December 25, 2024 - No. 52

In This Issue 

: Textron Keeps G100UL Off Approved Fuel List, Wants More Testing

: Boeing is about to get 'aggressive' in building more 737 Max planes 

: X-59: NASA jet hits silent supersonic milestone with first full afterburner test 

: The ‘albatross’ folding wing helping Airbus go green 

: New Celestial Navigation System for Drones Enables GPS-Free Operations: Report

: Catching fire SECONDS after takeoff! American Flight 1400 (29 minute video) 

: FAA updates ADS-B privacy program 

: Whatever it Takes 

: NASA’s update on Artemis missions, heat shield investigation findings


 


 


Textron Keeps G100UL Off Approved Fuel List, Wants More Testing
Textron issues statements on unleaded fuel compatibility.
	
Russ Niles
Updated Dec 24, 2024 12:50 AM EST

Textron says it won't add G100UL unleaded avgas to its approved fuel list until it has been more thoroughly tested. In statements released last Friday (one for singles, one for twins), the company said it won't be giving its stamp of approval to the fuel unless and until that more comprehensive testing has been done. It cites the Piston Aviation Fuel Initiative (PAFI) and the Eliminate Aviation Gasoline Lead Emissions (EAGLE) fuel evaluation process, of which it is an active participant, as the kind of "comprehensive testing of candidate replacement fuels for engine performance, materials compatibility, and operational safety" it's looking for.

GAMI said the statements in Textron's documents have been thoroughly debunked and all the engines in Textron's massive fleet are approved to run safely on G100UL.

“The two new Textron/Cessna Beechcraft “Piston Communiques’“ released as of December 19th , relating to Single and Multi-Engine Textron Aviation Aircraft, each contain claims and allegations about G100UL Avgas that have been repeated over and over again in the various statements from the PAFI/EAGLE participants. Each of those claims about G100UL Avgas have previously been demonstrated by FAA-approved and witnessed testing, and other well documented tests, to not be true," GAMI said in a statement. "The reality is that every single [certified] spark ignition piston powered airplane is approved to use G100UL Avgas. Without exception. That approval covers about 98+% of all of the piston powered aircraft found in the FAA type certificate data base. “

G100UL has an STC certifying its use in all piston engines powering certified airplanes on the FAA registry. It is also certified for use in all piston helicopter engines but not the airframes. That certification was expected earlier this year but hasn't been approved by the FAA. It affects about 3,000 helicopters. Swift Fuels has also received a limited STC for two models of Textron Cessna 172s for its 100R fuel but Swift was not mentioned by name in the statements. Swift has not responded to our request for comment.

The full statements are copied below but the salient parts are as follows:
"Because the STC process, unlike the PAFI and EAGLE programs, does not involve broad aviation industry coalition participation, neither Textron Aviation nor its engine suppliers, Lycoming and Continental Motors, have had the opportunity to conduct the type of comprehensive and wide-ranging performance, compatibility and operational testing with respect to that fuel needed to provide a basis for approval of the fuel for use in Textron Aviation’s current and legacy fleet of Cessna and Beechcraft aircraft."

and "The continued airworthiness and operational safety of our products and their reliable service to our customers and their passengers is of paramount importance to Textron Aviation. For these reasons, Textron Aviation has not yet approved G100UL for use in its piston engine products. Such approval can only be made by Textron Aviation if the fuel is approved by its engine suppliers and has also undergone testing to confirm its airframe fuel systems performance, compatibility, and operational safety."

Textron also says it is aware of reports that "two different OEMs have been advised of reported issues with fuel tank sealant degradation following exposure of those sealants to G100UL." It did not specify the nature of those issues and AVweb is aware of three tank issues that have been tied to the use of G100UL. One was on the AOPA Beech Baron fuel test aircraft last summer which was determined to be caused by a leaking patch on a 46-year-old fuel bladder and had nothing to do with the fuel. More recently a couple of Mooney owners have reported fuel seepage issues after switching to G100UL. In one case it was a new leak and in another it involved paint damage on tanks that were already seeping. Neither of those have been definitively blamed on G100UL but a California A and P has released a video detailing his testing of the fuel that shows it damaging paint in certain circumstances. Here are the full statements from Textron:

 


 


Boeing is about to get 'aggressive' in building more 737 Max planes
Melvin Backman
Fri, December 20, 2024 at 11:47 AM CST4 min read

A Boeing 737 Max plane under production - Photo: Jennifer Buchanan/Pool/AFP (Getty Images)

After a particularly difficult 2024, Boeing (BA) is looking to hit the ground running next year. Aviation news site The Air Current reports that the planemaker is telling suppliers that it will be “aggressive” in hitting maximum production speed by summer.

