pa. (PRWEB) August 23, 2021 Nexteon Technologies, Inc., a leader in advanced aviation technologies, announced today that it has completed the first in-flight test simulating a cyberattack on an Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B)-equipped aircraft. During the 30-minute flight, Nexteon's SecureTrack™ technology was able to successfully detect and characterize the intrusion and generate security alerts. The test was conducted on July 26 in the Washington Air Route Traffic Control Center (ARTCC) airspace by a team that included Nexteon's industry partners SeRo Systems, The Innovation Laboratory and DragoonITCN. The flight test team worked in collaboration with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) under its Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with Nexteon. While in flight, the aircraft used the FAA's patented Virtual Target Generator (VTG) test tool (U.S. Patent No. 8,604,965) to intentionally create and transmit a series of inaccurate position reports in the aircraft's ADS-B Out signal. The SeRo advanced surveillance technology detected the spoofed signal and displayed alerts to the ground analysis team for the entire duration of the simulated attack. "This has been an incredible success for Nexteon and a validation of the technology," said Rob Kaimowitz, Chief Executive Officer of Nexteon Technologies. "We have made great progress, and reaching this milestone was a collaborative effort that would not have been possible without our government and industry partners." "The SeRo team is excited to participate in this groundbreaking test," added Dr. Matthias Schäfer, Managing Director of SeRo Systems. "This achievement is the culmination of a decade of research and development, and we are grateful to have the opportunity to showcase SecureTrack's capabilities." "We are all proud of this accomplishment, and I would like to thank the flight test team and all of our employees for their dedication and commitment to Nexteon's vision. They have proven that this technology is an enabler that will deliver cybersecure, precise and GPS-resilient tracking and monitoring data that can help optimize the global airspace," added Kaimowitz. The Innovation Laboratory and DragoonITCN support Nexteon's flight tests by providing avionics and flight services, and advanced test equipment, respectively. The tests are conducted using Nexteon's prototype ground-based receiver network, which covers the northeastern seaboard. About Nexteon Technologies Nexteon Technologies is modernizing global aviation with best-in-class talent and technologies. Its innovative SecureTrack™ surveillance and SmartRoutes™ dynamic route optimization solutions enable more efficient, greener and more secure global aviation for ANSPs, commercial and general aviation fleets, and government agencies. The company was founded in 2017 as Route Dynamics Corp and changed its name to Nexteon in 2021. For more information, visit http://www.nexteon.aero. https://www.benzinga.com/pressreleases/21/08/p22617568/nexteon-technologies-completes-first-commercial-aviation-cyberattack-detection-flight-test China tests superfast aircraft tracking satellite that could prevent another MH370-style tragedy CHINA has tested a superfast aircraft tracking satellite with the aim of preventing another MH370-style tragedy. The revolutionary technology can update the status of an aircraft every EIGHT seconds - boasting a system twice as fast as the US - allowing an airline to accurately track planes, even if it loses contact with them. If successful, the Beihang Kongshi 1 could transform the aviation industry forever and see "hundreds of satellites" control a global tracking system, according to state-run publication Science and Technology Daily. After launching last November in near-Earth orbit, the pioneering radio surveillance technology and hardware was reported to have worked "quite well" after being sent up into space. Somewhat inspired by China's newest missile defence system, the Beihang Kongshi 1 has an antenna that can unfold in space with multiple layers. Its multidimensional design gives it the capability to receive and characterise a larger number of similar radio waves at the same time. Its efficiency allows radio signals emitted by each aircraft, which are notoriously difficult to monitor over such a huge scale of airspace, to be pinpointed within seconds. Therefore even if planes lose contact - as the Malaysian Airlines passenger plane did - the Beihang Kongshi 1 could provide a more precise timeline of its path. On March 8, 2014, the Boeing 777 - carrying 239 people on board - mysteriously disappeared from radar after taking off from Kuala Lumpur International Airport, bound for Beijing. The plane took an unexplained U-turn from its planned flight path and headed back across the Malay Peninsula and the Malacca Strait before vanishing. Seven years on from flight MH370, some investigators believe the plane's captain made a series of zig-zagging movements to throw off air traffic teams and evade radar systems. Despite aerospace engineers suggesting the aircraft could have set off invisible "electronic trip-wires", the busy airspace makes it extremely difficult to confirm if it was the Malaysia Airlines passenger plane. After years of unsuccessful searches, the tragedy prompted a huge focus on producing improved tracking technology that could sit in the skies. GLOBAL SATELLITE RACE Ground-based tracking systems are limited because they only have the capacity to cover 30 per cent of the Earth's surface. Its restrictions saw the US, Germany, Canada and Denmark join the race to create a new form of technology to keep tabs on planes. Typically, radio beaming devices known as an automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B) are installed in most passenger planes, but it emits weaker signals at a longer distance. Experts believe such signals could be more effectively tracked by satellites in orbit - if its antenna was sensitive enough - like the Beihang Kongshi 1's unfolding "lotus flower" transmitter. China have been keen to get one up on the US after Aireon launched the world's first space-based tracing system with an international network incorporating over 60 new-gen Iridium satellites in 2019. The country could knock the Western superpower off the top spot after snubbing America's technology - reportedly due to its sensitivity regarding possible military functions. In a paper published in the peer-reviewed journal Chinese Space Science and Technology in June, Professor Chen Lihu, of the National University of Defence Technology in Changsha, said: "The ADS-B data can be used for monitoring and reconnaissance of military targets in the air." CHINA'S SUCCESS After trialling the Tiantuo 3 in 2015, China's first satellite fitted with an aircraft tracking system, they have quietly advanced their technology over the years. The nation then managed to outperform European competitors with their upgraded model, according to Professor Chen, after launching the Tinatuo 5 in August 2020. With a detection range of more than 2,485 miles, it can receive more than 3 million messages a day and has provided the framework for the Beihang Kongshi 1. China could now triumph over the US by steering clear of polar areas, where many of the Aireon systems are closely located, as it is a zone where planes fly. Now, the creators are now tasked with tackling the problem of overlapping signals in areas with high aircraft density before it progresses past the experimental stage. https://www.the-sun.com/news/3525559/china-superfast-tracking-satellite-mh370-technology-us/ Siemens and SITA Team Up to Deliver Next-generation Airport Experience at New Kansas City International