[November 2, 2020] [No. 082] In This Issue : ProSafeT - SMS, Quality & Audit Management Software : Airbus, EU flag battery issue with parked aircraft : Connecticut Airport Authority announces Clay Lacy Aviation expansion at Waterbury-Oxford Airport : Biolife Sciences (OTCPK: BLFE) Announces Agreement to Provide Aircraft Cleaning and Disinfecting Services for the Transportation & Travel Sector : Jazz Aviation Takes Gold at Canada's Safest Employers Awards : L3Harris Technologies Awarded Contract for Three Canadian Special Mission Aircraft : Can the FAA Win Back the Aviation Safety Gold Standard? : Senate committee rejects N5 billion bailout for airline operators, others : Mitsubishi confirms SpaceJet programme is shelved - for now : SpaceX's Starship may help clean up space junk : Museum Makes Monumental Move of Massive XB-70 Mach-3 Mega-Bomber for Maintenance Airbus, EU flag battery issue with parked aircraft Add reduced battery capacity to the list of technical issues that airline maintenance staff should watch for in planes stored for long periods because the coronavirus has limited flying. More than 30% of the global passenger jet fleet, or about 8,100 aircraft, remains in storage, according to airline analytics and consulting firm Cirium. Last month, Airbus and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency issued an advisory that battery systems on A320, A330, A340 and A380 aircraft may not fully recharge after inactivity and lead to a power loss during operation. During maintenance checks for parked aircraft the batteries are physically disconnected and reconnected. Nickel-cadmium (Ni-Cd) batteries disconnected from the electrical system self-discharge due to an electrochemical phenomenon, inducing a reduction of battery capacity. When the battery is charged again from the aircraft, the battery does not recover 100% of its initial capacity and battery capacity progressively decreases after each reconnection, according to an EASA safety information bulletin. “This reduction of capacity cannot be reversed by the normal aircraft charging system, and the reduction in total capacity cannot be detected without the battery being sent to an approved battery shop for a battery recharge check or overhaul. “As aircraft batteries are the final power source available to aircraft, this reduction in capacity of the Ni-Cd batteries may not meet the minimum battery endurance certification requirements when the aircraft is operated again, which may lead to a premature total electrical power loss in the case the aircraft’s main electrical system fails,” the bulletin said. Airbus and EASA recommended airlines review their electrical system designs and their storage instructions to determine if the battery system can tolerate successive reconnection cycles without suffering from the same problem, noting that battery drainage is not an issue in all aircraft https://www.freightwaves.com/news/airbus-eu-flag-battery-issue-with-parked-aircraft Connecticut Airport Authority announces Clay Lacy Aviation expansion at Waterbury-Oxford Airport WINDSOR LOCKS, CT – The Connecticut Airport Authority (CAA) announce an expanded partnership with Clay Lacy Aviation involving a 30-year lease on 16 acres of land at Waterbury-Oxford Airport (KOXC) in Oxford, CT, which will expand Clay Lacy Aviation’s Northeast U.S. base of operations. Clay Lacy Aviation will invest $20M to build the new Fixed Base Operator (FBO), and maintenance, repair and overhaul facility, bringing 100 new jobs to Connecticut. Founded in 1968, Clay Lacy is one of the country’s most experienced and respected business aviation operators, with the highest independent safety ratings and award-winning service. Clay Lacy established its operation at Waterbury-Oxford Airport in 2015 with the acquisition of Key Air, moving into a 65,000-square-foot facility and further expanding its East Coast aircraft management, maintenance, and business jet charter services. In 2019, Clay Lacy received FAA approval to open a Part 145 Repair Station, and has continued to broaden its capabilities and services, adding 50 new jobs. “Clay Lacy Aviation has been an outstanding business partner at Waterbury-Oxford Airport, and we are thrilled with the expansion of their depth and breadth of services on the airfield,” said Kevin A. Dillon, A.A.E., Executive Director of the Connecticut Airport Authority. “In addition to industry-leading aircraft management, maintenance, and jet charter services, a brand-new FBO and hangar complex will attract new business and bring more jobs to our local economy.” “We are honored to bring Clay Lacy’s 52 years of experience and full complement of general aviation services to this new opportunity at Waterbury-Oxford Airport,” said Brian Kirkdoffer, President and CEO of Clay Lacy Aviation. “We look forward to this long-term partnership with the CAA, and are committed to continuing our support of the local community and the state of Connecticut for many years to come.” https://www.traveldailynews.com/post/connecticut-airport-authority-announces-clay-lacy-aviation-expansion-at-waterbury-oxford-airport Biolife Sciences (OTCPK: BLFE) Announces Agreement to Provide Aircraft Cleaning and Disinfecting Services for the Transportation & Travel Sector TORONTO, CANADA, Nov. 02, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via NewMediaWire – BioLife Sciences (OTCPK: BLFE) has entered into an agreement with FLYGTA to become the exclusive supplier of electrostatic disinfection and cleaning services for their commercial airplane fleet using an innovative antimicrobial treatment system. BioLife Sciences will conduct cleaning and disinfecting services for FLYGTA’s aircraft and private lounges, operating out of district airports throughout Ontario, including Toronto's Billy Bishop Airport. The sanitization technology helps to control bacterial, viral and fungal populations on high-touch, high-traffic surfaces by reducing the number of germs on the treated areas. Electrostatic spray disinfection & sanitization systems turn disinfectant liquids into fine mist aerosols, subsequently applying a charge to each droplet so that they are attracted to surfaces through electrostatic forces greater than gravity, enabling the disinfectant to wrap around surfaces and cover difficult to reach areas. The treatment system has the ability to be used with almost any type of water-based disinfectant which, in this case, will be a natural essential oil and water-based sanitization solution that has demonstrated effectiveness against human coronavirus strain 229E and SARS-CoV-2. The disinfectant is a non-toxic, biodegradable, odorless and colorless environmentally friendly technology providing broad-spectrum (viral, bacterial & fungal) surface disinfection. The water-based electrostatic treatment is also ideal for metal surfaces, as it will not accelerate metal corrosion, unlike peroxide, citric acid, bleach and other commonly used harsher disinfecting chemicals. “We are excited to play a role in helping Canadians and the travel industry get back to normal air travel without having to worry about the cleanliness of the aircraft itself. We believe this technology will set the standard,” Mr. De Four, CEO of BioLife Sciences stated. “FLYGTA is uniquely positioned in the industry, our agreement with BioLife allows us to use our Aircraft Maintenance Organization as approved by Transport Canada to add aviation regulatory certifications if necessary. We are ready for the new wave of travel with this added safety measure. Antimicrobial protection is the smartest way forward,” Chris Nowrouzi, CEO of FLYGTA stated. About BioLife Sciences Inc. BioLife Sciences Inc. specializes in moving innovative products from the lab or small-scale production into wider market adoption. Its core business develops, licenses and distributes antimicrobial products, non-contact human temperature screening technology, and touchless vending/marketplaces. One of BioLife Sciences’ core building block strategies is to develop, partner and assist innovative companies with the commercialization of leading-edge technologies. About FLYGTA The organization, based in Southern Ontario, operates its fleet of aircraft serving private travel, air ambulance, cargo, and tourism, with recent expansions into aviation technologies. The airline bases and services airports in Toronto, Niagara, Muskoka, Kingston, and Montreal as of 2020, basing private jets for its solutions covering a global range market. https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2020/11/02/2118426/0/en/Biolife-Sciences-OTCPK-BLFE-Announces-Agreement-to-Provide-Aircraft-Cleaning-and-Disinfecting-Services-for-the-Transportation-Travel-Sector.html Jazz Aviation Takes Gold at Canada's Safest Employers Awards HALIFAX, NS, Nov. 2, 2020 /CNW/ - Chorus Aviation Inc. ('Chorus') (TSX: CHR) is proud to announce that its subsidiary, Jazz Aviation LP ('Jazz'), was named among Canada's Safest Employers 2020 winning gold in the Public Transportation category. Canada's Safest Employers awards were announced at a virtual gala event held on October 22. "We are honoured to be recognized once again as one of Canada's Safest Employers. It is testimony to our strong safety culture, where all employees share the responsibility of supporting Jazz's core value of safety first," said Randolph deGooyer, President, Jazz. "Our collaborative approach plays a vital role in our pursuit of safety excellence." This is Jazz's fourth consecutive year accepting awards at the Canada's Safest Employers event. Last year, Jazz received the gold award in the Transportation category; in 2018, Jazz was awarded silver in the Transportation and Psychological Safety categories; and in 2017, Jazz won gold in the Transportation category. Launched in 2011, Canada's Safest Employers awards recognize companies from across Canada with outstanding accomplishments in promoting the health and safety of their employees. Companies are evaluated on a wide range of occupational safety and health ('OSH') elements, including employee training, OSH management systems, incident investigation, emergency preparedness and innovative health and safety initiatives. About Chorus Chorus is a global provider of integrated regional aviation solutions. Chorus' vision is to deliver regional aviation to the world. Headquartered in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Chorus is comprised of Chorus Aviation Capital a leading, global lessor of regional aircraft, and Jazz Aviation and Voyageur Aviation – companies that have long histories of safe operations with excellent customer service. Chorus provides a full suite of regional aviation support services that encompasses every stage of an aircraft's lifecycle, including aircraft acquisitions and leasing; aircraft refurbishment, engineering, modification, repurposing and preparation; contract flying; aircraft and component maintenance, disassembly, and parts provisioning. Chorus Class A Variable Voting Shares and Class B Voting Shares trade on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the trading symbol 'CHR'. www.chorusaviation.com About Jazz Jazz Aviation LP has a strong history in Canadian aviation with its roots going back to the 1930s. As the largest regional carrier in Canada, Jazz has a proven track record of industry leadership and exceptional customer service and has leveraged that strength to deliver value to all its stakeholders. www.flyjazz.ca https://finance.yahoo.com/news/jazz-aviation-takes-gold-canadas-130000866.