“As we methodically resumed 737, 767 and 777/777X production, we updated our production schedules for those programs,” Boeing said in statement provided to Quartz. “We continue to work closely with our suppliers, on a part-by-part basis, to support our production plans. We are also in close contact with our customers about the timing of their deliveries. We will continue to steadily increase production as we execute on our Safety and Quality Plan and work to meet the expectations of our regulator and customers.”

After a door plug blew out on a 737 Max 9 in January, the Federal Aviation Administration mandated that Boeing slow down on how many of the planes it makes, limiting the company to 38 of the model per month. On top of the FAA speed limit, which has been accompanied by a dramatic increase in scrutiny and boots-on-the-ground inspections for safety and quality-control issues, 737 Max production crawled to a halt during a nearly two-months-long strike by the company’s union-represented machinists as they worked out a new collective bargaining agreement.

Getting to 38 planes per month might be a challenge. Using 737 Max deliveries as a rough gauge of production — planes might not be immediately delivered after they roll off an assembly line — Boeing hasn’t hit that number since December of last year, when it sent 44 of the planes to customers. However, that was under an old manufacturing regime, one that saw the jets put together using a skip-step manufacturing process that regulators believe may have contributed to this year’s door plug blowout.

An unnamed source at an unnamed supplier told the Air Current that Boeing’s timeline is “incredibly aggressive, probably unrealistic.” Though outgoing FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker complimented Boeing’s commitment to a more sure-footed manufacturing process, noting that the aviation giant is “focused on their workforce, the training, making sure they have the supply chain sorted out,” it still took the company a month to restart 737 Max production following the ratification of the machinists’ new contract.

Before the strike (and its effects on production capacity), Boeing reportedly told suppliers to “keep your foot on the gas” in preparation for new work. Stephen Oswald, the CEO of engine parts maker Ducommun (DCO), noted on a recent earnings call that Boeing’s stop-and-start 737 Max manufacturing has been physically manifesting at the factory of embattled fuselage supplier Spirit AeroSystems.

“If you go to Wichita, you look at Spirit, and you look at all the fuselages that are stacked up, there used to be like 90 of them maybe,” he said. “Now, it is like 150 fuselages.”

Whatever the outcome, Boeing’s most recent 737 Max production push is not happening in a vacuum. Despite its checkered history — the company has been weathering legal difficulties from a pair of fatal 737 Max 8 crashes in 2018 and 2019 — airlines really want the planes because they have better fuel economy than other models. Of Boeing’s outstanding order book, 77% of its 5,400-plane backlog is comprised of 737 Maxes.

Carriers like Delta Air Lines and United Airlines have been waiting on 737 Max 10 — the largest version of the plane but one that has faced significant regulator certification delays — for so long that complaints about the jets are a frequent topic of earnings calls and securities filings. Despite this, Turkish budget carrier Pegasus Airlines just put in an order for as many as 200 of them.

“As low-cost carriers continue to boost regional growth and connectivity, the 737-10 will support Pegasus Airlines in reaching new markets across Europe, the Middle East, Central Asia and Africa,” Boeing said in a statement announcing the new business, adding that its “Commercial Market Outlook forecasts European and Central Asian operators will take delivery of nearly 7,900 single-aisle airplanes over the next 20 years.”






 


X-59: NASA jet hits silent supersonic milestone with first full afterburner test 
The X-59’s design is such that it produces “sonic thumps” rather than “sonic booms” like other supersonic aircraft.
Updated: Dec 24, 2024 05:23 AM EST

Christopher McFadden

NASA
NASA has announced that it has completed the first full burn test for its X-59 quiet supersonic research aircraft. Conducted on December 12 at NASA’s Skunk Works facility in Palmdale, California, this test is a major milestone for the project as it ramps for full flight testing.

The afterburner is an essential component of the X-59’s F414-GE-100 engine to enable the aircraft to achieve supersonic flight speeds. According to NASA, the test successfully operated within expected temperature limits.

