March 15, 2018 - No. 021 In This Issue India's DGCA grounds 11 Airbus A320 neo aircraft over engine glitch GE Aviation's 'On Wing Support' Center Opens in Dubai The Flying-Taxi Startup From Google's Co-Founder, Explained Study shows electrically charged planes could evade lightning Electric aviation record setter furthers drone delivery system SUU Aviation Working to Change FAA Maintenance Training Curriculum British Airways expands biometric boarding technology Lack of Spare Parts Is Keeping F-35s on the Ground NIAR Gains Critical Engineering Design and Modification Capability. Musk: Atmospheric tests of interplanetary spaceship could happen next year India's DGCA grounds 11 Airbus A320 neo aircraft over engine glitch India's Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has issued an order to immediately ground 11 Airbus A320 neo aircraft over faulty engines. Out of the 11 aircraft, eight are operated by IndiGo, while the remaining three are operated by GoAir. Following DGCA's safety directive, both domestic carriers cancelled more than 50 flights. A repeated malfunction occurring with certain models of Pratt & Whitney (P&W) engines used to power the A320 neo aircraft prompted the grounding order. The issue with the engine stems from one of its parts showing early signs of wear. The engine part is placed in an area that must withstand high pressure, reported business-standard.com. A recent issue with an IndiGo aircraft flying with a faulty engine on the Ahmedabad-Lucknow route in India on 12 March has also affected the DGCA decision. Shortly after take-off, the aircraft developed a mid-air hitch and had to return to Ahmedabad. The order follows a cautionary notice issued by European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) last month regarding the PW1100G engines manufactured by P&W. In a statement cited by indianexpress.com, DGCA said: "EASA has informed that they are evaluating some interim proposals and will be revising the emergency airworthiness directive in due course, as soon as the current affected engines will be modified with a safer interim design. "P&W, in their latest communication, has also not given any firm commitment as to when the issue on the engine will be resolved, and informed that all the affected engines will be replaced by early June 2018." IndiGo has revealed its intention to ground six aircraft, in addition to the three planes that withdrew operation last month after the EASA directive. https://www.aerospace-technology.com/news/indias-dgca-grounds-11-airbus-a320-neo-aircraft- engine-glitch/ Back to Top GE Aviation's 'On Wing Support' Center Opens in Dubai March 13--DUBAI -- GE Aviation, the leading global provider of commercial jet engines, avionics and mechanical systems, on Tuesday opened its On Wing Support Center in Dubai South's Aviation District Aerospace Supply Chain Facility, marking the expansion of the company's engine repair services in one of the world's leading aviation hubs. GE has been operating its On Wing Support Center with Emirates Airlines since 2013, providing 24/7 full-service repair solutions for all GE and CFM engines that serve the Emirates fleet. With the new facility in Dubai South, the center will serve all UAE carriers -- including Emirates, Etihad Airways, Air Arabia and flydubai -- providing prompt maintenance and repair. A significant addition to the comprehensive aviation ecosystem at Dubai South, which is designed to service the global aerospace industry, GE's On Wing Support Center can service up to 20 LEAP-1A and LEAP-1B engines annually for quick turn workscopes, including hot section module replacements, in addition to delivering ongoing service support for all other GE/CFM engine models with capability to service the GE9x engines in the future. It will also store spare engines enabling GE Aviation to deliver them swiftly to its customers in the region. The On Wing Support Center at Dubai South, set on an area of 1,500 sq meters, can undertake the entire breadth of services including remote borescope inspection, compressor top case repairs, fan case removal and installation, turbine module replacements and gearbox- and component replacements. It also offers 24-hour technician cover for Aircraft On Ground (AOG) services. Khalifa Al Zaffin, Executive Chairman of Dubai Aviation City Corporation (DACC) and Dubai South, said: "The Aviation District in Dubai South is taking shape as the new hub for the industry and creating a dynamic supply chain that can serve all international carriers. It is a comprehensive platform that brings together advanced aerospace products and MRO service innovation through partnerships with leading global entities, further contributing to Dubai's strong credentials in the aerospace and aviation sector. With the new On Wing Support Center, carriers can access prompt maintenance and service that will add to their operational efficiency." John Flannery, Chairman & CEO of GE, said: "With the UAE continuing to raise the bar in the aviation sector both regionally and globally -- highlighted by its world-class airports, carriers and connectivity -- the new On Wing Support Center