Airport Terminal Siemens and SITA are providing the Kansas City Aviation Department with future-proof, scalable technologies for the Kansas City International (MCI) Airport’s New Terminal project, dubbed Build KCI. The new 1 million sq ft 39-gate terminal will include a variety of building automation, fire and life safety systems, and security systems from Siemens as well as IT networks and next-generation airport systems from SITA. These solutions will help create a smart airport terminal that can grow with the aviation department‘s long-term needs, decreasing operation and maintenance costs and enhancing the passenger experience through automation. “Together, Siemens and SITA are providing the virtual and physical infrastructure that will ensure Kansas City International Airport’s New Terminal is equipped to deliver an exceptional journey for our passengers; one built on innovation, industry expertise and a true understanding of what travelers want today and into the future,” said Kansas City‘s Director of Aviation Pat Klein. Also important to the project is the need for a seamless transition from the construction to the operation phase, delivered through integrated life safety and emergency communications systems, a virtualized IT network and agile passenger touchpoints. In addition, the airport wanted to implement interactive technology that could be easily understood by airport staff, while also deploying next-generation passenger touchpoints such as touchless kiosks, flight information display systems and video walls that provide a more intuitive journey through the new terminal. “Integrating the disparate airport systems has enabled data sharing across the airport ecosystem,” said Henning Sandfort, CEO of Building Products at Siemens Smart Infrastructure. “Siemens and SITA, through a joint project management approach, are combining their expertise in airport facilities systems, operations systems, and IT systems to provide the aviation department with a strong technology infrastructure and intuitive, easy-to-use systems that allow terminal staff and operators to transition from their two current airport terminals to a new, technology-advanced single airport terminal.” Siemens is using its Desigo CC building management platform to integrate airport and facility systems with a converged network. Access control, video surveillance, distributed antenna, airport common use systems, multi-user flight information displays, IpTV, VoIP, and various other building automation, fire, life safety and security systems will be incorporated. Fire alarm, public address, and digital displays will be integrated with the Desigo CC mass notification system. The Desigo CC platform will, in turn, be integrated with the airport asset management platform. SITA‘s mission-critical network connectivity will be fundamental to the exchange of data around baggage, passengers and aircraft across the terminal. The network will be cloud-based and virtualized, providing greater cost efficiencies while supporting the airline industry’s drive to migrate applications to the cloud. SITA’s airport systems will be fundamental to supporting a smoother passenger journey and the airport operations that underpin them. In the terminal, SITA Flex–a cloud-based common use platform–will allow passengers to check in through a simple biometric scan at one of the self-service kiosks or, if preferred, a traditional agent-assisted counter. Then they simply use their face as their boarding pass to board international flights. The multi-user informational display screens for flights, baggage and gates will also provide travelers with the information they need to navigate their way through the airport. “Emerging from the pandemic has taught us the importance of implementing scalable and flexible systems that can accommodate unexpected changes in real time,” said Diana Einterz, president, SITA Americas. “SITA is providing the airport operations backbone that will give KCI the agility it needs to operate in this new environment.” About Siemens AG Siemens AG (Berlin and Munich) is a technology company focused on industry, infrastructure, transport, and healthcare. From more resource-efficient factories, resilient supply chains, and smarter buildings and grids, to cleaner and more comfortable transportation as well as advanced healthcare, the company creates technology with purpose adding real value for customers. By combining the real and the digital worlds, Siemens empowers its customers to transform their industries and markets, to transform the everyday for billions of people. Siemens also owns a majority stake in the publicly listed company Siemens Healthineers, a globally leading medical technology provider shaping the future of healthcare. In addition, Siemens holds a minority stake in Siemens Energy, a global leader in the transmission and generation of electrical power. https://www.automation.com/en-us/articles/august-2021/siemens-sita-next-generation-airport-kansas-city?listname=Automation%20&%20Control%20News%20&%20Articles How AI and data analytics are transforming aviation Technology is drastically changing the way businesses connect with their customers, and the world of aviation is part of the change too. Data and the way it is used is transforming airlines from pre-flight to post-flight operations, including ticket purchase, seat selection, luggage, boarding and ground transportation. The data required is captured along the various components of a passenger’s journey, allowing organisations to take informed steps towards operational efficiency and improved customer experience. Airlines and airports are now embracing new technologies and turning to artificial intelligence (AI) to support their customer service. The rise of AI While growth of AI in travel can be attributed to a number of factors, one of the principal drivers has been a shift in customer expectations. The experience offered by big tech players like Google, Amazon, Apple and Facebook mean that travellers are now demanding increasingly frictionless and personalised experiences. Another of the key drivers of AI in travel is the desire to increase efficiency by automating routine tasks. A McKinsey study states the global travel industry stands to gain over $400 billion per year in efficiency gains alone through the adoption of AI. This explains why chatbots, used to streamline customer service tasks, have been one of the first and most widely-adopted examples of artificial intelligence technology in the industry. While chatbots may be the most familiar face of AI-driven efficiency, machine learning is also being implemented behind the scenes leading to improvements that can be felt more than seen. Internet of Things (IoT) devices* in aircraft machinery or airport halls are generating huge volumes of data and organisations are implementing predictive analytics to optimise everything from security wait times to maintenance tasks. What are the benefits of big data analytics? The ultimate benefits of big data analytics include timely responses to current and future market demands, improved planning and strategically aligned decision making, as well as crystal clear comprehension and monitoring of all main performance drivers relevant to the airline industry. When properly followed, the positive outcomes of these benefits encompass lower operating costs, better customer service, market leading competitiveness and increased profit margin and shareholder value. The potential of AI in travel It may be tempting to view AI in purely business terms, but it’s important to remember that improving the travel experience is at the core of AI’s potential in travel. From booking sites to boarding gates, artificial intelligence