Airflow over the aircraft’s frame was also well within the expected parameters. The test also validated the team’s expectations for the afterburner operating in sync with the X-59’s other subsystems.

This test comes just over a month after its first-ever test in October of this year. That test was also conducted at Skunk Works, with the engine run-up at low speeds to check for leaks and other potential issues.

It also comes just under a year after NASA officially announced the X-59 to the public in 2023. Since then, the X-59 project has progressed at pace, albeit with some delays.
A major milestone for the X-59
The aircraft’s engine delivers around 22,000 pounds of thrust, providing enough power to push the X-59 to Mach 1.4 at approximately 55,000 feet. The engine is also located in a nacelle atop the aircraft (similar to the third engine of the McDonnell Douglas DC–10).

This setup helps reduce the noise generated by the aircraft when going supersonic. Tests, like the recent afterburner fire-up, help the design team find faults or other issues with this experimental aircraft.

In case you are unaware, the X-59 is part of NASA’s Quiet SuperSonic Technology (Quesst) mission, hoping to reduce the noise of sonic booms for supersonic aircraft. If successful, the X-59 will pave the way for enabling supersonic aircraft to operate over populated areas.

This, in turn, will help resurrect this form of transport from the dead since the retirement of the famous Concorde. To this end, the Quesst mission collaborates with other commercial partners to help reduce long-distance flight times across the United States and the globe.
Flight testing to come in 2025
To help reduce its sonic boom, the X-59 has been designed in such a way as to produce more of a “sonic thump” when bearing the sound barrier. Data collected from tests should, it is hoped, help regulators understand public perception of these “sonic thumps.”

This will, in turn, greatly aid in the research team’s hopes to lift current bans on commercial supersonic flight over the continental United States.

Moving forward, once the engine runs are complete, the X-59 team will conduct aluminum bird testing, feeding data to the aircraft under both normal and failure conditions. These will then be followed up with a series of taxi tests, where the aircraft will be moving around on the ground under its own power.

These tests will help preparations for the first flight. According to NASA, the X-59 should conduct its first flight testing sometime in 2025.






 


The ‘albatross’ folding wing helping Airbus go green
The plane maker is working on an innovation that it says will make its aircraft more fuel efficient

Note: See important photos and animated graphics in the original article. 


Oliver Gill, Industry and Leisure Business Editor
Saturday December 14 2024, 6.00pm GMT, The Sunday Times

Engineers in the Bristol works of Airbus leave nothing to chance when they are putting their metal alloy wings through their paces. A pair of hydraulic jacks bend, twist and bounce the 18-metre wing used in the Airbus A320, in a test that replicates the forces exerted on it over the equivalent of 240,000 flights — five times the normal lifespan.
For Airbus, where the safety record of the company’s commercial aircraft is paramount, exhaustive testing of this nature is standard stuff.

Yet a second wing, stationed just a few feet away, is anything but ordinary. The first thing that strikes you is how narrow it is. And it’s visibly longer, too. The complete wing, modelled on the humble albatross, will even have the ability to fold upwards after landing.

The first picture of the Albatross wing. Made from carbon, the black dots are used by cameras to monitor stress on the wing as it is tested to breaking point

Airbus has high hopes that its “albatross” wing will help it to achieve the next big reduction in carbon emissions. With the holy grail of zero emissions technologies, such as hydrogen and electric-powered planes, still likely to be decades away from becoming a commercial reality, Airbus and the wider aviation industry badly need new innovations to deliver on their decarbonisation targets.

Much has been written about Britain’s industrial decline, but, when it comes to making aircraft wings, it is a world leader. About 90 per cent of all Airbus commercial wings come off the production lines at the company’s works in Broughton, North Wales before being shipped to assembly plants around the world.

The company’s works at Filton, in Bristol, which employ 2,800 Airbus staff and a further 1,400 from engineering supplier GKN, have been an innovation hub for decades. It was here that engineers produced the Second World War light bomber, the Bristol Blenheim, as well as Concorde.

Carbon-fibre albatross
Airbus’s wing development programme, its most important commercial aerospace engineering project, is led by UK commercial aviation chief Sue Partridge. When she joined Airbus as an apprentice, in 1989, just 1 per cent of new recruits were women. Today, that stands at 20 per cent.
“The way to make an aircraft more fuel efficient is to make the wings long and slender. You create more lift and less drag,” Partridge explained. “The other key way to save fuel is to make the wing lighter.” Airbus’s albatross wing is made from carbon fibre, rather than the heavier metal alloy versions that adorn its existing aircraft.

