December 14, 2021 - No. 93 In This Issue : Rolls-Royce hybrid-electric propulsion milestone : ZeroAvia Raises Further $35 Million for Zero-Emission Flight Technology,Taking Total Raised to $115 Million : British Airways May Soon Fuel Its Planes With Recycled Cooking Oil : American Airlines to Equip A321XLR, 787-9 Fleet with 4K In-flight Entertainment Displays : Russian airlines and Airbus establish sustainable fuel alliance : Avy Launches Rapid Response System : FlyZero concept promises carbon-free flights : Airbus boosts its hydrogen aviation research, innovation and development capabilities : Why Cutting Airport Emissions Is A Key For The Aviation Industry : SpiceJet Explores Drone Delivery Service to Expand Logistics Platform : Elon Musk tweets that SpaceX will start program to pull carbon dioxide in atmosphere and use it as rocket fuel Rolls-Royce hybrid-electric propulsion milestone Rolls-Royce’s hybrid-electric aero power and propulsion system has delivered more than a megawatt of power just weeks after going on test for the first time. Power Generation System 1 (PGS1) reached the milestone at the newly renovated Testbed 108 in Bristol, UK. Testing is continuing with the aim of reaching up to 2.5MW. PGS1 is a demonstrator aimed at proving technology for future hybrid-electric regional aircraft opportunities, and in addition the generator could be used within a more-electric system for larger aircraft or within future ground applications. Adam Newman, chief project engineer, Aviation Futures, Rolls-Royce, said: “We’ve made a tremendous start to testing – reaching a megawatt is a great achievement. Now we want to go further and see what we can ultimately achieve. “Our generator is about the size of a beer keg, yet it has already produced enough electricity to continuously power around 1,000 homes – that’s really taking technology to new levels. When future hybrid-electric aircraft opportunities emerge in the megawatt and above class we want to be as prepared as we can be to offer a ready-made solution.” As well as the generator, the PGS1 system incorporates an AE2100 engine, specialist controls, and a thermal management system. Both Testbed 108 and PGS1 have been supported by the UK Aerospace Technology Institute’s MegaFlight project, while the electrical generator, motor, and power electronics design, make and testing, which has taken place in Trondheim, Norway, has been supported by the EU Clean Sky 2 program. https://www.aerospacemanufacturinganddesign.com/article/rolls-royce-hybrid-electric-propulsion-milestone/ ZeroAvia Raises Further $35 Million for Zero-Emission Flight Technology,Taking Total Raised to $115 Million KEMBLE, England and HOLLISTER, Calif., Dec. 13, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- As the company moves closer to commercialization of its hydrogen-electric technology, ZeroAvia has secured a new raise of $35 million to help develop its 2-5MW zero-emission powertrain system for regional aviation. As announced today, United Airlines has invested in ZeroAvia through this round, and our agreement with United anticipates an order for 50 ZA2000-RJ engines, with an option for 50 more. United joins an already announced new investor, Alaska Air Group, in this round, alongside existing investors Amazon's Climate Pledge Fund, AP Ventures, Breakthrough Energy Ventures, Horizons Ventures, Summa Equity, and Shell Ventures. This brings the company's total investment to date up to $115 million. ZeroAvia is on track to achieve commercialization for its hydrogen propulsion technology in 2024. Initially, the company is targeting a 500-mile range in a 10-20 seat aircraft used for commercial passenger transport, package delivery, agriculture, and beyond. This funding round targets the next segment of 40-80 seat aircraft, targeting turboprops by 2026 and regional jets by 2028. The funding will also allow ZeroAvia to further ramp up presence across its US, UK, and continental Europe locations. "We are very excited to welcome our new investors, including one of the world's largest airlines in United, into the ZeroAvia family," said ZeroAvia CEO Val Miftakhov. "As we prepare for ground and flight testing of our first commercial intent product in the coming weeks, this backing by our investors will enable us to accelerate delivery of our engine for larger aircraft. We are tremendously grateful to all our investors who are helping us achieve our mission - a world where every aircraft is powered by hydrogen-electric engines, delivering a true zero-emission future for flying." "Hydrogen-electric engines are one of the most promising paths to zero-emission air travel for smaller aircraft, and this investment will keep United out in front on this important emerging technology," said Scott Kirby, CEO of United. "United continues to look for opportunities to not only advance our own sustainability initiatives but also identify and help technologies and solutions that the entire industry can adopt." ''Aviation remains crucial to efficient global travel and trade. The resulting carbon emissions are however significant. ZeroAvia