can be a powerful tool to identify and solve traveler pain points and create seamless experiences for both travellers and providers. Simply put, AI can make travel smarter. AI in airports Millions of planes, travellers and workers pass through airports around the world. Ensuring the seamless flow of people, equipment and baggage has been one of the primary goals of AI adoption in airports: Passenger Analytics The efficient flow of passengers is at the heart of airport operations, and passenger analytics uses video and IoT to track passenger volume and movement through an airport. By applying machine learning models to that data, airports can optimise queue management and manage checkpoint resources in real-time or predict peak footfall periods so that airport retailers can customise their points of sale. Computer vision One of the emerging applications of AI at airports is computer vision, a technique which uses cameras and machine learning algorithms to monitor complex ground servicing activities, detect safety issues in real-time or sound alarms when a service is taking longer than expected. London Gatwick has been one of the first major airports to use computer vision to increase aircraft turnaround times and provide better safety conditions for ground crews. Intelligent baggage solutions At BagsID we are shaping the future of travelling with bags. Our technology uses rapid computer vision and artificial intelligence to recognise bags in a system that will significantly streamline the passenger journey. With a read rate of 99.4 per cent and above, and a significantly cheaper price per bag than RFID, we’re giving airlines, airports and baggage handling suppliers the opportunity to save money and save the planet. And with minimal operational changes landside or airside, the benefits of BagsID really are hard to ignore. https://www.internationalairportreview.com/article/162708/how-ai-and-data-analytics-are-transforming-aviation/ To solve space traffic woes, look to the high seas Thanks mainly to the rise of satellite megaconstellation projects like OneWeb and SpaceX’s Starlink, the American Astronomical Society suggests, it’s possible we may see more than 100,000 satellites orbiting Earth by 2030—a number that would simply overwhelm our ability to track them all. Experts have repeatedly called for a better framework for managing space traffic and preventing a future plague of satellite crashes, but the world’s biggest space powers are still dragging their feet. All the while, more and more objects are zooming perilously close to one another. Ruth Stilwell, the executive director of Aerospace Policy Solutions and an adjunct faculty member at Norwich University in Northfield, Vermont, has a suggestion for how we can better manage space traffic. She argues that we should look to the maritime laws and policies developed over hundreds of years to guide how ships and other vessels on the sea ought to behave. Can you start off by giving me the lay of the land of space traffic management and space situational awareness today? How would you evaluate how well the world currently does these things? Space traffic management is very much an emerging field. We’re in the early stages, where the discussions in the international community are in the development of norms and standards of behavior. The fundamental purpose of space traffic management is to prevent collisions in space. Collisions, by their nature, are debris-generating events, which cause the domain itself to become polluted and less safe for future actors. So it’s twofold—it’s not just that a collision damages satellites; a collision also causes long-term damage to the environment itself. And we see that very clearly in all of the evaluations of the [2009] Iridium-Cosmos collision. Space situational awareness is a different thing—it’s about providing data. Different countries and companies around the world detect where these objects are in orbit and share what’s out there. For 50 years, you didn’t really need much information other than [the location of debris so it can be avoided]. But as the orbital domain becomes more congested with junk, it’s not just a question of “How do you avoid debris?” It’s now “How do you interact with other [satellite] operators up there?” When there’s two maneuverable satellites that want to be in the same place at the same time, that’s when you get to that question of management rather than space situational awareness. Along those lines, when there is a possible collision between two objects, what’s the general process in place to prevent a disaster from ensuing? Is there a quick outline you can provide? I’ve been on a quest to find an authoritative reference that talks about the process from end to end. I wish I could say, “Go to this resource, and it’ll show you what happens from the time they look for a close approach to the time that the decision is made for whether or not to maneuver a satellite.” But it’s a bit opaque. Different operators have different internal processes that they don’t necessarily want to share. The US Space Force’s 18th Space Control Command Squadron is constantly watching the skies and reevaluating the situation every eight hours. If they detect that a close approach is possible, they’ll issue a conjunction alert to the owner-operator of the satellite. Then it goes into the hands of the owner-operator to decide what to do with that information. And then the 18th will continue to monitor things. The projection of where something might be in space varies wildly based on the object, how it’s shaped, how it reacts to the atmosphere around it … If there’s any intention by the operator to move it on purpose, that changes the observations as well. You’ve argued that while air traffic control might seem like a sensible analogue to space traffic control for obvious reasons—namely, that it’s about the prevention of collisions—it is actually an inappropriate model, and that maritime law actually provides a better one. All of the world’s international airspace is designated to a single entity state for the purposes of providing air traffic control services. So, for example, the US controls 5 million square miles of domestic airspace but 24 million square miles of international airspace. They are the sole authority to provide those air traffic control services in that airspace by virtue of the ICAO [International Civil Aviation Organization]. Space doesn’t have anything like that. But the high seas don’t have that either. What the high seas have is a collection of agreed-upon rules of behavior and the authority over each vessel: the state under which the vessel flag is flown. There’s not a high-seas authority that says yes or no, you can operate here and you can’t operate here. Everyone has access to this shared resource, and the principles of freedom of the sea include the freedom of navigation, freedom of overflight, freedom to lay cables underneath, freedom of fishing. Within the maritime agreements, there is freedom to conduct commercial activities. This is different from airspace, which historically has been an area purely for transportation. The orbital domain is not solely for transportation [either]. It’s the domain in which the commercial activity occurs: telecommunications, remote sensing, etc. Of course, maritime law is also meant to prevent collisions on the high seas. Collision regulations, or colregs, dictate what’s supposed to happen if two vessels are [on course for] a head-on collision: who has priority to maneuver, what to do if something happens in a narrow channel … These sort of principles are laid out very clearly. They have very clear applicability to the challenges we’re facing in the space domain. There are very clear