March 19, 2018 - No. 022 In This Issue FSU Unveils New Cessna for Use in Aviation Technology Program United, Delta partnerships making Dayton hub for aviation education China's Burgeoning Aviation Industry. Lockheed Martin Awarded Contract to Train Special Operations Airmen Boeing in talks with Samsung for future aircraft ICAO endorses space-based ADS-B surveillance Millions of drones will make US air traffic unmanageable within a few years unless we rethink some basic rules SITAONAIR to Deliver Next-Generation Connected Aircraft 'Smart Core' WA: Boeing 787 Being Converted to VIP Jet Has Unusual Accident at Moses Lake Airfield SpaceX teases Crew Dragon capsule and spacesuits in new video FSU Unveils New Cessna for Use in Aviation Technology Program March 16--BRIDGEPORT -- Fairmont State University College of Science and Technology unveiled its newest airplane in the Fairmont State fleet on Thursday at the Robert C. Byrd Aerospace Education Center. FSU recently purchased a 2017 Cessna 172 Skyhawk for aviation technology students to continue their excellence of education and unique opportunities in flight school. FSU is the only four-year institution in the state that offers a Bachelor of Science degree in Aviation Technology with three options: aviation administration professional flight, aviation administration management and aviation maintenance management. In addition, FSU's aviation technology program aims to improve the record-breaking pilot shortage currently affecting the globe by working to provide highly trained pilots, aviation administrators and aviation maintenence managers at a fraction of the cost of other comparable flight schools in the country. At the unveiling ceremony, FSU President Dr. Mirta Martin was present to share her excitement of the opportunity given to the students of the program. "FSU recognized the shortage of pilots and created an academic program that trains pilots, aviation administrators and aviation maintenence managers at a fraction of the cost of other flight schools," Martin said. "These aviation technology students have the opportunity to learn using this 2017 Cessna 172 Skyhawk. This plane isn't just another example of the top, robust hands-on learning our students experience, it is also the perfect physical symbol of that drive to identify and respond to the higher location and career needs of our community." Chief flight instructor Joel Kirk with the aviation technology program began serving the program in April of 2017 after a long career and retirement as a military pilot. "It's been one of the most rewarding years of my life, and it's been an incredible life so that's saying a lot," Kirk said. "It's for the legacy. It's for not pulling up the rope of one of the greatest careers I feel the world has to offer. Here in West Virginia, it's a fleeting opportunity for a lot of our kids that comes out of the coal mines and the fields. "Just last week in a meeting I said 'A mile of pavement will get you a mile down the road in West Virginia. This mile of pavement gets us to the world.' I think that's an incredible way to think about what Fairmont State is sitting on here as far as opportunity goes." Kirk reflected on the current status of the global aviation industry stating that the demand is "simply unending," and expected to be that way for the unforeseeable future. He said that FSU has presented the opportunity to its aviation technology students to have a fulfilling and lifelong career with a "phenomenal" education at a very affordable cost. With the university situated right near an airport facility, Kirk said that gives FSU an edge among other flight schools in the country. "Flying is a passion, and the job is a by-product," Kirk said. "I'm a little biased here, but I don't think there is any greater career on the planet. The program sells itself. It's attractive for a university to have an airplane and I'm so grateful that the powers in this organization from Dean (Donald) Trisel to the president and whoever was involved. It's just a start and we are looking down the road at really making this a fantastic program." FSU alumnus and flight instructor Tyler Lucas shared his experience as a previous student in the program and his excitement at being given the opportunity to teach current students to fly the new plane. "I'm from the southern portion of West Virginia in Mingo County," Lucas said. "I'm the son of a coal miner and a nurse and I started flight training in 2011. I was a junior in high school in a 1967 airplane. We've got 40-50 years of difference in technology here, so you can imagine and see how this is such an awesome, awesome opportunity for newcomers into aviation... I'm so thankful for the dean and Joel Kirk for pouring themselves out and into this program because without them, I couldn't imagine where it would be otherwise." FSU alum and flight instructor Greg Lloyd described some of the new airplane's technology- advanced features. The 172 Skyhawk features four seats offering 900 pounds of useable load and tanks