offers a credible and compelling pathway to zero-emission aviation, enabling the long-term future of the industry," said Kevin Eggers of AP Ventures. ''ZeroAvia is pioneering practical clean aviation solutions in a meaningfully short time frame. We are excited to work alongside established industry companies, such as United Airlines, Alaska Airlines, and British Airways to further this historic transformation.'' Throughout the past few weeks, ZeroAvia has made significant progress towards achieving its goal of zero-emission aviation. This investment round follows significant commercial momentum for the company, including partnerships with Alaska Airlines, Rose Cay, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, ASL Aviation Holdings, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Regional Jet division and Rotterdam the Hague Airport. Also in the last few weeks, ZeroAvia CEO Val Miftakhov addressed the UK Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow, as well as the UK Parliament, calling for a focus on delivering zero-emission aviation as soon as possible to ensure the industry's climate change impact can be tackled. This followed the company's second annual Hydrogen Aviation Summit, the largest event examining the future of hydrogen in the sector. About ZeroAvia ZeroAvia is a leader in zero-emission aviation, focused on hydrogen-electric aviation solutions to address a variety of markets, initially targeting 500 mile range in 10-20 seat aircraft used for commercial passenger transport, cargo, agriculture, and more. Based in the UK and USA, ZeroAvia has already secured experimental certificates for its two prototype aircraft from the CAA and FAA, passed significant flight test milestones, and is on track for commercial operations in 2024. The company's expanding UK operations are supported by grants from UK's Aerospace Technology Institute and Innovate UK, and ZeroAvia is part of the UK Government's Jet Zero Council. For more, please visit ZeroAvia.com, follow @ZeroAvia on Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/zeroavia-raises-further-35-million-for-zero-emission-flight-technologytaking-total-raised-to-115-million-301442703.html British Airways May Soon Fuel Its Planes With Recycled Cooking Oil Flying with British Airways could soon get a little more sustainable. In December, the airline announced it signed a deal with a refinery in the United Kingdom to purchase sustainable aviation fuel, a lower carbon-intensity fuel that can be produced from renewable feedstocks, including waste from vegetable oils, fats, and greases. The deal, the airline shared in a statement, makes it the first airline in the world to use sustainable aviation fuel produced on a commercial scale in the UK. According to the airline, it aims to hit net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, and the new-age fuel will be a big part of that, along with carbon offsetting. The airline noted, the new fuel will help reduce life cycle CO2 emissions by almost 100,000 tons, or the equivalent of powering 700 net-zero CO2 emissions flights between London and New York on its Boeing 787 aircraft. "This agreement marks another important step on our journey to net-zero carbon emissions and forms part of our commitment, as part of International Airlines Group, to power 10% of flights with [sustainable aviation fuel] by 2030," Sean Doyle, British Airways' chairman and chief executive, said in a statement. "We are excited to develop our relationship with Phillips 66 Limited further with a view to growing production capacity and using a wider range of sustainable waste feedstocks to supply our future flights. The development of sustainable aviation fuel is a major focus for us and forms part of our commitment to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 through a series of short-, medium- and long-term initiatives." While this is certainly a massive step forward, sustainable fuels have a long way to go until they are a viable financial option for all airlines, and that journey will likely begin with regulations and tax incentives for more airlines to get on board. "Right now, the cost of sustainable aviation fuel on its own without any incentives...would cost maybe four or five times that of existing petroleum fuels and that's not sustainable for the industry," Valerie Reed, the acting director of the bioenergy technologies office at the Department of Energy's Office of energy efficiency and renewable energy, told Aviation Today. Reed added, "I would say that we have a full approach looking between now, 2030 and 2050 when we really need to meet President Biden's aggressive decarbonization goals, and we believe we can fully decarbonize the aviation sector in that timeframe. Sustainable aviation fuel plays a very important role in that, it's not the only technology that's working to decarbonize aviation, but it is a critical technology." https://www.travelandleisure.com/travel-news/british-airways-cooking-oil-as-jet-fuel American Airlines to Equip A321XLR, 787-9 Fleet with 4K In-flight Entertainment Displays American Airlines