parallels. Whereas if we take the aviation model, we’re really trying to force a square peg into a round hole. Is there pushback or disagreement on the idea of using maritime law as the inspiration for space law? Is the general consensus moving toward this idea? I think it’s trending that way, by virtue [of the fact] that it’s really the only viable path forward, but there is always discussion. Having someone or some singular body decide what we can do is not a realistic outcome, given the nature of the space domain. We don’t do space traffic like air traffic because it’s not simply a safety question. It is a diplomatic question and an economic question as well. Giving control of space traffic to one regulatory body would be easy, like the 18th Space Control Squadron, which provides these services free of charge. But there are countries that are suspicious of that [idea]. And then, of course, there is the issue of classified data. So you get into these complexities of trust—you know, if there was one trusted global entity, then sure, we could do that. [But] there aren’t any that are trusted by all, and trust is something that changes over time. So the path forward is to create a way for that information to be shared and trusted. For example, I’m working on a project where we’re talking about blockchain as an enabler for trusted information sharing. By nature of the blockchain, you can determine who inputted the information and validate them as a legitimate participant, and that information can’t be altered by a third party. Space is often described as a new kind of Wild West—lawless and unregulated, and anything goes. How can a framework for something like space traffic management even get established if there’s also just no set pathway for establishing rules to begin with? I would argue that space isn’t actually the Wild West. There is an obligation in the 1967 Outer Space Treaty for states to supervise objects that they permit to launch from their countries. So it’s not unregulated; it’s not completely free. It’s just we haven’t agreed on what that actually means for continuing supervision. The Iridium-Cosmos accident was a wake-up call. It sparked a lot of activity, like the development of on-orbit servicing technology to dispose of big objects that remain in space, and also the development of commercial sensor networks so that we can have better and better space situational awareness information. The next big catalyst, I believe, is megaconstellations. We’re seeing more [potential collision] alerts between two maneuverable satellites, which is a solvable problem if we have a set of rules. This creates a lot of pressure on the system to start reaching these agreements. Capitalism is a pretty effective motivator. When people see more and more economic opportunities in popular orbits, then balancing access to those orbits becomes a motivator as well. https://www.technologyreview.com/2021/08/23/1032386/space-traffic-maritime-law-ruth-stilwell/ SOMEWHERE OVER THE HYDROGEN RAINBOW Planes, trains and ships. Cars, buses, and lorries. Boilers, hobs and heating. Furnaces, refining and fertilisers. This is a zero-emissions, clean hydrogen fuelled wish-list. Many will indicate that hydrogen could power and produce the vehicles, items and utilities just listed. Many will push and lobby behind hydrogen as a godsend fuel source. However, how much can we really expect from this fuel? Though we are in a run-in in reaching net-zero nationally and internationally, hydrogen has limitations. It has a place in combatting climate change, but perhaps not to the extent some seek. The Colours of Hydrogen While hydrogen itself is a clean fuel, the method by which it is produced is not necessarily free of carbon emissions. Methods of production are colloquially referred to by the colours: grey, blue, and green. Other methods and colour labels exist, however these three are the most common. Green hydrogen refers to hydrogen produced with electricity by electrolysis to split water. Importantly, the electricity supplied must be generated from renewable sources, such as wind power and solar, which produce no or relatively low emissions when operational. Green hydrogen production is the goal. Currently only 1% of global hydrogen supply is green. And so, the scale up required for it is immense just to meet current major hydrogen fuel uses, in oil refining and ammonia production, let alone the increase in hydrogen consumption that will occur in the next decades in homes, transport, and electricity. This is as the International Energy Agency (IEA) and UK government foresees. Electrolysis today is expensive, of relatively low efficiency, and has scaling-up doubts. Despite this, this low-carbon method of production is on the rise and capacity for it is projected to increase significantly. Earlier this year, Dubai saw the launch of the first green hydrogen plant in the Middle East region. During Expo 2020 Dubai, taking place October 1 2021 until March 31 2022, scale-up and storage for green hydrogen is to be demonstrated. BLUE HYDROGEN MAY BE WORSE FOR THE PLANET THAN THE USE OF NATURAL GAS On the other side of the hydrogen coin, is both grey and blue hydrogen. Both refer to production methods that come from fossil fuels, chiefly natural gas. These methods such as steam methane reforming, generate carbon emissions. Grey hydrogen is the most cheap and abundant production method of hydrogen, and so global emissions are significantly added to. Blue, however, differs from grey in that it relies on the use of carbon capture technology. This reduces emissions to the atmosphere due to the carbon dioxide being captured and stored underground. Globally, carbon capture projects are increasing and many are to be operational throughout the decade. The UK has carbon capture projects ongoing, such as through the ‘Northern Endurance Partnership’, where some of the world’s largest oil, gas and energy companies are working to decarbonise the Humber and Teesside industrial clusters. In the Humber region, Equinor has the blue hydrogen project ‘H2H Saltend’ in the pipeline, while BP is pushing forward with its plans for the UK’s largest (blue) hydrogen facility in Teesside. However, a recent report, by Cornell and Stanford universities, has cast doubt on the effectiveness of blue hydrogen at reducing emissions. In fact, it states that blue hydrogen may be worse for the planet than the use of natural gas. This is due to both the efficiency of hydrogen fuel, and the potential for leaking and venting of extra methane needed for blue hydrogen production. Depending on where you stand on hydrogen use, the climate issue and your work, this report divides opinion. Critics of blue hydrogen exist. Those who believe it to be an obstacle in tackling green hydrogen’s own supply chain and cost issues, may have just been handed a reason to support their critiques. This is despite some describing blue hydrogen as the transition method from grey to green, and the IEA itself having blue hydrogen production at 38% of the total for 2050, in its ‘Net Zero by 2050’ roadmap. Critics of the report equally exist too. Equinor, whose portfolio in (blue) hydrogen production and storage are growing, reportedly does not agree with assumptions and conclusions drawn in the report. The UK’s long awaited hydrogen strategy was published on the 17 August 2021, and the funding and backing given to blue hydrogen is, thus, controversial. For now, they describe a ‘twin track’ approach for green and blue hydrogen, supporting both, though have left it till 2022 to give further detail on production strategy. The Potential Uses of Hydrogen All colours of hydrogen produced may undergo power generation in a fuel cell, where the