that hold about five and a half hours of fuel. With a fully automatic autopilot feature, Lloyd said the plane will basically fly itself with the pilot only having to remember to push to add power. The plane's interior contains current technology and protective airbags while the exterior boasts FSU's "beloved maroon and white," in the words of FSU's College of Science and Technology dean Donald Trisel. "To see this and be able to fly in something like this is just breathtaking," Lloyd said. "It's such a cool experience and to be able to teach somebody who has never flown before to get into something like this and totally skip the steam gage and all of that stuff is crazy to think about, but it's going to help them in the long run." For second-year aviation technology student and Shinnston native Logan Leveaux, he's looking forward to being able to fly the new plane that will simulate planes he will be flying in the future as a pilot. "Falcons soar. That's what we are made to do," Martin said. "There's a lot of open sky out there and as Falcons we are going to fly as high and as far as our imaginations will take us, so when you look at this plane and when you see it flying overhead, remember: soar Falcons. It's not just an impactful social media hashtag. It is our way of life." http://www.aviationpros.com/news/12403340/fsu-unveils-new-cessna-for-use-in-aviation- technology-program Back to Top United, Delta partnerships making Dayton hub for aviation education New partnerships between major airlines and local schools and organizations are aimed at growing the pool of STEM-educated graduates for the aviation job market. United Airlines is making significant donations to support Air Camp Inc., a Dayton-area not-for- profit that has grown substantially since its first camp in 2010. In addition to flying in students from various parts of the country, United will be flying in 70 or more teachers from their hub cities of Denver, San Francisco, Chicago and Newark, N.J. to attend Teachers Air Camps in July, according to Spokesperson Andrea Hiller. "Air Camp is unique in its ability to spark an appreciation for aviation while also providing education in STEM related fields that are directly connected to developing careers in aviation," Hiller said. "We hope the organization will expand far beyond their current service region to reach even more students." Delta Air Lines is now partnering with the Miami Valley Career Technology Center, where students are learning to become certified aircraft maintenance technicians. Delta is making their training equipment available to the local students and increasing students' access to a potential career with Delta, MVCTC officials said in a release. For Air Camp Inc., growth has been steady since its inception, according to Vince Russo, Air Camp Inc. co-founder and president. "We want to have a program that gains national attention like Space Camp in Huntsville, Ala.," Russo said. "United is going to be one of our big supporters ... Once that gets a foothold, I got a feeling the other big guys are going to want a part of the action." By the numbers, Air Camp hosted 40 area students in seventh, eighth and ninth grades in the first year; about 300 youths from across the nation will be attending camps this year, Russo said. Air Camp is adding new programs and seeing success with one focused on educators. This year, 122 teachers from Greene County and 80 more from out-of-state will be attending three-day Air Camps, Russo said. In addition, camps are being held for Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts bringing the total number of camps this year to 14. One possible expansion of Air Camp that's being talked about is adding a camp for high school students, said Shannon Coblentz, Air Camp director of operations. "If we do it, it will be important to partner with local colleges and universities," Coblentz said. "We want to make sure the depth of rigor continues to grow and provide tangible evidence of work in the form of college credits." https://www.daytondailynews.com/news/local/united-delta-partnerships-making-dayton-hub-for- aviation-education/N2F70BtdPdsDJqUYtw134N/ Back to Top China's Burgeoning Aviation Industry China's aviation industry has had a slow start and hadn't taken off until the late Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping opened up the country to significant economic reform. Since then, however, the industry has grown tremendously and is set to eclipse the United States' aviation industry within the next decade and a half. Comac C919 The Chinese first attempted to build a passenger jet in the late 1960s and early 1970s, but that attempted largely failed with the aircraft crashing. Since then the country has worked tirelessly to grow the industry and develop its own aircraft. In 2017, the Chinese company Comac successfully brought its C919, a Boeing 737 and Airbus A320 competitor, into mass production after a successful test flight. While the aircraft is still nearly a decade behind in technology compared