allows us to be closer to our customers, better understand their needs and together deliver groundbreaking aviation technologies. The provision of more efficient, reliable and timely maintenance and repair services remains vital to the advancement of the industry. This centre will contribute to the long-term growth vision of Dubai South and support the needs of our partners from across the region." From Dubai, GE Aviation's On Wing Support Center serves over 19 nations in the Middle East, Africa, South Asia, and Southeast Asia, including Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Kenya, Ethiopia, Tunisia, Rwanda, Algeria, South Africa, India, Thailand, Malaysia, and Taiwan. Operating a worldwide network of dispatch and quick-turn engine maintenance facilities, GE Aviation's On Wing Support provides more than 3,000 rapid repair solutions yearly to more than 250 customers. With 285 professionals globally, the On Wing Support service was first established in London in 1992, and are now available in multiple locations globally -- Dallas, Cincinnati, Dubai, Rio de Janeiro, Seoul and Shanghai. In addition to serving the new aviation hub, the Aerospace Supply Chain facility at Dubai South's Aviation District is in line with the Dubai Industrial Strategy, announced by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to drive the growth of high-growth industries in Dubai including the aerospace sector. The world's first master-planned airport city, Dubai South is building state-of-the-art infrastructure around the Al Maktoum International Airport. The Aviation District provides a specialised business environment that meets all the needs of the aviation industry. Spanning an area of seven square kilometres, Dubai South is the new permanent home of the Dubai Airshow and meets practical aspects of private and commercial aviation. Every 30 seconds, an aircraft equipped with GE technology takes off in the Middle East and North Africa. With almost 2,900 jet engines in service, GE and its joint venture partners help fly two- thirds of all flights in the region. -business@khaleejtimes.com http://www.aviationpros.com/news/12402652/ge-aviations-on-wing-support-center-opens-in-dubai Back to Top The Flying-Taxi Startup From Google's Co-Founder, Explained Kitty Hawk, an aviation company backed by Google co-founder and Alphabet CEO Larry Page, unveiled its autonomous air taxi, named Cora, on Monday*. The two-person passenger vehicle, which has rotors along its wings so it can take off like a helicopter and then fly like a plane without a runway, has undergone a number of "stealth" test flights in New Zealand since October. Kitty Hawk announced that it has been working with the New Zealand government to prepare a fleet of Coras for commercial use over the past 18 months. The company has also been developing a ride- hailing app for the future travel service. So what exactly is this flying taxi capable of? Cora runs solely on electricity, has a wingspan of 36 feet, and can fly for about 62 miles at a speed of about 110 miles per hour and an elevation of up to 3,000 feet, according to Cora's fact sheet. It has three separate flight computers in case one fails and is equipped with a parachute for emergencies. Consumers won't be able to buy one themselves but will rather travel on flights operated by Kitty Hawk and its subsidiary Zephyr Airworks. Cora's initial test flights in New Zealand had been shrouded in secrecy, operating under Zephyr Airworks, which few people knew was connected to Page. More than a dozen companies, such as Uber and Airbus, are currently developing autonomous flying taxis, though the New York Times' Andrew Ross Sorkin suggests that Cora may have a slight leg up on the competition. For one, Kitty Hawk's ranks include transportation industry veterans like Sebastian Thrun, who helped launch Google's self-driving car subsidiary Waymo during his tenure as director of Google X, and Fred Reid, who was the founding CEO of Virgin America and a former president of Delta Air Lines. In addition, New Zealand has been friendlier to new aviation technology than other countries like the U.S., where Federal Aviation Administration regulations don't even allow companies to make drone deliveries yet. (Domino's began delivering pizza in New Zealand via drone in 2016.) It appears that the New Zealand government will be quicker to embrace autonomous air taxis as well; reports suggest that Kitty Hawk had a tougher time acquiring flight permissions in California. Kitty Hawk suggests that its fleet could be operating in as soon as three years, which is the same ETA that Uber quoted for testing its Uber Elevate service back in November, with the official rollout of the service in 2023. Yet, it's important to note that deadlines in the air taxi industry are rarely met. https://slate.com/technology/2018/03/google-larry-page-unveils-flying-taxi-kitty-hawk.html Back to Top Study shows electrically charged planes could evade lightning A team of engineers from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the US has discovered a new way of reducing an aircraft's lighting risks by installing an