hydrogen reacts with oxygen in the air to produce water only, and no carbon emissions. Of those transport, industry and home matters listed in the introduction, there is debate about whether hydrogen has a place to fuel them all. AIRBUS HAS DESCRIBED HYDROGEN AS THE ‘NEXT FRONTIER IN AVIATION TECHNOLOGY’ Altogether transportation accounted for 16.2% of global greenhouse emissions, in 2016. In the same year, transport became the UK’s largest source of emissions, at 28%. And with transport, hydrogen fuel cells face their rival – lithium-ion electric batteries. Electrification drastically reduces emissions when the electricity is supplied by renewable sources. While these batteries have their own sustainability issues, they are preferred for use in cars, with battery-powered cars outnumbering hydrogen fuel-cell electric vehicles (FCEV) by millions. Some will say that there is no rivalry, but the opportunity for both technologies to complement each other. Hydrogen power, though inefficient in comparison to batteries, is likely to play a role in decarbonising heavy-goods vehicles (HGVs), aeroplanes, trains, and buses. This is because the size/number of batteries required for larger vehicles would be too high and heavy. With hydrogen, these vehicles could get a similar driving range and refuelling speed as conventional internal combustion engine vehicles. For this, there will need to be a ramp up of hydrogen fuel cells, fuelling stations and storage tanks. Aerospace company Airbus has described hydrogen as the ‘next frontier in aviation technology’. Hydrogen is the most energy efficient during flight per unit of mass in comparison to both battery and conventional jet fuel technologies. Airbus has three concept planes in development which combine burning liquid hydrogen fuel and fuel cells for electricity in a gas-turbine engine. Aircraft is just one side of the story; airports would equally have to change for hydrogen refuelling if this is the course of action over biofuels. Nevertheless, the IEA expects behavioural changes from us, such as forgoing regional flights in favour of trains where possible, for net-zero by 2050. THERE ARE MILLIONS OF POUNDS OF GOVERNMENT FUNDING ASSIGNED IN ITS STRATEGY FOR HYDROGEN Travelling is as key to life as the home. Houses and other buildings could benefit from hydrogen through heating. Although here, it is argued that hydrogen gas heating is less efficient in comparison to electric heat pumps and strong insulation. The pumps have relatively high upfront costs, though are cheaper than hydrogen boilers to run. Though, heating products company Worcester-Bosch has a hydrogen-ready boiler in the works. Hydrogen can be delivered in some pipelines that transport natural gas; however, the safety considerations must be assessed too. In the newly published government’s hydrogen strategy, the government establishes that it is working with the Health and Safety Executive, and Ofgem to assess safety, through trials and research. A government decision on this will be made in 2026, which could potentially lead to hydrogen being used for powering cars, heating homes and cooking. Hydrogen’s potential in industry for steel, shipping and furnaces is also promising. There are millions of pounds of government funding assigned in its strategy for hydrogen. Banking on blue hydrogen as much as green hydrogen may have uncertain results going forward, especially considering Cornell and Stanford’s new research. As the government has deadlines to meet over this decade listed in its hydrogen strategy, we may see necessary changes to hydrogen plans in order to reach net-zero. Although, in the coming years it is clear blue hydrogen storage and production projects led by major oil, gas and energy companies will continue. It is the transitional effort which keeps them involved before green hydrogen costs will come down. For now, perhaps the most interesting part of the strategy is whether the government can bring these costs down for hydrogen. Just like, in its own comparison, to the UK’s successful offshore wind sector. https://impactnottingham.com/2021/08/somewhere-over-the-hydrogen-rainbow/ PIA Aviation Maintenance Grads Hired Faster Than Most U.S. College Grads New numbers from the Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics (PIA) reveal that over 80 percent of all PIA graduates in the past 12 months have been hired, which is a much higher rate of employment than for graduates from the majority of U.S. colleges and universities. According to a recent Monster survey reported by CBS News, nearly half of all 2020 grads say they are still looking for work. Meanwhile, PIA students who graduated between July 1, 2019, and June 30, 2020, from the school’s four nationwide campuses are enjoying employment rates above 80 percent: Youngstown (81 percent), Pittsburgh (82 percent), Myrtle Beach (93 percent), and Hagerstown (95 percent). Such strong employment rates for PIA graduates underscores the growing need for aviation mechanics throughout the aeronautics industry. Boeing projects 739,000 new maintenance technicians will be needed to fly and maintain the global fleet over the next 20 years, with 192,000 of those new mechanics needed in North America alone. Several aviation employers, including Boeing, Endeavor Air, Mitsubishi Aircraft and Piedmont Airlines, are investing in partnerships with PIA that help introduce them to students as early as their point of enrollment. In addition, many top PIA students receive employment offers even before they graduate. This level of active participation from employers indicates that the competition to attract top talent in the aviation maintenance field will continue to drive interest and investment for many years to come. “The aviation maintenance industry is in a period of generational turnover as many mechanics approach retirement age, which creates a huge number of employment opportunities for new technicians to enter the field,” says PIA President and CEO Suzanne Markle. “With a median salary of $66,680 according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics, aviation maintenance continues to be one of the most resilient and rewarding career choices for hands-on professionals.” Above-average employment rates and robust career-long salaries are two reasons why PIA continues to be rated one of the top postsecondary schools in all of Pennsylvania. According to the most recent analysis by the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce on the 40-year return on investment (ROI) of a college education, PIA has a better 40-year ROI than the median average ROI for all U.S. postsecondary schools. With a 40-year ROI of $1,285,000, PIA outranks the $917,000 median average for all technology-related schools by over $260,000, according to a 2021 Georgetown report, including both two-year and four-year schools. In addition, PIA’s 40-year ROI also outranks the $918,000 median average for all liberal arts institutions and the $913,000 median average for all four-year business and management schools. With several other PA technical schools also earning similar marks in Georgetown’s report, this indicates that technical school training for aviation maintenance and similar fields now measures very favorably against numerous other highly regarded professions for students who are seeking alternatives to a traditional four-year post-secondary path. https://www.aviationpros.com/education-training/press-release/21235381/pittsburgh-institute-of-aeronautics-pia-aviation-maintenance-grads-hired-faster-than-most-us-college-grads How Technology’s De-skilling Dimension Affects Our Lives We live in the age of devices, machines and algorithms. Humans outsource more and more work to technological tools