to newer aircraft, it has served a proof of concept for the company. It has joined the elite few that have mastered the technical expertise required to build large jets. The company boasts over 700 orders for the jet, mainly by Chinese airlines who are often state-controlled and are highly encouraged to use the aircraft The aircraft, however, isn't completely Chinese made. The wings and tail are made in China but the majority of components are purchased from foreign suppliers such as GE, which provided the engines. Xi Jinping's Plan for China However, given Xi Jinping's, the current President of the People's Republic of China, ambitious initiative for the country laid out at the most recent Communist Party Congress, that is likely to change. With the new initiatives and his newfound power as "president for life", Mr. Xi has carefully laid out a plan to develop China into a global superpower. From the Belt and Road plan to the Made in China plan, the country has a target boost the economy and overall status of the country. Like the C919, most of this will happen with the help of foreign technology firms who will be required to transfer over core technologies in exchange for market opportunities. It has been made very clear that the country plans to become a technological power by reducing dependence on foreign supplies and U.S. technology companies. Future of Aviation Analysts estimate that the Chinese will purchase nearly $1 trillion in airplanes over the next 20 years. Boeing has built a B737 finishing factory and Airbus has a final A320 final assembly plant in China, with Airbus planning on building a wide-body jet plant in the country as well. There is no doubt that Boeing and Airbus will make off handsomely in the Chinese aviation expansion, but in the long run, it is likely that we will see a globally competitive Chinese aircraft manufacturer that will pose a serious challenge to the currently established manufacturers. https://airlinegeeks.com/2018/03/17/20567/ Back to Top Lockheed Martin Awarded Contract to Train Special Operations Airmen ORLANDO, Fla., March 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The U.S. Air Force awarded Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) a contract to provide comprehensive training support services for Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC), supporting schoolhouse operations for various crew positions across multiple mission design series aircraft, aircrew training and support for AFSOC Special Operation Forces (SOF) aircrews and assets. The Air Commando Training and Support (ACTS) contract has the potential of lasting up to eight years, with an overall value of $200 million or more. The AFSOC ACTS program provides Air Force special operations with aircrew instruction and distributed, fully-networked mission rehearsal and training capabilities, as well as logistics support for numerous AFSOC weapon systems, including the special mission C-130J, CV-22 and a wide variety of other training systems. "Through the ACTS program, we offer a realistic, concurrent, resilient and cost-effective training solution to meet the rapidly changing requirements and needs of the modern warfighter," said Tom Gordon, vice president of Training and Simulation Solutions at Lockheed Martin. "Lockheed Martin has been supporting AFSOC for over 27 years, and we are proud to continue this partnership by delivering innovative solutions to prepare them for their most critical missions." Under this contract, Lockheed Martin will provide engineering and cybersecurity support that will ensure AFSOC's training devices remain concurrent with their aircraft. Through advancements with virtual reality development, this program will offer aircrew members with next-generation training capability. For additional information, visit www.lockheedmartin.com/training http://www.aviationpros.com/news/12403248/lockheed-martin-awarded-contract-to-train-special- operations-airmen Back to Top Boeing in talks with Samsung for future aircraft US aircraft manufacturer Boeing has been working with South Korean tech giant Samsung Electronics to incorporate high-speed mobile technology and next-generation information systems into its latest airplane models, according to a Boeing official in Seoul on March 16. "We are in works with Samsung and studying to use their technologies like mobile connectivity," he told The Korea Herald. "Korea's global leadership in high-speed mobile technology and next-generation information systems are just a few examples of areas we continue to explore together. We continue to work closely with them to research technologies that can be introduced on our airplanes," he said, without elaborating on details of the joint study. In 2012, Boeing and Samsung signed a partnership to develop entertainment and communication technologies inside aircraft, such as by using Samsung's electronic devices like the Galaxy Tab for displays. It is the first time Boeing has hinted at its technical cooperation with Samsung for future aircraft. "As