onboard system that would protect a plane by electrically charging it. The study found that if a plane was charged to the right level, it could significantly reduce the possibility of it being struck by lightning. It forms part of research sponsored by Boeing. It was inspired by the fact that when an aircraft flies through an ambient electric field, its external electrical state, normally in balance, shifts. When an external electric field polarises the aircraft, one end of the plane becomes more positively charged, and the other end strikes towards a more negative charge. As the plane becomes gradually polarised, it can transmit a highly conductive flow of plasma, known as a positive leader, which occurs before a lightning strike. In such dangerous scenario, MIT researchers propose temporarily charging a plane to a negative level to reduce the more highly charged positive end, thus preventing that end from reaching a critical level and causing a lightning strike. Researchers have conceptually demonstrated the success of this method through modelling, which includes the outfitting of a plane with an automated control system featuring sensors and actuators fitted with small power supplies. The sensors will be used to monitor the surrounding electric field for signs of possible leader formation when the actuators will emit a current to charge the aircraft in the appropriate direction. According to researchers, the charging would require less power than a standard lightbulb. MIT emeritus professor Manuel Martinez-Sanchez, who was involved in the research, said: "The scenario we can take care of is flying into an area where there are storm clouds, and the storm clouds produce an intensification of the electric field in the atmosphere. "That can be sensed and measured on board, and we can claim that for such relatively slow- developing events, you can charge a plane and adapt in real time. That is quite feasible." Preliminary experiments in MIT's Wright Brothers Wind Tunnel have been conducted to test the feasibility of charging on a simple, metallic sphere. Researchers expect to perform experiments in more realistic environments such as flying drones through a thunderstorm. https://www.aerospace-technology.com/news/study-shows-electrically-charged-planes-evade- lightning/ Back to Top Electric aviation record setter furthers drone delivery system An electric aviation pioneer that founded a drone company in 2012 continues to secure its place in the drone-based delivery world. Yates Electrospace Corp., a California firm formed by an engineer that set a record for the fastest flight by an electric airplane by reaching 200 mph, just received its eighth patent. The newest patent granted is for "Airborne Drone Delivery Network and Method of Operating Same." The patent, according to the company, supports its proprietary and trademarked Silent Arrow drone glider capable of moving roughly 700 pounds. The disposable drone delivery system is meant to be airdropped. The storage compartments of the unit can hold life-saving supplies, medicine and equipment. Earlier this year the company received a government contract for 10 Silent Arrow units. A different, reusable system can be used and flown off of improvised airfields. The U.S. Marine Corps has started a 12-month test program of the electric-powered disposable glider through the Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory. "This seminal patent extends our single-use cargo business into the electric powered, multi-mission space where we were early thought leaders," said Chip Yates, CEO and founder. "Our R&D group invented the technology and filed for this patent four years ago, before drone delivery was the hot topic it is today, which underscores our long-standing excitement and vision for an electric, connected future." http://www.uasmagazine.com/articles/1828/electric-aviation-record-setter-furthers-drone-delivery- system Back to Top SUU Aviation Working to Change FAA Maintenance Training Curriculum CEDAR CITY, Utah - Aviation schools around the country are mandated by law to adhere to the curriculum drafted by the Federal Aviation Administration under the U.S Department of Transportation. This curriculum cannot be changed or modified by schools by any means, even though requirements for what is taught have not been adequately updated since 1962. That means today's technicians are being taught curriculum that was created more than 56 years ago, before the invention of cell phones, GPS, personal computers or the Internet. Aviation students are not prepared for real world jobs because they have been learning outdated curriculum that hasn't been relevant in years. SUU's Aviation's Director of Maintenance Jared Britt, was recently appointed chairman of the Legislative Committee for the Aviation Technician Education Council (ATEC). In addition to working with current aviation students at SUU, Britt's goal is to get an exemption from the current curriculum from the U.S. Department of Transportation in Washington, D.C., that will allow SUU's aviation department to teach its own, updated curriculum to coincide with future airman certification