Secrecy surrounds the wing — The Sunday Times is the first publication allowed to see it — and that is not just down to commercial sensitivities. Taking photos of some of its technologies would be criminal as they were originally developed for the military.

The wings are being designed, in the first instance, for Airbus’s next generation of short-haul planes, the successor to the A320 and A321 family of aircraft that are known as the workhorses of airline fleets around the world.

Longer wings cause a major problem, however. The standard width of an airport stand for short-haul aircraft can only accommodate planes with a wingspan of 36 metres. Demanding that every airport in the world rejigs its stands to accommodate a wider wingspan is not an option, Partridge explained.

The answer? A folding wing. By using technology first developed to fit more fighter jets on aircraft carriers, the new design boasts an additional four metres or so that will hinge and fold up vertically.

Mid-air, the wingspan pushes 44 metres, but, upon landing, pilots will flick a switch to fold in the wings while taxiing — a process that will take about 25 seconds. By the time the plane reaches the airport stand, its wingspan will be within the requisite 36 metres. The process will then be reversed on departure.

So, what happens, God forbid, if the hinge were to break mid-flight? “You don’t design aircraft like that”, Partridge shot back. “You design them with enough levels of safety so that can never happen.”

The wing has been marked with thousands of small black dots so that engineers, sporting blue Airbus caps and high-viz vests, can identify microscopic weak spots through specialist filming equipment. The folding part of the wing is being tested in a separate part of the same building, with Airbus taking care to ensure that it does not, in effect, create a sail after the aircraft lands. It has a hinge with four safety mechanisms in a so-called locking and latching system. “You can imagine what’s incredibly crucial is that when those wings fold, they lock and they stay locked,” said Partridge.

Carbon-fibre wings are not especially new — they are already used by Airbus on its long-haul A350 planes — but simply using the same manufacturing techniques will not work because of the difference in the scale of the production required for short-haul aircraft. To find ways of producing the wings in greater quantities, Airbus is experimenting with using robots to fix the wings, and with producing parts using 3D printers.

Partridge believes that the new wings could yield “double-digit percentage” savings in fuel usage compared with their predecessors. In September, Airbus chief executive Guillaume Faury said the aircraft model that succeeds the A320 and A321 families will be about 25 per cent more fuel efficient in total.

Jenny Kavanagh, strategy chief at Cranfield Aerospace Solutions, a company that carries out complex aircraft modifications, said Airbus’s wing development programme will play a “significant role” in years to come by reducing fuel costs — and with it, carbon emissions. If Kavanagh is right, that’s good news for airlines — and the planet. Aviation contributes between 2 and 3 per cent of global carbon emissions.

‘Like a bird’
In a separate building at Filton, engineers are working on a smaller version of the new wing — minus the folding element — that is just a seventh of the size. The wings are designed for use on smaller aircraft, such as personal planes or private jets, and will be tested on smaller Cessna planes, which will be flown remotely over the Bay of Biscay between France and Spain from 2026.

The wing is equipped with a series of small moving parts that enable it to subtly change shape mid-flight, mimicking the role of feathers on a bird. Partridge gave one example of how it works. “A sensor on the front of the aircraft will sense a gust of wind,” she said. “That will send a command through the system, [which will then] change the shape of the wing, like a bird does in flight, to withstand the load of that gust in a more efficient way”.
When all of these new technologies will become a commercial reality is a matter for debate. Sash Tusa, an analyst at equity research firm Agency Partners, estimates that Airbus’s new wings are unlikely to enter full production until the early 2030s.

“It’s both incredibly important and it’s totally unimportant [for Airbus],” he said. “Incredibly important because this shows Airbus is thinking about the future and doing a hell of a lot of things right. But it’s unimportant because Airbus doesn’t seem to show any urgency in wanting to launch a new aircraft.”

That stands to reason: Airbus is sitting on a back order of more than 8,000 planes, and its A321 family is outselling the Boeing 737 Max equivalent by a factor of two to one, Tusa added.

So, what does this all mean for greener flights?