airplanes become more systemic in terms of fly-by-wire, there will be a number of areas where next-generation technology can continue to play a vital role in commercial aviation, both from an operations standpoint as well as inside the cabin for passengers," he added. Fly-by-wire refers to a semiautonomous and typically computer-regulated system for controlling the flight of an aircraft. Samsung Electronics said it has no knowledge of such a project. Industry watchers said that Samsung's advanced technologies, such as wireless communications and mobile connectivity, could be crucial in developing in-flight wireless technology. "While aircraft safety has not been tested (on the impact of mobile connectivity to the navigation system), such technologies could be extended to enhance the in-flight entertainment system and directly impact passengers' flight experience. This is the area where Samsung can play a pivotal role," said Yoo Chang-kyung, a professor of aerospace engineering at Inha University. He added that Korean IT could be used to develop the next-generation fly-by-wire system, once pilotless planes become subject for commercialization. Another industry insider echoed the view that such wireless technology could change the contents of cabin services. "Passengers could watch visual contents in real time and credit card transactions for duty-free items could be done more conveniently," said an engineer at a South Korean air carrier. Meanwhile, despite the expanding low-cost carrier market and increasing popularity of single-aisle aircraft for short-distance flights, Boeing said its wide-bodied 787 models have seen growing demand. Boeing 787 Dreamliners are designed for fuel efficiency and have low maintenance costs, using no- bleed engine architecture and raked wingtips equipped with low-noise chevrons. They can fly up to 14,140 kilometers at 25 percent fuel savings. The windows are electronically dimmable, and also 40 percent larger than those of European rival Airbus's A350. According to Boeing, its 787 planes are leading the market. It had received 1,319 orders from 71 customers as of last month. Deliveries will surpass 650 this month, the American aircraft maker said. "Figures show that 787 is the 'perfect platform' for airlines -- especially popular in the Asia market, which is the world's largest wide-body market. (The) 787 has the efficiency of single-aisle planes and the capacity of wide-body models," said Darren Hulst, senior managing director of market analysis and sales support for Boeing. According to Boeing, the Korean aviation industry has showed a gradual increase in recent years, significantly driven by the operation of LCCs. Boeing data showed that since 2012, the portion of LCCs in the Korean market saw an annual growth rate of at least 9 percent. Meanwhile, the global share of LCCs hit 31 percent in 2017, an increase of more than 10 percent over a decade. http://www.theinvestor.co.kr/view.php?ud=20180316000753 Back to Top ICAO endorses space-based ADS-B surveillance New space-based automatic dependent surveillance - broadcast (ADS-B) technology should eventually serve as a truly global aircraft positioning solution, redefining how seamlessly modern ATM will function and delivering important efficiency and emissions-reduction advantages, according to an ICAO chief. "We do not yet have a global ADS-B mandate, however by 2020 a number of states and regions will be ADS-B capable and many commercial aircraft will be equipped with suitable transponders." said ICAO Council president Dr Olumuyiwa Benard Aliu, speaking at athe recent World ATM Congress in Madrid, Spain, He also told delegates in a keynote speech that airspace design and management is set to undergo radical change in the years ahead "as more and more aircraft enter into service which fly higher, lower, faster, and much slower than those we manage today." Aliu stressed the responsibility of the entire air transport community to ensure that there are sufficient numbers of skilled personnel to manage this increasingly complex technological foundation for 21st century aviation, noting that ICAO's Global Plans for aviation safety and air navigation included helpful targets to assist planners and investors looking to optimise flight capacity and the socio-economic benefits of today's emerging operations. "Today's incredibly rapid rate of technological progress is now forcing us to acknowledge that a revolution is underway, with unmanned systems navigating residential and urban environments for a wide range of purposes at one end of the spectrum, and high-altitude balloons, RPAS, and super- or hyper-sonic aircraft jetting across the stratosphere at the other." Regarding current commercial operations, Dr Aliu stressed ICAO's prioritisation of the worldwide adoption of Air Traffic Flow Management (ATFM) approaches, underscoring the promise which ATFM holds out for more cost-, time- and fuel-efficient operations. "ATFM optimises the existing capacities of the air traffic management system through the