standards and better prepare students for industry jobs. With this exemption, SUU aviation hopes to graduate better trained technicians that can be job ready upon completion of the program. Schools that continue to teach outdated curriculum are sending students into jobs where companies are spending substantial amounts of time and money training and teaching new graduates proper techniques and current regulations. Companies like Boeing are left to retrain new graduates on basic tasks required to maintain a modern, sophisticated airplane. Boeing has been frustrated with this process and has stated, "As personnel demand increases over the next two decades, the aviation industry will need to find innovative solutions to keep pace with training requirements." Professionals in the aviation industry, government legislators and especially instructors at various aviation schools all agree that the outdated requirements inhibit aviation schools from keeping up with vital changes in aircraft technology. "Outdated training mandates are more than an impediment; they hinder the aviation maintenance industry's economic growth," said Crystal Maguire, the executive director of ATEC and passionate advocate for changing FAA-dictated curriculum. "As the global aviation sector expands, economic forecasts predict that U.S. maintenance companies will be unable to meet increased demand because of a significant skilled worker shortage. To meet the need, training organization must produce better prepared aviation mechanics." If granted the exception, SUU will be allowed to utilize the method of credit hours in lieu of seat time requirements, will be able to teach with modern, advanced technology, and will encourage workforce development so the transition from graduation to career will be smooth and efficient. The SUU exemption letter states: "Aviation maintenance technician schools with curriculums that emulate industry realities and adequately prepare students for much needed positions will be better equipped to attract students to careers in aircraft maintenance, create job growth, and enhance an industry that already greatly benefits the public." Britt, along with all of SUU aviation, is pioneering an effort that aviation schools around the country will want to follow. Britt is passionate about his work and wants to see SUU be the force of good that will improve the aviation community as a whole. "My passion comes from the consistent need to drive change," said Britt. "The curriculum has barely changed in years. Why shouldn't it be SUU trying to make the world of aviation a safer place by providing better training? There is a need, and we have the ability to meet that need in a way no one else ever has. I am excited to see our aviation program grow and I am proud to be a part of a university that can see the value and necessity for offering technical training along with a degree path." The 2018 ATEC Annual Conference will take place on March 17-20 in Washington, D.C. SUU aviation, as well as the political science department will be contributing to the conference and speaking about the curriculum issue at hand. SUU hopes to see the exemption granted before the 2018 fall semester so the aviation department can implement its new curriculum with the next round of freshmen. http://www.aviationpros.com/press_release/12402555/suu-aviation-working-to-change-faa- curriculum Back to Top British Airways expands biometric boarding technology British Airways (BA) is trialing biometric technology to speed up boarding and arrivals processes in US airports at Orlando, Los Angeles, Miami and New York. The UK-based carrier said the new technology enables nearly 240 passengers to board in around 10 minutes at Florida's Orlando International Airport (MCO), where two biometric gates have been installed on one stand. BA customers flying on the daily BA2036 flight to London Gatwick Airport can use the new technology. The facial recognition technology is the result of a partnership between the airline and the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority, US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and technology partner SITA. BA began biometric boarding on international flights out of Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) at the end of last year. Using the new technology, the airline can board more than 400 customers in 22 minutes-cutting boarding time in half. The biometric boarding trials in Orlando and LAX add to technology already in use by BA on its domestic UK flights from its hub at London Heathrow Airport's Terminal 5. Meanwhile, customers on select BA flights from Heathrow to Miami and New York-JFK are benefitting from a similar biometric trial upon arrival to the US, making the arrivals process faster and easier. The new SITA technology eliminates the need for travelers to present their boarding pass and passport at the departure gate, simplifying and speeding up boarding. Instead, customers look into a camera prior to boarding, wait for their biometric data to be verified, and walk onto the aircraft. Similar to facial identification built into mobile phones, the