to achieve efficiency in work and convenience in life. Nothing is exempt from the law of unintended consequences. Technology helps improve productivity; technology also erodes our skills. Overdependence on medical technologies erodes physician’s clinical skills Physicians depend on a battery of technology-mediated tools to diagnose diseases. While this is helpful to achieve the right diagnosis, doctors lose their clinical skills in the process. In the past, physicians relied on their accumulated knowledge and judgment to get the right diagnosis. Chronic pain and chronic fatigue are physicians’ nightmares. Tests and scans will not, in most cases, find out the underlying causes. The physician certifies that everything is OK and sends the patient home. But the patient continues to suffer. An experienced physician can easily trace the problems to trauma or mental health issues. It is not always possible to diagnose digestion related issues through physical teats alone. Depression can disrupt the gut’s functioning because the gut is a mini-brain and has a nervous system of its own. Moreover, the brain and the gut are communicating with each other continually. A gastroenterologist who relies on endoscopy will not find anything wrong in the case of a depressed patient. If she sends the patient home without any follow-up, she creates a potentially life-threatening situation because the risk of self-harm is more if the patient is depressed. The cockpit’s automation is not an unmixed blessing In the early days of civil aviation, we had four people inside the aircraft cockpit. Now we have two pilots because most of the pilot’s functions have been automated. Automation has increased efficiency by reducing the pilot’s workload. At the same time, pilots seem to have lost some skills in the process. Computer malfunctioning can jeopardize flight safety if there are no clear backup systems. The human backup can help if the pilots know what exactly has gone wrong. The pilots will struggle to take charge if the system’s malfunctioning confuses them with a false alarm or a wrong message. We cannot rule out such dire scenarios. They happened recently and killed hundreds of people. Two crashes involving the new Boeing 737 Max aircraft, one in Indonesia in 2018 and another in Ethiopia in 2019, killed 346 people. Boeing had introduced a new feature in the Max — The Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System (MCAS). It is an automated safety feature designed to prevent the plane from entering a stall or losing lift. Both planes experienced similarly erratic steep climbs and descents and fluctuating airspeeds before crashing shortly after takeoff. The pilots did not receive any warning that the MCAS had malfunctioned. They could not override the computer’s deadly mistake. How overdependence on machines de-skill humans Humans learn to do tasks by repeated hands-on training. Nicholas Carr, in his book, “The Glass Cage”, calls this process automaticity. “Automaticity, as its name makes clear, can be thought of as a kind of internalized automation. It’s the body’s way of making difficult but repetitive work routine. Physical movements and procedures get programmed into muscle memory; interpretations and judgments are made through the instant recognition of environmental patterns apprehended by the senses…….Without automaticity, our consciousness would be perpetually overloaded.” Technological overdependence erodes automaticity, which also applies to mental tasks. In the case of pilots, it is the loss of manual skills; for physicians, it empties the body of clinical knowledge stored in the subconscious mind. Final thoughts “The trouble with automation is that it often gives us what we don’t need at the cost of what we do.”( Nicholas Carr, in “The Glass Cage”) An argument against technological consequences is not an argument against technology. We cannot pretend that technological overdependence does not produce unintended consequences like erosion of human skills. The structure of digital technologies offers shortcuts to bypass the hard work our brains have to do in remembering facts or executing difficult tasks. This is another way of saying that digital technologies alter our brains. I remember my 10-digit cell phone number but don’t need to remember the numbers of my friends and relatives as they are stored in the devices. There are neurological consequences when we stop using parts of the brain like those used to memorize and recollect numbers. We need a balanced sharing of work between humans and machines. Human-centric automation will help humans retain their autonomy, preserve their skills and step in if the algorithms malfunction. Thanks for reading. https://medium.com/indian-thoughts/how-technologys-de-skilling-dimension-affects-our-lives-74c34bdf144a Long Beach Reemerges as an Aerospace Hub From startups to established titans, aerospace companies are expanding their presence in Long Beach. Companies including Relativity Space Inc., Rocket Lab USA Inc. and Virgin Orbit have established their headquarters in the city over the past few years, bringing thousands of local jobs and millions of dollars in payroll. These newcomers join companies such as Boeing Co. and a wealth of support businesses that have long had a presence in Long Beach, in part because the city offers access to a wide talent pool. “Long Beach is very clearly the headquarters choice for several modern space innovators,” said Seiji Steimetz, professor and chairman of economics, and director of the Office of Economic Research at Cal State Long Beach. Long Beach — where Amelia Earhart fell in love with flying in 1920 — has a storied aerospace history that ramped up in the mid-20th century with military and commercial aircraft manufacturing. Over the past few years, the region has reemerged as a center of aerospace innovation to the degree that Steimetz has nicknamed it “Space Beach.” High-paying jobs Between 2018 and 2020, aerospace industry employment increased to 4,200 from 2,800 in Long Beach, representing a 48% jump, according to the California Employment Development Department. The industry makes up around 2.7% of all employment in Long Beach. That compares to aerospace jobs making up 1% of all employment in L.A. County. Steimetz said aerospace companies are attracted to the region’s high concentration of talented engineers, along with younger talent that can be recruited from local schools such as UCLA, USC and Cal State Long Beach. “There is a concentration of a certain type of talent pool,” Steimetz said. “And when you have a concentration of a certain type of talent for that, it makes sense for companies to locate near them.” With good pay and extensive opportunities, Long Beach is an attractive area for these recruits, Steimetz added. According to Economic Modeling, or Emsi, a labor market and economic data platform, average total take-home compensation in the aerospace industry in Long Beach is $144,099 a year. For comparison, the median household income in Long Beach was $63,017 in 2019, according to Census Bureau data. Steimetz said job opportunities in Long Beach are on the rise. Since the start of 2021, aerospace postings have shot up 120% in the region, to 279 in July from 105 in January. The aerospace industry represents 5.2% of Long Beach’s payroll. Steimetz said he estimates the sector’s total payroll in the city is quickly approaching $600 million annually. “It should be noted that the share of payroll is considerably higher than the share of employment,” Steimetz said. “That’s because these are high-paying jobs.” Several of the large companies rely on aviation suppliers that have called Long Beach home for decades, he added. These smaller businesses have