Airborne-NextGen 11.19.24: 1st Flt-Alia CX300, Skydweller, New Glenn Rocket
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Also: Thermal Protection For Spacecraft, Puma UAS, Space Flight Record, Unmanned Ag-Helos Beta Technologies recently sent the first production-representative Alia CX300 up for its debut flight. The electric conventional takeoff and landing (eCTOL) aircraft is the first to come off the manufacturer’s new production line in South Burlington, Vermont. The aircraft, N916LF, was flown by Beta founder and CEO Kyle Clark. He took the CX300 up to around 7,000 feet to complete “handling qualities evaluation, stability and control test points and initial airspeed expansion prior to flying several approaches and a normal landing,” Beta stated. Skydweller Aero recently completed a series of uncrewed autonomous test flights, the longest of which lasted 22 ½ hours and demonstrates the feasibility of remaining airborne for extended periods using solar energy and batteries. AST SpaceMobile has chosen Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket to deploy its new Block 2 BlueBird satellites, aiming to build out a space-based cellular broadband network. The first launches will take place over multiple years from Blue Origin’s Launch Complex 36 in Cape Canaveral, Florida. All this -- and MORE in today's episode of Airborne-NextGen!!!
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