biometric e-Gates use high-definition camera technology, and allow customers to pass through by recognizing their unique facial features and matching them with the passport, visa or immigration photos. Security is at the core of biometric facial technology, and British Airways said it has been working closely in partnership with CBP to ensure strict adherence to privacy rules and regulations. BA director-brand & customer experience Carolina Martinoli said biometric technology is "part of our £4.5 billion ($6.3 billion) investment program. We're using technology that consumers are now familiar with and trust because it delivers a convenient, reliable and secure experience." http://atwonline.com/security/british-airways-expands-biometric-boarding-technology Back to Top Lack of Spare Parts Is Keeping F-35s on the Ground The logistics system designed to keep the F-35 fleet flying often doesn't, with more than a fifth of grounded planes sitting idle waiting for spare parts. The result is fewer airplanes available for training-and increasingly, combat-as the system struggles to keep an ever-growing number of jets flying. Aviation Week & Space Technology reports that parts shortages and bureaucracy are hampering efforts to keep the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter in the air. In particular,it includes an anecdote about an Air Force major whose helmet had a broken plastic clip, a problem that would have grounded him for two weeks as he waited for a replacement. It was only when the issue was escalated to the Joint Program Office, which runs the F-35 program, that rules were bent to fix the problem. The single anecdote speaks volumes about the F-35 program's logistics system. The program is designed to centralize the repair and spare parts program as much as possible, to increase efficiency and reduce costs. Instead of every F-35 base stocking plastic clips, helmets, or even engines, a centralized, global computer system would keep track of all working and spare F-35 parts worldwide, sending them to bases worldwide in a timely manner as needed. Repairs are done at a handful of depots to minimize costs and maximize efficiency. On paper that sounds like a great idea, no doubt inspired by the just-in-time nature of companies such as Amazon and UPS. Together, the two companies can ship millions of types of goods globally from a handful of distribution centers, overnight on a consumer's whim, often for completely trivial reasons. In practice, the F-35 program needs two weeks to ship a plastic helmet clip to someone who needs it more urgently than the typical Amazon Prime customers needs their latest impulse buy. According to AW&ST, the parts shortage is so severe that at Eglin Air Force Base, "maintainers are constantly battling for parts." Twenty two percent of the F-35s grounded globally are unable to fly because they are waiting on parts. The F-35's only forward-deployed until, Marine Corps F-35Bs regularly based in Japan, has a readiness level just over fifty percent. In October 2017, the average time to repair a part was 172 days, twice the F-35 program's goal. The story mirrors a General Accounting Office report in 2017 but paints a more vivid picture. In 2017 the GAO in large part pinned the problem on the Air Force and Navy not providing enough funding to build out six centralized repair depots with some needed capabilities not coming online until 2022. Another problem: the F-35 program was simply not buying enough spare parts. The government, unlike Amazon, operates from a fairly fixed federal budget, and experiences an inventory loss on every spare part used. Furthermore, the F-35's logistics program, with its monopoly on providing to pilots, is seemingly unconcerned with "customer service," versus enforcing bureaucratic rules about switching plastic clips from helmet to helmet in the field. The services are trying to fix the situation, establishing an "organic government repair capacity" and increasing the budget for spare parts. Given the complexity of the F-35 and its subsystems, it's hard to see an alternative to a centralized repairs and spare parts system. Still, it's clear the new fighter's global logistics system still has a long way to go. https://www.popularmechanics.com/military/aviation/a19434264/lack-of-spare-parts-is-keeping-f- 35s-on-the-ground/ Back to Top NIAR Gains Critical Engineering Design and Modification Capability The National Institute for Aviation Research at Wichita State University has added an Engineering Design and Modification Team. The team is comprised of 35 engineers previously employed by the Bombardier Flight Test Center in Wichita with 875-plus years of combined experience with Supplemental Type Certificates, modifications, instrumentation, development and production engineering for commercial, military, special mission and business aircraft. "The team fills a gap for NIAR by establishing a group of exceptionally experienced consultants offering a one-stop solution from concept to certification," said John Tomblin, WSU vice president for research and technology transfer and NIAR's executive director. The team will collaborate