long served commercial and military aircraft production in the area. Part of what makes Long Beach special is its aviation history. Companies such as Wyatt Precision Machine Inc., Plasidyne Engineering and Manufacturing Inc., and NC Dynamics have each called the city home for more than 40 years, supplying parts for aerospace manufacturing. Steimetz cited data from Pacific Gateway Workforce Innovation Network, a public agency based in Long Beach, that said direct and indirect aerospace employment, which includes suppliers, totals around 6,500 jobs in the city. “When industries concentrate together, they can be near the talent pool, and they can be near the supply chain,” Steimetz said. “And there are efficiencies and cost savings associated with being concentrated together.” Moving in Steimetz said the “Space Beach” trend picked up in the past few years as newer space companies relocated their headquarters to increase recruitment and be close to suppliers. But Long Beach has long been a hub for aerospace and aviation innovation, thanks in large part to Douglas Aircraft, which churned out military aircraft from its Long Beach plant at the rate of one plane an hour at the peak of production during World War II. In 1967, Douglas merged with McDonnell Aircraft, creating McDonnell Douglas Corp., which was acquired by Boeing in 1997. The acquisition allowed Boeing to compete with fellow aerospace giant Bethesda, Md.-based Lockheed Martin Corp. Boeing, meanwhile, relied on Long Beach for production of its C-17 Globemaster III, a large military transport aircraft. That project ramped up in 2008 and increased local direct aerospace employment to 9,500, Steimetz said. Globemaster work slowed in 2013 when orders began drying up and officially ended in 2015, leading to a drop in local employment. Still, Boeing retains several divisions in the area, as well as its Global Design Center. The company also has more than 40 suppliers in Long Beach and spends more than $86 million annually in the city, the company said. “There’s so much talent and diversity here in Long Beach that it makes the city so attractive,” Lynette McKinnon, director of Boeing’s design center and Long Beach site executive, said in a statement. “It’s the perfect place for continued design and development.” Other aerospace companies enjoy the professional environment to be found in Long Beach. In 2019, SpinLaunch, which develops mass accelerator technology, moved its headquarters from Silicon Valley to a 140,000-square-foot facility in Long Beach. Small-satellite launch provider Rocket Lab followed in 2020, moving its headquarters from Huntington Beach to Long Beach. And Virgin Orbit landed in the city in 2015 prior to spinning off from Mojave-based Virgin Galactic in 2017. “There’s a lot to love about Long Beach,” Virgin Orbit’s Head of People and Culture Johanna Kent said in a statement. “The breadth and diversity of the local talent has allowed us to build the best rocket team in the business, and … given Long Beach’s aerospace heritage, there’s an abundance of local high-quality suppliers that have been wonderful partners for Virgin Orbit. ” Relativity Space, which is working to manufacture rockets using 3D printers, relocated its headquarters from Inglewood to Long Beach in 2020 and announced in July plans to expand its headquarters by 1 million square feet. “Securing this space for Relativity headquarters ... is key for scaling out our Terran R program, while also continuing to tap into the unparalleled talent here,” Tim Ellis, Relativity’s chief executive and co-founder, said in a statement. Virgin Orbit FOUNDED: 2017 CEO: Dan Hart BUSINESS: Small-satellite launch services EMPLOYEES: 600 VALUATION: $3 billion MAJOR CLIENTS: Defense Department, SatRevolution, Royal Netherlands Air Force PLANNED LAUNCHES: 1 (2021); 6 (2022) 2021 LAUNCHES TO DATE: 3 ABOUT THE COMPANY: Founded by aerospace and aviation mogul Richard Branson, Virgin Orbit focuses on launching small, low-Earth orbit satellites. The company spun off from Mojave-based Virgin Galactic, Branson’s space tourism venture, in 2017. Virgin Orbit conducted its first successful launch of a rocket, LauncherOne, in January, and has since performed two other launches. The company designs and manufactures its LauncherOne rockets in Long Beach. In June, Virgin Orbit was reportedly in talks with Boca Raton, Fla.-based special purpose acquisition company NextGen Acquisition Corp. II to go public through a merger. Relativity Space FOUNDED: 2015 CEO: Tim Ellis BUSINESS: 3D-printed rockets EMPLOYEES: 500 FUNDING TO DATE: $1.3 billion VALUATION: $4.2 billion MAJOR CLIENTS: NASA, Defense Department, Telesat, TriSept Solutions Inc. PLANNED LAUNCHES: 1 (2021) 2021 LAUNCHES TO DATE: None ABOUT THE COMPANY: Though 3D printing has been used by rocket-makers in the past to manufacture individual parts, Relativity Space is taking the concept a step further. The company creates entirely 3D-printed rockets using its massive Stargate printers, with the goal of eventually bringing humanity to Mars. In the past 12 months, Rocket Lab brought in nearly $1.2 billion in funding and announced plans to expand its headquarters by 1 million square feet at the Goodman Commerce Center in Long Beach. It also aims to double its staff by 2022. Relativity relocated from Inglewood to Long Beach in 2020. Companies on Rocket Lab’s lengthy waitlist for launches include NASA, the Defense Department and Telesat. Boeing Co. FOUNDED: 1916 CEO: Dave Calhoun BUSINESS: Aviation CALIFORNIA EMPLOYEES: 12,000 ANNUAL REVENUE: $58 billion LOCAL SUPPLIERS: Long Beach Valve and Fitting Co., Shimadzu Precision Instruments Inc., Stantec Consulting Services Inc. ANNUAL DOLLARS SPENT LOCALLY: $86 million ABOUT THE COMPANY: One of the oldest and biggest aerospace and aviation companies in the world, Boeing has historically had a massive footprint in Long Beach. The company’s presence in the area dates to 1997 when it acquired McDonnell Douglas Corp., which was then a roughly 50-year-old aerospace company known for producing military and commercial aircraft. Though Boeing shut down its C-17 project in Long Beach in 2015, which had brought thousands of jobs to the area, the company retains a footprint in the region with local divisions. These include its Global Services and AvionX divisions, as well as Boeing’s global design center. Boeing’s work in the Long Beach design center includes customer support operations, advanced concept engineering, and upkeep and support of the C-17 and other out-of-production planes. Rocket Lab USA Inc. FOUNDED: 2006 CEO: Peter Beck BUSINESS: End-to-end mission services EMPLOYEES: 550 FUNDING TO DATE: $290 million MAJOR CLIENTS: NASA, Space Force, BlackSky Global PLANNED LAUNCHES: 5 (2021) 2021 LAUNCHES TO DATE: 3 ABOUT THE COMPANY: Rocket Lab performed its first orbital launch in 2018, 12 years after the company’s founding. Since then, it has deployed 105 satellites on behalf of several major clients, including the Space Force, TriSept and BlackSky Global. Rocket Lab primarily launches satellites using its Electron rocket, its flagship vehicle, and relies on its Photon spacecraft, a satellite bus, to provide the infrastructure for a client’s payload. The company is developing a Neutron rocket, a reusable, medium-lift vehicle capable of carrying 8,000 kilograms into low-Earth orbit. Rocket Lab recently announced that by the end of 2021 it will launch its first mission into lunar orbit as a part of NASA’s Artemis program under a contract worth nearly $10 million. https://labusinessjournal.com/news/2021/aug/23/long-beach-reemerges-aerospace-hub/ Space SPAC: Virgin Orbit to go public via $3.2bn merger The satellite launch company had its first successful