will feature a new line of 4K in-flight entertainment (IFE) seat-back screens developed by Samsung and Thales on a fleet of Airbus A321XLR and Boeing 787-9 aircraft that the Texas-based international carrier currently has on order. American will become the launch customer of the Optiq displays that use Samsung's proprietary Quantum Dot Light Emitting Diode (QLED) technology, a key next-generation feature of the Thales AVANT IFE system. The 4K displays are expected to make their debut in 2023 on the fleet of 50 Airbus A321XLR aircraft that American ordered in 2019, according to a Dec. 13 announcement from Thales. The 787-9s to feature the Optiq displays are also expected to enter service in 2023, based on adjustments to American’s Boeing 787 orders that the carrier reported in its first-quarter 2021 results. A total of five Boeing 787-9s will feature the new displays. "AVANT will be integrated with American’s high-speed connectivity system to provide digital services and real-time health monitoring & reporting," according to Thales. American is equipping the A321s and 787s it has on order with Viasat in-flight connectivity. Every Optiq display also features a Bluetooth connection option for passengers with Bluetooth-capable headphones. Thales first announced the new Optiq display technology as the result of a partnership with Harman International—a Stamford, Connecticut-based Samsung subsidiary that makes audio electronics—in June. Samsung describes its proprietary QLED technology as a “display device that uses quantum dots (QD), semiconductor nano-crystals which can produce pure monochromatic red, green, and blue light. Photo-emissive quantum dot particles are used in RGB filters, replacing traditional colored photoresists with a QD layer.” In a Sept. 30 article, consumer electronics publication CNET details the fundamental differences between QLED and OLED display technology and notes that Samsung has been using quantum dots to augment its LCD television displays since 2015. The QLED TV display branding was first launched by the company in 2017. "American Airlines has trusted Thales as an in-flight entertainment supplier for more than a decade and now to equip its new A321XLR and Boeing 787-9 aircraft with the latest AVANT IFE solution,” Yannick Assouad, Executive Vice-President Avionics, Thales said in a statement. “As air travel begins to recover, Thales continues to invest in digital innovations that create value for our customers. We’re truly excited to provide these solutions to American and its customers." https://www.aviationtoday.com/2021/12/13/american-airlines-equip-a321xlr-787-9-fleet-4k-flight-entertainment-displays/ Russian airlines and Airbus establish sustainable fuel alliance Russian carriers including Aeroflot, S7 Group and Volga-Dnepr Airlines are to co-operate with Airbus and energy firm Gazprom to create an alliance to support development of sustainable aviation fuels. The Eurasian SAF Alliance aims to carry out the first biofuel-powered flight no later than 2024. Fuel specialist Gazprom Neft says the alliance will include Russia’s state civil aviation research institute and the Zhukovsky national research centre. It states that it intends to ensure the use of environmentally-friendly aviation fuel, in line with international standards, at Russian airports. Gazprom Neft, which will utilize its technology centre in St Petersburg, will produce experimental batches of sustainable fuel at its Moscow and Omsk refineries. Deputy chair Anatoly Cherner says the decarbonisation of aviation and the emergence of new regulations require “innovative technological solutions” to create low-carbon fuels. “Gazprom Neft is actively developing the segment of environmentally-friendly products for all types of transport,” he says, adding that the combination of airlines, airframers and scientific institutes will make the process of developing Russian biofuel “more efficient”. Aeroflot finance chief Andrei Chikhanchin says the airline is “taking a step towards the future” and “reaffirming its commitment” to environmental priorities. “The environmental agenda is becoming one of the most important topics in aviation,” he says. Airbus’s senior representative in Russia, Julien Franiatte, says the zero-carbon target requires the efforts of all industry players. “As part of this alliance, we will combine our expertise to accelerate the sustainable aviation fuel certification process and promote its development in Russia,” he says. All the company’s aircraft, he adds, are already certified to fly with 50% sustainable fuel blends and Airbus is researching certification for 100% use. https://www.flightglobal.com/airlines/russian-airlines-and-airbus-establish-sustainable-fuel-alliance/146811.article Avy Launches Rapid Response System Dutch aviation technology company Avy has just launched its Drone Response Network, which allows for near-instant deployment of the new autonomous Aera aircraft for medical deliveries, emergency services and, if integrated with a camera system, real-time surveillance. The network comprises drones with VTOL capabilities