with Bombardier for Flight Test and Organization Destination Authorization services to provide turnkey solutions for concept designs, structural analysis, manufacturing, test and certification. "Our goal is to build on the experience of the team combined with the skills of NIAR engineers in areas such as structural testing and computational analysis to offer unparalleled capabilities for the aircraft and manufacturing industries," said Dave Jones, who will lead the team. Students interested in gaining industry experience will also benefit from the addition of the team, which already employs five students and has the capacity to engage up to 15. "The capabilities of the team are representative of the type of engineering specialty services that are critical to the survival and growth of the Wichita aircraft and manufacturing industry," said Tomblin. "The ability to couple this engineering experience into the applied learning environment at Wichita State and train the future engineers of tomorrow is truly a unique opportunity." To learn more Upcoming Events * April 9-12 DO-160G Training, Washington, DC * April 10-13 Composite Hands-On Training, Wichita, KS * April 24 ARM Institute Regional Robotics Innovation Workshop Wichita * May 1-2 Hands-On Lab: Composite Manufacturing and StructuralEngineering Technology, Wichita, KS * May 23-24 FAA Joint Advanced Materials and Structures 2018 Technical Review Meeting, Long Beach, CA * July 30-Aug. 3 CMH-17 PMC Coordination Meeting, Charleston, SC http://www.aviationpros.com/press_release/12402685/niar-gains-critical-engineering-design-and- modification-capability Back to Top Musk: Atmospheric tests of interplanetary spaceship could happen next year A team of SpaceX engineers is building a prototype of the spaceship Elon Musk hopes will one day carry people and cargo deep into the solar system, and it could begin low-altitude testing next year, kicking off a multi-step test campaign before eventually going into space, then perhaps the moon or Mars. Musk said Sunday that the first version of SpaceX's BFR spaceship could be ready to fly on "short up-and-down" tests next year, similar to the vertical takeoff and landing demonstrations conducted at the company's Central Texas development base with testbeds before officials attempted landing full-up Falcon 9 rocket boosters. "We are building the first ship, the first Mars or interplanetary ship, right now, and I think we'll probably be able to do short flights, short sort of up-and-down flights probably in the first half of next year," Musk said Sunday during an appearance at the SXSW festival in Austin, Texas. Musk's discussion of the BFR ship Sunday echoed comments he made last month shortly after the first successful test flight of SpaceX's Falcon Heavy rocket - the world's most powerful launcher - which would be eclipsed in thrust and lift capacity by the BFR. In a briefing with reporters Feb. 6, Musk said the BFR spaceship - just one component of SpaceX's grandiose concept for sending large numbers of people to Mars - could begin short "hop" tests in 2019 "if we get lucky." The billionaire entrepreneur revealed the design of the BFR - an acronym SpaceX says stands for "Big Falcon Rocket" - in a presentation at the International Astronautical Congress last year in Adelaide, Australia. The BFR design consists of a booster stage, powered by 31 methane-fueled Raptor engines producing nearly 12 million pounds of thrust, and an upper stage that doubles as an interplanetary transporter capable of carrying people, supplies, satellites, and huge propellant tanks that can be refilled in space. The two pieces of the BFR would together stand around 348 feet (106 meters) tall and measure nearly 30 feet (9 meters) in diameter, just shy of the dimensions of the Saturn 5 rocket that sent astronauts to the moon. Musk said the BFR will be able to deliver a payload of up to 330,000 pounds - 150 metric tons - to a low orbit just above Earth's atmosphere, a figure that exceeds the maximum lift capacity of the Saturn 5, while accounting for a fuel reserve and performance penalty for landing and reuse. "This is a very big booster and ship," Musk said Sunday. "The liftoff thrust of this would be about twice that of a Saturn 5." The BFR is smaller than an earlier interplanetary launcher and transporter concept unveiled by Musk in 2016. "The ship part is, by far, the hardest because that's going to come in from super-orbital velocities, like interplanetary Mars transfer velocities, moon transfer velocities. These are way harder than coming from Earth orbit." The spaceship's high-speed returns will stress the craft's heat shield and structure beyond the temperatures and pressures experienced by a capsule re-entering the atmosphere from Earth orbit, or by a descending rocket stage. "Testing that ship out is the real tricky part," Musk said Feb. 6. "The booster, I think - I don't want to get too complacent - but I think we understand reusable boosters. Reusable spaceships that can land propulsively, that's harder. We're starting with the hard part first." SpaceX officials have not said how closely the design of the first