more precise coordination of take-offs and landings," he remarked. "This means aircraft don't find themselves placed into costly holding patterns when they reach their destinations, and that while in flight they can be more quickly and accurately routed around constrained airspace and unexpected weather events." http://www.airtrafficmanagement.net/2018/03/icao-endorses-spacebased-adsb-surveillance/ Back to Top Millions of drones will make US air traffic unmanageable within a few years unless we rethink some basic rules Google and Amazon are one year out from becoming the largest aircraft manufacturers in the world - disrupting one of the most stable duopolies in existence. At the moment, two companies make up 76% of the market share of passenger aircraft. New entrants, like Larry Page's autonomous flying taxi company Kitty Hawk, promises to change the way people move around their cities. With the FAA predicting between 2.75 Million and 4.47 Million small drones flying in the United States by 2021, the sheer density of traffic will prove unmanageable without a revolutionary new approach; one that won't exist without an overhaul in how certification of systems works today. Removing an on-board pilot changes more than aerodynamics, it changes the very concept of safety for the aircraft. Legacy aviation legislation and regulation had been written to protect those on the ground by protecting those in the sky. With drones, it may be tolerable to have failures so long as they are considerate of population density, airspace environments, and include protective systems that are reliable. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), overseeing the certification of these aircraft admits, "Existing airworthiness standards have developed from years of operational safety experience with manned aircraft and [thus] may be too restrictive for UAS in some areas and inadequate in others." The classic approach does not fit - it is too rigid, and too slow to keep up with the demands of unmanned aviation. Now, what we are seeing is a novel approach to aircraft certification for small drones beginning to take hold. Given the diversity of use cases for drone technologies, a standardized benchmarking approach should be created for certification. In other words, drone designs that meet certain high standards would be granted the most access to airspace, while those that cannot meet that standard can only operate where failure is more tolerable (ie, over the ocean, a field, etc). Regulators are forced to try to fit the current understanding of analog, direct input control into a new paradigm of digital, automated and distributed control. Compounding the problem, those multi-lateral certification agreements that ensured international commerce and safety for so long, now hinder innovative nations from implementing new governance structures. We're seeing this problem manifest itself throughout all fourth industrial technologies - from IoT where connection reliability leans heavily on certification protocols to blockchain where the very concept promises new certification and authorization processes, majorly disrupting financial industries, digital identification and more. For aviation, the way we maneuver the aircraft - software, hardware, and the spectrum for connection - become major weak points. For success in the unmanned aircraft world to be realized, the future of certification must incorporate a re-imagining of the processes by which governments engage manufacturers, software developers, end-users, academia, and the military. These new certifications will pair well with the leading thought in operational safety for unmanned systems proposed under EASA's prototype regulation and codified in Rwanda's industry leading regulation. http://www.businessinsider.com/harrison-wolf-drones-disruption-aircraft-certification-2018-3 Back to Top SITAONAIR to Deliver Next-Generation Connected Aircraft 'Smart Core' SITAONAIR is delivering a next-generation connected aircraft 'smart core' that will significantly enhance airline data communications and operations. The company has partnered with Astronics Ballard Technology to provide an integrated product solution using their new webCS Wireless Aircraft Communications Server along with SITAONAIR's e-enabled application software. This closely-integrated software and hardware solution greatly reduces deployment complexity and will bring even greater value to SITAONAIR's airline customers - delivering enhanced capabilities and operational efficiencies - empowering airlines to realize the promises of the connected aircraft. The 'smart core' brings together the vast connected aircraft data collected by SITAONAIR's e- Aircraft DataCapture solutions for cockpit, cabin, and aircraft operations. It then distributes this SITAONAIR-processed data onboard using Astronics Ballard Technology's flexible webCS, a smart AID/server/router that securely bridges avionics data with wired and wireless networks in a single compact box. SITAONAIR already plays a central airline