and command docking stations that enable takeoff within minutes, without batteries or assembly. Avy’s product is fit for purpose and will begin flight in the first quarter of 2022. The announcement comes at a time when efficient vaccine and medication delivery is crucial. The biopharma industry loses more than $30 billion annually because temperature-sensitive medicines arrive late or overexposed. Avy Aera comes with a 4L capacity Medkit, with sensors that keep medical products between 2-6° C for at least 100 minutes, in ambient temperature up to 40° C, rainfall up to 3 millimeters per hour and winds under 25 knots—90% operability in various weather conditions. Flying at up to 45 miles per hour, Aera can deliver a payload of up to 3 kilograms over 100 kilometers twice as fast as road-based transportation, and in both urban and rural areas. It can also be used for emergency surveillance if integrated with a high zoom RGB and thermal camera system. The Aera drones can be controlled and deployed from linked stations. A response network of two stations and two drones can cover up to 1000 square kilometers for delivery and observation. The system is EU- and UN-compliant. “Avy’s new aircraft will make a substantial contribution to achieving the goal of connecting hospitals and laboratories by air by 2023,” says Simon Prent, drone operations manager at travelers’ association ANWB Medical Air Assistance, one of the companies that’s working to deploy Aera drones. “The new Medkit allows us to transport medical products at the right temperature, and for the first time we’ll be able to fly in urban areas, where the hospitals are located,” Other partners include PostNL (a Dutch delivery company), Sanquin (the Dutch blood bank), Port of Rotterdam and Falck (a Danish emergency response and healthcare services provider). Avy also plans to expand within Europe and Africa next year. https://insideunmannedsystems.com/avy-launches-rapid-response-system/ FlyZero concept promises carbon-free flights According to ATI, up to 279 passengers could fly between London and San Francisco, USA direct or Auckland, New Zealand with one stop with the same speed and comfort as current aircraft. Developed by a team collaborating on the FlyZero project, the concept shows the potential of green liquid hydrogen for air travel as it is a lightweight fuel with three times the energy of kerosene and sixty times the energy of batteries per kilogramme. Furthermore, no CO2 is produced when hydrogen is burned. In a statement, FlyZero project director Chris Gear said: “At a time of global focus on tackling climate change our midsize concept sets out a truly revolutionary vision for the future of global air travel keeping families, businesses and nations connected without the carbon footprint. “This new dawn for aviation brings with it real opportunities for the UK aerospace sector to secure market share, highly skilled jobs and inward investment while helping to meet the UK’s commitments to fight climate change.” Through the development of concept aircraft FlyZero has identified the on-board technologies which, along with the infrastructure and ground equipment for refuelling, require rapid development to deliver zero-carbon emission flight. These advanced technologies include wings without fuel tanks (dry wings), hydrogen tanks, cryogenic fuel systems, fuel cells and electrical power systems and hydrogen gas turbines. In early 2022, detailed findings from the FlyZero project will be published including three final aircraft concepts (regional, narrowbody and midsize), technology roadmaps, market and economic reports and a sustainability assessment. “These designs could define the future of aerospace and aviation,” said Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng. “By working with industry, we are showing that truly carbon free flight could be possible, with hydrogen a front runner to replace conventional fossil fuels. “Fuelling planes sustainably will enable the public to travel as we do now, but in a way that doesn’t damage the planet. It will not only help us to end our contribution to climate change, but also represents a huge industrial opportunity for the UK.” ATI said that with a range of 5250NM, destinations including San Francisco (4664NM), Delhi (3642NM), Beijing (4414NM), Vancouver (4105NM), Mexico City (4815NM) and Rio De Janeiro (4983NM) are within reach from London. Destinations including Auckland (9911NM), Sydney (9188NM) and Honolulu (6289NM) are in reach with just one stop. Powered by liquid hydrogen, the fuel is stored in cryogenic fuel tanks at around minus 250oC degrees Celsius in the aft fuselage and two smaller ‘cheek’ tanks along the forward fuselage, which will keep the aircraft balanced as the fuel burns off and eliminate the need for any additional aerodynamic structures. The aircraft’s 54-metre wingspan will carry two turbofan engines powered by hydrogen combustion. https://www.theengineer.co.uk/concept-aircraft-ati-flyzero-liquid-hydrogen/ Airbus boosts its hydrogen aviation research, innovation and development capabilities Europe-based