test spaceship - sometimes called the Big Falcon Spaceship, or BFS - will match the final layout Musk presented in September in Adelaide. The spaceship design Musk revealed in September had a cluster of six Raptor engines - he later said the ship could have seven engines - and methane and liquid oxygen tanks containing almost a quarter-million pounds (1,100 metric tons) of cryogenic propellants for deep space burns and landing maneuvers. The spacecraft would stretch 157 feet (48 meters) long and have an internal pressurized volume exceeding that of an Airbus A380 jumbo jet, enough room for 40 passenger cabins. The Raptor engines can be throttled from 20 percent to 100 percent power, allowing on-board engine controllers to adjust their thrust as needed during powered descents through the atmospheres of Earth or Mars. SpaceX is already hotfire testing the Raptor engine, which is expected to generate around 380,000 pounds of thrust at full throttle. Musk said last month that SpaceX will likely conduct the first phase of spaceship testing at its South Texas launch site near Brownsville. Another option could be "ship-to-ship" flights at sea, he said. "Most likely, it's going to happen at our Brownsville location because we've got a lot of land with nobody around, so if it blows up, it's cool," he said. "By hop test, I mean it'll go up several miles and come down. The ship is capable of single stage to orbit if you fully loaded the tanks, so we'll do flights of increasing complexity. We really want to test the heat shield material, (and do) something like fly out, turn around, accelerate back real hard, and come in hot to test the heat shield." Musk said last month he believes it is "conceivable" that the first launch of the BFR booster into Earth orbit could happen in three or four years. Missions into deep space would follow. Gwynne Shotwell, SpaceX's president and chief operating officer, said Monday at the Satellite 2018 conference in Washington that orbital test flights of the company's new vehicle could happen in 2020. He said in September that initial BFR flights to Mars could happen by 2022, with human voyages possible by 2024. Those target dates were "aspirational," he said at the time. Known for his bullish schedule pronouncements, Musk said Sunday: "I'm feeling pretty optimistic about the timeline, although I can be ... People have told me that my timelines historically have been optimistic, so I'm trying to recalibrate to some degree." For example, Musk said in 2011 that the Falcon Heavy rocket - SpaceX's biggest rocket to date - would make its first test launch in 2013. The heavy-duty rocket took off for the first time last month. SpaceX's longtime ambition, set and steadied by Musk, has been to ferry humans to Mars to build a base, and eventually an interplanetary society. With the Trump administration's decision to redirect NASA's focus on returning astronauts to the moon's surface before going to Mars, Musk has highlighted the BFR's lunar capabilities in recent talks. The huge interplanetary ship could carry equipment and astronauts to a lunar base, Musk said, without needing to be refueled after it leaves Earth orbit. A mission to the surface of Mars and back to Earth will require a propellant depot on the red planet to generate fuel and oxidizer the ship's return trip. In addition to interplanetary flights, the BFR could haul huge satellites into orbit, such as wide- aperture space telescopes, or deploy numerous spacecraft in one mission. Musk said Sunday that the BFR, at least in the long-term, could cost less per flight than the Falcon 1 rocket, SpaceX's first orbital booster. "What's amazing about this ship, assuming that we can make full and rapid reusability work, is that we can reduce the marginal cost per flight dramatically," Musk said. "A BFR flight will actually cost less than our Falcon 1 flights did back in the day," he said. "That was about a $5 million or $6 million marginal cost per flight, and we're confident that BFR will be less than that." But such low costs will depend on further advancements in rocket reuse. The shortest turnaround between flights of the same Falcon 9 booster has been five months, and SpaceX is still recouping its costly investment in rocket recovery and reusability. A new version of the Falcon 9 could propel another leap forward in SpaceX's reuse innovations. SpaceX is preparing an upgraded Falcon 9 rocket configuration called "Block 5" for a debut launch as soon as next month. Some of the changes should allow engineers to more quickly prepare the booster for another flight, and the Falcon 9's Block 5 first stages are expected to be rated for more than two missions. Musk said SpaceX will pour more resources into the BFR after the Falcon 9 Block 5 rocket begins flying, and once the company's Crew Dragon capsule starts ferrying NASA astronauts to the International Space Station. "This question of reusability is so fundamental to rocketry," Musk said Sunday. "It is the fundamental breakthrough that's needed." https://spaceflightnow.com/2018/03/13/musk-atmospheric-tests-of-interplanetary-spaceship- could-happen-next-year/ Curt Lewis