e-enablement and data management role, in an age where the volume of data generated by aircraft has sky-rocketed from five parameters in 1958, to more than 200,000 today. As testament to its expertize, SITAONAIR last year launched its pioneering e-Aircraft DataCapture solution - a result of the company's collaboration with Air France to deliver 'virtual black box' flight recording solutions for automatic data collection. Today's offering of an integrated product will further enhance airline customers' data management approach. The combination of SITAONAIR's established portfolio of passenger, crew and flight operations solutions with Astronics Ballard Technology's innovative hardware and strong technical expertise in the area of aircraft avionics interfacing, will form a central pillar of airlines' connectivity and e-enablement strategies, delivered to airlines as a managed service. Dominique El Bez, SITAONAIR Vice President, Product and Strategy, says: "Our new partnership marks an evolution in SITAONAIR's e-enablement strategy and is a true hallmark of the connected aircraft age. The arrival of our smart core for an intuitive, integrated connected aircraft reinforces SITAONAIR's pioneering open platforms vision, by encompassing complete, flexible and scalable aircraft data management solutions both onboard and on the ground." Jon Neal of Astronics Ballard Technology says: "We are extremely pleased to be selected by SITAONAIR to provide the secure platform on which to build this total e-enablement solution. We share their desire to allow airline customers to access their data to enable and empower better decision-making that will streamline and transform their operations." http://www.aviationpros.com/press_release/12403271/sitaonair-to-deliver-next-generation- connected-aircraft-smart-core Back to Top WA: Boeing 787 Being Converted to VIP Jet Has Unusual Accident at Moses Lake Airfield March 15--Some of Boeing's early 787 Dreamliners were so messed up during assembly that they were unsuitable for sale to an airline and sat in storage for years with no takers. A few were eventually sold off to be expensively re-worked as private VIP jets. Adding a sad coda to that woeful history, last Thursday in Moses Lake, one of those VIP airplanes fell on its face. As the jet sat on the ramp at Grant County International Airport, where a custom interior was being installed, the nose landing gear collapsed. The carbon-fiber forward fuselage hit the ground, as did the engine pods. No one was hurt, but the plane sustained damage that according to one expert "looks like it could be quite expensive." Photos of the incident posted online show a forlorn airplane tipped on its nose. The airplane, Dreamliner No. 11, was bought by Korean Air -- but not for use as a regular commercial airliner. Airline spokesman Nathan Cho said Korean will operate the aircraft for an anonymous VIP client. Greenpoint Technologies of Kirkland, which designs and builds custom luxury aircraft interiors "for private clients and Heads-of-State," won the contract to complete the aircraft conversion. Boeing first assembled the plane in 2009 but, because of repeated re-work, it didn't roll out until six years later. In 2015, Boeing finally delivered the jet to Korean Air. The jet flew to Moses Lake where Greenpoint was to do the interior modifications, which are typically very expensive and take years to complete. Now, in addition to that ongoing work, the damage sustained with the face plant will have to be repaired. Greenpoint marketing director Christine Hadley refused to answer questions about what happened or about the likely repair. "A private VIP 787 at Greenpoint Technologies experienced an incident which is under investigation," she said in a curt emailed statement. Boeing spokesman Paul Bergman said "we are aware of the incident and have been in contact with Greenpoint," but declined to say more. When reached by phone on Tuesday, the photographer, who works at the airport, consulted his employer and then declined to comment on the accident. After examining the photos, Hans Weber -- a veteran aerospace technology consultant who has advised the FAA and NASA and whose expertise includes aircraft repair technology for carbon fiber composite materials -- said that the type of repair needed for the damaged carbon fiber area depends on "the force with which the plane hit the ground and the extent to which the strut and wheel assembly did damage." He said it's possible the damaged forward fuselage, which is manufactured in a single piece by Boeing's 787 partner Spirit AeroSystems in Wichita, Kan., can be patched over. However, if the damage is more severe, he said, it may be necessary to cut out and replace the damaged section, one of the standard repair procedures for the 787. Weber said the front wheel strut will need to be replaced, and probably the area where it attaches to the structure needs to be repaired, including any damage to the wheel well. He added that at least the front section of each engine pod, or