global major aerospace group Airbus has announced that it is strengthening both its research capabilities regarding the future use of hydrogen in aviation and its innovation infrastructure in Spain. It was doing so by creating a new entity within its wholly-owned innovation subsidiary Airbus UpNext, and establishing a third Zero Emission Development Centre (ZEDC), both of them located in Spain. “Establishing Airbus UpNext and the ZEDC in Spain strengthens our Research & Technology footprint in the country and ensures the involvement, from the start, of some of the best experts to support our zero-emission ambition,” affirmed Airbus Chief Technical Officer Sabine Klauke. Airbus UpNext serves to accelerate the development of new technologies by rapidly producing and scaling demonstrators. The function of the ZEDCs is to develop new technologies to allow the achievement of zero emissions flight. The Spanish ZEDC (the other two such units are in Bremen in Germany and in Nantes, in France; both were established in June this year) would be focused on three main research areas. These were: energy for non-propulsive applications, fuel cell cooling and fibre optical systems, and carbon fibre cryogenic liquid hydrogen fuel tanks. “The tank development is done in a coordinated approach with the other Airbus national entities,” noted the group in its statement. “These technologies are critical to fuel a future zero-emission aircraft, supporting the goal of an entry-into-service by 2035.” The Spanish Airbus UpNext unit will, to start off with, be responsible for both the study and demonstration of non-propulsive hydrogen energy technologies. It will also handle improving air-to-air refuelling operations through the application of the latest ‘vision-based’ technologies. It will access and employ the expertise of the Airbus Commercial Aircraft, Airbus Defence and Space, and Airbus Helicopters operations in Spain. It will also source new talent and new suppliers, in order to be able to review, develop and validate potential innovations in both products and services, allowing radical technological advances. https://www.engineeringnews.co.za/article/airbus-boosts-its-hydrogen-aviation-research-innovation-and-development-capabilities-2021-12-13/rep_id:4136 Why Cutting Airport Emissions Is A Key For The Aviation Industry There is a lot of talk about net-zero emissions flight. But what about net-zero ground operations? Industry experts say that improving airport operational efficiency is not to be overlooked and that it will be a key factor in helping the industry reach its overall emissions targets. When it comes to greenhouse gases from the aviation industry, most of the focus lies on cutting CO2 emissions caused when burning jet fuel – and rightly so. The particular properties of kerosene fuel are what make aviation such a problematic sector to decarbonize. However, with airports to expand and the industry set to continue to grow, so will emissions on all fronts, unless there is a significant shift in how energy consumption is approached. More efficient ground traffic Speaking at the recent Future Flying Forum, Dr Ian Cruickshank, who is the Transport Taskforce Manager at United For Wildlife, talked about the various ways that efficiency at airports will be essential to help aviation reach its net-zero by mid-century targets. These include a number of efficiencies aided by technological advancement that all on their own will not get us “even close” to net-zero emissions – but put together, will make all the difference. Dr Cruickshank says that measures such as using an electric tug to tow the aircraft all the way to the runway rather than expending more fossil-based fuel are easy solutions that we should see more of over the next five years. Meanwhile, preferably, taxiing times should be kept to a minimum. “We could have direct approaches and direct departures where instead of sitting on the ground and taxiing for 30 or maybe 40 minutes. Maybe we need to be able to manage our ground traffic a little more carefully so that we can push back and go, almost straight away.” Using the technology at hand Other areas to focus on should be the use of sustainable energy at airports, supported by efforts such as putting up solar farms. Implementation of anaerobic digestion could allow catering rest-products to produce fuel and electricity and help reduce waste. All these are measures where existing technology could help reduce the overall carbon footprint of an airport. Clean and cheap energy is essential Many airports have already begun to implement strategies to reduce emissions. One operator that is leading the way is Swedavia. Earlier this year, the group announced that it had achieved net-zero emissions across all of its operations at its ten owned airports, including Stockholm Arlanda and Gothenburg Landvetter. The group’s Head of Environment says that having access to clean and cheap energy plays a major role for airports to be able to decarbonize operations. Other airports across Spain, Italy, and the UK have begun collaborating with major low-cost carriers