In the last generation of aircraft, the vast majority of emissions cuts came through improvements to the engines. The industry’s next hope was supposed to be sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), which is made from household waste, used cooking oils or crop. Yet evidence is emerging that there won’t be enough SAF to meet the huge demand for biofuels across different industries. Willie Walsh, the former British Airways boss who is now head of aviation lobby group IATA, said the ramp-up of SAF supply has been “disappointingly slow”.

Mattia Celli, partner at consultancy Bain & Company’s aerospace practice, said that wings are the primary lever that engineers can pull to reduce fuel burn and emissions.
“New fuselage designs make only a marginal contribution to cutting fuel consumption, being limited to the weight reduction of the structure, with no material aerodynamic efficacy gain,” he said. “This is one reason why… wings are a priority.

It looks like the industry’s hopes for slashing emissions, in the foreseeable future at least, could well rest on Airbus and its “albatross” wings.






 


A celestial navigation system by UniSA leverages star observations to guide drones without GPS.
New Celestial Navigation System for Drones Enables GPS-Free Operations: Report

Written by Gadgets 360 Staff | Updated: 9 December 2024 14:00 IST
Photo Credit: Pixabay/ Pexels

Scientists at the University of South Australia (UniSA) have unveiled a navigation system for drones.

Highlights
•	UniSA develops celestial navigation for GPS-free drone operations
•	Drones use stars for precise navigation, avoiding GPS jamming
•	Lightweight, cost-effective system fits small drones seamlessly

A new celestial navigation system developed by scientists at the University of South Australia (UniSA) is expected to enhance drone operations by enabling uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs) to navigate using stars. This innovative method, designed to eliminate reliance on GPS signals, could make drones harder to detect and immune to jamming attacks, according to reports. The research was published in the journal Drones and is being hailed as a step forward in providing resilient, cost-effective navigation systems.

Design and Functionality of the System
The navigation system integrates visual observations of stars with conventional autopilot technology, making it lightweight and affordable for smaller drones. Samuel Teague, a researcher at UniSA, explained to Space.com that the new system is more compact and simpler than traditional star-based navigation setups. These traditional systems, often bulky and expensive, have primarily been used in spacecraft and large aircraft.

Testing of the system on a fixed-wing UAV reportedly demonstrated its ability to determine location with a precision of up to 2.5 miles (4 kilometres). Such accuracy is particularly significant in environments where GPS signals are disrupted, as often occurs during electronic warfare.

Potential Applications in Defence and Civil Sectors
The system's ability to function independently of external signals has drawn attention for both military and civilian applications. Javaan Chahl, a UniSA scientist, stated in Space.com that it could support environmental monitoring in remote areas, as well as long-duration surveillance missions in GPS-compromised regions.

The development comes amidst growing concerns about the vulnerability of drones to GPS jamming, a tactic widely reported to have been employed during the Ukraine conflict. By using celestial navigation, drones could evade detection and interception, raising implications for both offensive and defensive military strategies.

This innovation is expected to bolster the evolving role of drones in modern warfare and civilian operations, offering an alternative navigation method that enhances resilience and versatility.





 


Catching fire SECONDS after takeoff! American Flight 1400
A 29 minute video that highlights maintenance and operational due dillegence.




 


FAA updates ADS-B privacy program
By General Aviation News Staff · December 12, 2024 · Leave a Comment
The FAA recently updated its ADS-B Privacy International Civil Aviation Organization Address program, also known as PIA, with changes designed to streamline the process for pilots to opt out of real-time ADS-B flight tracking.
Under PIA, which has been in effect since 2019, pilots can request a temporary ICAO aircraft address that is not associated with the aircraft owner listed in the Civil Aviation Registry.
This allows ADS-B tracking to continue, while shielding the pilot from flight tracking from the general public, according to FAA officials.
To participate in the program, aircraft must:
•	Be registered in the United States
•	Be equipped with 1090 MHz ADS-B
•	Use a third-party call sign and
•	Fly in U.S.-managed flight information regions.
Why is PIA Needed?
ADS-B Out operates by transmitting an aircraft’s unique ICAO aircraft address, making identification by any individual with an ADS-B receiver possible, FAA officials noted
“Real-time tracking of the geographic location of a specific aircraft is possible, generating privacy concerns for the aircraft operator community,” FAA officials continued, noting that several general aviation advocacy groups, including the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) and the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) have stated that this “lack of privacy” is a barrier to general aviation pilots equipping their airplanes with ADS-B.