nacelle, would have to be replaced. "A question here is if there is structural damage to the pylon or even engine," Weber said. "If so, that needs to replaced/repaired." http://www.aviationpros.com/news/12403222/boeing-787-being-converted-to-vip-jet-has-unusual- accident-at-moses-lake-airfield Back to Top SpaceX teases Crew Dragon capsule and spacesuits in new video Over the past few weeks, conference presentations given by SpaceX employees like Joy Dunn and Paul Wooster have kicked off with an updated intro reel including unseen slow-motion footage of Falcon Heavy and detailed looks at the company's spacesuit and Crew Dragon capsule. Those in the habit of catching SpaceX launches live will be readily familiar with the company's intro reel - it's marked the start of live coverage for nearly every webcast in the past three or more years. The current intro reel has remained more or less unchanged since the first successful Falcon 9 booster recovery in December 2015, and this updated intro reel will be a breath of fresh air for what is still admittedly an amazing video. Still, it's hard to say "no" to slow-motion footage of Falcon Heavy. Most recently shown at an MIT Media Lab conference during SpaceX Principal Mars Development Engineer Paul Wooster's presentation, the new reel has - somewhat unsurprisingly - been built around the incredibly successful inaugural Falcon Heavy launch, as well as some more recent footage of the company's Cargo Dragon docking with the International Space Station. Additional clips show what appears to be details of the finalized Crew Dragon - set to debut in late 2018 - and a closeup of SpaceX's internally-designed spacesuit. Sticking out as the only truly unusual snippet, the end of the new reel features parts of the animation SpaceX released in 2016 during the debut of their Mars rocket, the Interplanetary Transport System (ITS), which has since been replaced with the similar but different BFR. While entirely possible that the inclusion of ITS footage in an intro reel clearly updated since 2018 is intentional, it seems more likely that SpaceX has yet to publicize this new video partially because they don't yet have a similar animation featuring their updated Mars rocket and spaceship. CEO Elon Musk's recent comments on the encouraging progress being made with the design and construction of the first BFR prototype suggests that such an updated animation could be just around the corner, if not full-up teaser photos of the construction progress. Set to begin suborbital hop testing as early as the first half of 2019 and orbital launches by end of 2020, SpaceX's Mars ambitions may still feel far away, but the tech that could make them real is already undergoing preliminary construction and testing. Sooner still is SpaceX's upcoming debut of Crew Dragon, the spacecraft that will eventually both carry astronauts to the ISS and later replace Cargo Dragon. Initially intended to land near the launch pad on legs, akin to Falcon 9, SpaceX has since canceled that work, largely due to numerous delays that would have almost certainly been incurred in the process of NASA certification of such a new and unproven technology. Instead, Musk made it clear that SpaceX would instead put its time, energy, and money into the development of BFR and BFS, sidestepping NASA's sometimes- smothering and counterproductive paternalism for the time being. Crew Dragon will instead be recovered after landing in the ocean, a disappointing concession that is at least partially cushioned by SpaceX's recent successes and growing expertise with the reuse of their similarly sea-recovered Cargo Dragons. While ocean-recovery certainly won't lend itself to ease of reuse quite as readily as powered landings, SpaceX will likely be able to significantly drop the cost of Crew Dragon launches in the future by efficiently refurbishing each recovered capsule. Less likely but still a possibility, the company could adopt something similar to the fairing-catcher Mr Steven - essentially a giant net aboard a highly-maneuverable boat - to recover Crew Dragon without submerging the spacecraft in saltwater. As of March 2018, at least according to NASA's Kennedy Space Center director, SpaceX is still on track to conduct its first uncrewed launch of Crew Dragon as early as August 2018, with the first crewed mission following in December 2018 if all goes well. SpaceX's spacesuit is a critical component of their crewed spaceflight efforts, and has been designed and built in-house to ensure that astronauts can survive the emergency depressurization of a Crew Dragon capsule, evidenced by Musk's recent suggestions that senior suit engineers successfully survived stints in a vacuum chamber while wearing it. Thanks to the staggering success of Falcon Heavy and its iconic Starman and Tesla Roadster payload, SpaceX's spacesuit will undoubtedly be a badge of honor for all future astronauts who fly aboard Crew Dragon. https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-crew-dragon-spacesuit-details-video/ Curt Lewis