easyJet and Ryanair, to trial emissions-free turnarounds. https://simpleflying.com/why-cutting-airport-emissions-is-a-key-for-the-aviation-industry/ SpiceJet Explores Drone Delivery Service to Expand Logistics Platform Dec. 12—SpiceJet said that it is planning to introduce a drone delivery service to strategically expand its logistics platform. The said it will first target mid-mile drone deliveries while preparing for last-mile deliveries in the future. SpiceJet plans to introduce customised drones of different payloads including 0-5 kg, 5-10 kg, and 10-25 kg which have the potential to change India's supply chain capabilities thereby making it more resilient and sustainable. " SpiceJet continues to innovate and experiment with new technologies and we hope to introduce our drone delivery services soon. By inducting drones in the supply chain, SpiceJet's logistics arm, SpiceXpress, will take a massive technological leap which will change the game for fast and cost-effective logistics in India," said Ajay Singh, Chairman and Managing Director, SpiceJet. He further said that this will not just redefine the entire supply chain business but also offer a unique experience to the end consumer. "With drones entering the logistics business, our fast emerging and growing e-commerce industry will be able to access the remotest corners of the country," he added. The airline's freight movement arm SpiceXpress will focus on delivering vaccines, life-saving drugs and essential goods among others to the remotest and farthest corners of the country which is otherwise difficult to reach by the traditional means of transportations. " SpiceJet has partnered with Throttle Aerospace for more than 50 customized high-end drones while Aeologic will provide the drone software management," it said in a statement. The airline's initial outreach plan for its drone business encompasses 10 districts with over 150 locations with an aim to achieve over 25,000 deliveries per month. SpiceJet will also set up dedicated drone ports at strategic locations across the country. "Poor transport and infrastructural challenges have been a key deterrent for taking new-age services to the hinterlands across the country. With businesses rapidly shifting to automation and enterprises prioritizing efficiency, autonomous technologies such as drones are now being considered for wider industrial use including the logistics industry," it said. A SpiceXpress-led consortium last year had submitted a proposal to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) for conducting experimental Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) operations of remotely piloted aircraft in response to a DGCA notice inviting Expression of Interest. Based on the recommendations of the BVLOS Experiment Assessment and Monitoring Committee, SpiceXpress was granted formal permission by the regulator for conducting experimental BVLOS drone trials in May 2020. Throttle Aerospace has successfully completed 100 hours of testing based on the recommendations of the BVLOS Experiment Assessment and Monitoring Committee. " SpiceJet is the only scheduled airline in the country to experiment with drone delivery services. The airline plans to introduce SpiceXpress drone delivery service to strategically expand its logistics platform while building a unique and seamless supply chain competence for itself," it further added. SpiceJet on Saturday also showcased its Drone delivery capabilities at the Gwalior Drone Mela. SpiceJet demonstrated its Drone delivery capabilities at the Gwalior Drone Mela at Madhav Institute of Technology and Science in the presence of the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Union Minister for Civil Aviation Jyotiraditya M Scindia, Union Minister of Agriculture andFarmers Welfare Narendra Singh Tomar, Member of Parliament, Gwalior Vivek Narayan Shejwalkar and CMD SpiceJet Ajay Singh. https://www.aviationpros.com/airlines/news/21249890/spicejet-explores-drone-delivery-service-to-expand-logistics-platform Elon Musk tweets that SpaceX will start program to pull carbon dioxide in atmosphere and use it as rocket fuel Elon Musk tweeted Monday that SpaceX is starting a program to remove carbon dioxide from the Earth's atmosphere and use it as rocket fuel. "Please join if interested," Musk added. He also tweeted that this program "will also be important for Mars." The billionaire founder of SpaceX and electric car company Tesla was announced as TIME's 2021 person of the year on Monday. The Guardian reports that SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket uses kerosene as fuel — which emits carbon dioxide, among other chemicals, into the atmosphere. SpaceX did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment. Musk previously announced XPrize Carbon Removal, which has a prize of $100 million for carbon removal technology. Carbon dioxide, released by the combustion of fossil fuels, is the primary greenhouse gas contributing to the climate crisis. https://www.businessinsider.com/musk-announces-new-spacex-program-use-co2-atmosphere-rocket-fuel-2021-12 Curt Lewis