That led to the agency creating the PIA program, designed to “improve the privacy of aircraft operators in today’s ADS-B environment by limiting the extent to which the aircraft can be quickly and easily identified by non-U.S. government entities, while ensuring there is no adverse effect on Air Traffic Control (ATC) services.”

Among the latest updates to the program is a change that makes aircraft information that is held by the FAA, and associated with a PIA, exempt from requests under the Freedom of Information Act.

According to FAA officials, the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024 permits withholding of “the registration number and other similar identifiable data or information” at the request of the aircraft owner or operator.

Another update deals with the renewal of PIAs, noting that pilots can request a new PIA after a 20-day period from a previous PIA assignment. Pilots can use their PIA for as long as they wish or may periodically request a new one, according to FAA officials.

For more information: FAA.gov/Air_Traffic/Technology/EquipADSB/Privacy





 


Whatever it Takes
By Paul Dye 
December 22, 2024

No matter how many different tools you have, you always need something else – or at least something slightly different. This is particularly true when it comes to rivet squeezer yokes. These things cost close to $200 each, so you try to cover the spectrum of uses with as few as possible. I have three portables that I use most of the time, and two that are mounted on stands (they weigh 400 lbs) – but there are still cases where you just need something slightly different – so you have to get creative.

You can just see the tiny AN3 Bolt shank stick through the hole in the duct tape – it requires precision in lining it up on the rivet tail of course. I did polish the face of the bolt shank stub before using it – I’m not a complete heathen!

Yesterday I was squeezing a couple of rivets in a very narrow spot inside the rear spar of the F1 Rocket left elevator – the part that is immediately ahead of the trim tab. A No—Hole yoke is mandatory because you have very little room (1” maybe) between the spar flanges. But you also have a hinge “loop” to get over, so you need just a little rise to prevent smashing that. I could have drilled a hole in my No-Hole and using a thin flat die – but then I wouldn’t have a no-hole anymore!

That’s a nice, thin rivet die – and I found it on the shop floor!
The solution – I needed a thin flat die taped to the no-hole – but I didn’t want tape between the yoke face and the tail of the rivet. So I looked on the floor and found the head of an AN-3 I had cut off for some reason. I flattened and polished the stub of the bolt shank. Then I took a piece of duct tape and drilled a hole in it, allowing the bolt shank (now a squeezer die!) to stick through, then taped that to the no-hole. This effectively gave me an extremely shallow Longeron Yoke that fit in the narrow space but gave me an offset.

You do whatever it takes to- especially since no one makes a yoke like what I needed. Be creative, think the problem through – and take a look at the scraps on your shop floor for inspiration





 


NASA’s update on Artemis missions, heat shield investigation findings
December 9, 2024


The Artemis I heat shield, which protects the capsule during re-entry, experienced unexpected material loss. NASA determined the cause was insufficient gas release from the Avcoat material, leading to cracking and detachment.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has announced updated timelines and technical adjustments for its Artemis lunar exploration program, targeting April 2026 for the Artemis II crewed test flight and mid-2027 for Artemis III. These changes follow investigations into heat shield performance during the Artemis I uncrewed mission and refinements to Orion spacecraft systems.

The Artemis I heat shield, which protects the capsule during re-entry, experienced unexpected material loss. NASA determined the cause was insufficient gas release from the Avcoat material, leading to cracking and detachment. While the Artemis II heat shield will incorporate adjustments, officials confirmed its ability to ensure crew safety.
“Throughout our process to investigate the heat shield phenomenon and determine a forward path, we’ve stayed true to NASA’s core values; safety and data-driven analysis remained at the forefront,” said Catherine Koerner, associate administrator, Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington. “The updates to our mission plans are a positive step toward ensuring we can safely accomplish our objectives at the Moon and develop the technologies and capabilities needed for crewed Mars missions.”

Artemis II will carry four astronauts, including Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen, on a 10-day mission around the Moon. This flight will test critical systems, such as air revitalization and manual flying capabilities, to prepare for future lunar and Mars missions.
“The Artemis campaign is the most daring, technically challenging international endeavor humanity has ever undertaken,” said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson.

NASA continues to refine technologies, including the Space Launch System, Orion spacecraft, and lunar exploration systems, to support its long-term goals of sustainable Moon exploration and human Mars missions.




Curt Lewis