commercial flight in June. Virgin Orbit, Richard Branson’s commercial space launch firm, has made a “definitive merger agreement” with NextGen Acquisition Corp II, a special-purpose acquisition company (SPAC) listed on the Nasdaq. The merger values Virgin Orbit at $3.2bn, it said, and will allow the company to go public without a traditional IPO. CNBC had reported on “advanced discussions” relating to the deal as early as June. The deal is expected to raise up to $483m for Virgin Orbit, including a $100m private-investment-in-public-equity (PIPE) transaction bringing in aviation titan Boeing and private investment firm AE Industrial Partners as shareholders. Additionally, the company said it will gain access to up to $383m of cash held in the trust account of NextGen. It plans to use the almost half a billion dollars in capital to invest in scaling rocket manufacturing, fund growth in its space solutions business, and put towards its “ongoing product development initiatives”. The combined company will be named Virgin Orbit and is expected to be listed as ‘VORB’. The transaction is predicted to be closed in the fourth quarter of 2021. Virgin Orbit was spun out from Virgin Galactic, the suborbital passenger spaceflight company also founded by Branson, in 2017. The company delivers small (300kg to 500kg) satellites to various orbits using its LauncherOne rocket, which launches from under a customised Boeing 747 at an altitude of 10.7km. The airborne launch means the rocket begins its independent flight at Mach 0.9 and above two-thirds of the atmosphere, according to Virgin Orbit. The company notes that the carrier plane can take off from a wide variety of locations around the world, and describes it as “the world’s most reusable launch stage”. The company marked its first commercial launch in June after some failed starts last year. NextGen Acquisition Corp II was set up by former Goldman Sachs partner George Mattson and former PerkinElmer CEO Gregory Summe. The pair completed a separate SPAC merger deal with Xos Trucks just last week. Speaking about the newly announced deal, Branson said: “The Virgin Orbit team has proven its ability to create new ideas, new approaches and new capabilities. They are building on the incredible foundation of their rapid transition into successful commercial launch operations to find new ways to solve big problems that uplift our customers’ amazing ideas, again and again. “I’m very excited we are taking Virgin Orbit public, with the support of our partners at NextGen and our other wonderful investors. It’s another milestone for empowering all of those working today to build space technology that will positively change the world.” The company is currently owned by Virgin Group, Mubadala Investment Company, and some of its management and employees. Existing shareholders are expected to retain about 85pc of the new company, with 10pc going to shareholders of NextGen, 3pc going to the PIPE investors and the final 2pc to the SPAC sponsor. Dan Hart, Virgin Orbit’s CEO, added: “Our success in launch has driven the business forward, and now we expect this investment will enable us to build on our R&D efforts and our incredible team. We are driving innovation with world-class design and advanced manufacturing capabilities, our unrivalled mobility of launch and our exciting space solutions services.” https://www.siliconrepublic.com/companies/virgin-orbit-public-spac-3-2bn SpaceX Thinks it can Send Humans to the Moon Sooner Than 2024 It’s no secret that a new Space Race has been brewing over the past few years. This time, rather than being a competition between two federal space agencies, the race has more competitors and is more complicated. In addition to more state competitors, there are also commercial space entities vying for positions and lucrative contracts. Add to that a network of public-private partnerships, and you have Space Race 2.0! In particular, there has been quite the stir ever since NASA awarded the Artemis contract for the Human Landing System (HLS) to SpaceX. This resulted in legal challenges filed by Blue Origin and Dynetics (SpaceX’s competitors), as well as a lawsuit and messy public relations campaign. NASA has since removed the stop-work order and commenced payments to SpaceX, which recently indicated their HLS concept could be ready to go before the 2024 deadline. As part of the NextSTEP – 2 Appendix H program, NASA selected SpaceX, Blue Origin, and Dynetics to develop the HLS that will take the Artemis III astronauts back to the lunar surface. Initially, NASA hoped to award contracts to two of these companies but ultimately went with SpaceX due to budget constraints and timetables. In response, Blue Origin and Dynetics filed a protest with the Government Accountability Office (GAO). On July 30th, the GAO denied these protests and rescinded the stop-work order they had put in place until they could review the protests. That same day, according to CNBC space reporter Michael Sheetz, NASA made the first payment on the HLS contract. Based on documents uploaded to USASpening.gov, Sheetz reported that NASA awarded $300 million out of an obligated amount of $439.6 million (the total contract is valued at over $3 billion). In response, Twitter user Everything Artemis (@artemis360_moon), an unofficial account that tracks news related to the Artemis Program, reached out to Elon Musk. “NASA has started its @SpaceX lunar lander payments. Hopefully (and I trust) the SpaceX team will work fast. @elonmusk do you expect to have Lunar Starship ready to land humans in 2024 (despite other delays)?” he Tweeted. To which Elon replied, “Probably sooner.” The SpaceX HLS concept is a modified version of the Starship, which is currently undergoing rapid development (along with the Super Heavy booster) at SpaceX’s launch facility near Boca Chica. According to the latest mockup (shown above) and previous statements by Musk, the HLS Starship will have a higher payload capacity since it will not require heat shields, flaps, and large gas thruster packs (all of which are needed for atmospheric reentry). It also comes with wider landing legs, which future Starships may do away with entirely now that SpaceX is building the “Mechazilla” launch tower. In any case, concerns about potential delays and fulfilling the 2024 deadline go beyond the four months lost due to the GAO’s stop order. In addition, there are reported issues with the Exploration Extravehicular Mobility Units (xEMU) spacesuits, leading to fears that they won’t be ready in time. Here too, Musk offered SpaceX’s help, claiming that they could have this other crucial mission element ready sooner. And of course, there are the highly-publicized delays that have plagued the Space Launch System (SLS) from the beginning, as well as the Orion capsule. This has led to speculation that NASA should farm the task of sending the Artemis astronauts back using the Starship and Super Heavy. So to summarize, NASA is still trying to make it back to the Moon by 2024 (as directed by the previous administration). They’d had to expedite everything, reprioritize certain missions elements, and have turned to contractors (overwhelmingly to SpaceX) to pick up the slack. The ESA and other space agencies are partnered with them to see this through, while Russia and China have partnered to launch a competing lunar exploration and settlement program. Meanwhile, the contractors are fighting it out to see which commercial space tycoon will see their logo on the equipment on the lander that returns astronauts to the Moon for the first time since the Apollo Era. Like I said, complicated! https://www.universetoday.com/152262/spacex-thinks-it-can-send-humans-to-the-moon-sooner-than-2024/ Curt Lewis