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAABF_un08GvUQcs9YjR6n7z07zaITQpr4Whpm26FQL9A_3-a0hAL_dpJUac32MtsYHG-7JXhbaExbG7oE1QNIUO-V9jhu6t7SODv6A63hJSIPT31P_RcEtDkHjSYAcZUhkKfxoq_xYDWUKrGsskIRGfMXfWK0YKbCFHMM-NkCbQv4 L3Harris Technologies Awarded Contract for Three Canadian Special Mission Aircraft MELBOURNE, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov 2, 2020-- L3Harris Technologies (NYSE:LHX) has been awarded a firm-fixed price contract to missionize three new King Air 350ER aircraft for the Canadian manned airborne intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (CMAISR) project. The aircraft will be delivered to the Canadian Department of National Defence (DND) as a Foreign Military Sale managed by the U.S. Army, Program Executive Office (PEO) Aviation, Fixed Wing Project Office. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20201102005517/en/ Rendering of the King Air 350 extended range aircraft for Canadian Department of National Defence. (Photo: Business Wire) The CMAISR project will provide the DND with a rapidly deployable, airborne intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capability for its deployed operations, ensuring an innovative, flexible and interoperable force. The aircraft will feature a suite of L3Harris systems, including full-motion video sensors, a mission management system and communication datalinks. The capability upgrades offer increased threat indications and warning, as well as high-accuracy target detection and location. “Our L3Harris team is ready to combine our ISR, missionization and modification solutions to deliver a system that will enhance the capabilities and security of Canada and its allies,” said Sean Stackley, President, Integrated Mission Systems, L3Harris. “L3Harris has the distinction of successfully delivering more certified, special mission King Airs on-time and on-budget than any other contractor in the world, and we look forward to maintaining that tradition.” Modification will include sensors integration, secure communications and navigation systems, as well as pilot, operator and maintenance training. L3Harris will complete the modifications at its facility in Greenville, Texas, supported by the company’s facility in Mirabel (Quebec), Canada. The contract was awarded via the Other Transaction Authority competitive procurement process. About L3Harris Technologies L3Harris Technologies is an agile global aerospace and defense technology innovator, delivering end-to-end solutions that meet customers’ mission-critical needs. The company provides advanced defense and commercial technologies across air, land, sea, space and cyber domains. L3Harris has approximately $18 billion in annual revenue and 48,000 employees, with customers in more than 100 countries. L3Harris.com. https://www.oaoa.com/news/business/l3harris-technologies-awarded-contract-for-three-canadian-special-mission-aircraft/article_b8c6d4e8-8a9b-55f6-83e9-04a480b8ac91.html Can the FAA Win Back the Aviation Safety Gold Standard? Being the best matters in aviation as in other industries. Being perceived as the best matters, too, if you believe that perception is as important as reality when it comes to aviation safety. For the FAA, being considered the gold standard for aviation safety oversight has been a matter of pride for many up and down the agency's chain of command. I have heard bragging about this from FAA administrators as well as from executives, managers, and inspectors in offices around the country and in far-flung places. Being the gold standard, of course, was of immeasurable benefit to aviation entities in the U.S. People buy U.S. aviation products, fly U.S. airlines, and use U.S.-certificated maintenance repair stations because of the confidence they place in the safety oversight that these entities are subjected to by the FAA. That gold standard has been severely tested by the two 737 Max crashes. The first occurred on Oct. 29, 2018, when Lion Air Flight 610 crashed into the Java Sea 13 minutes after takeoff from Jakarta, Indonesia. The second occurred less than five months later when Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 crashed just six minutes after takeoff from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The two accidents killed a total of 346 people, including eight Americans. And thus began the tarnishing of the FAA’s reputation as the world's preeminent aviation safety authority. Recovering from that tarnishing is important to the critical safety oversight work that the FAA does and also to the American entities that depend on it. As I write, one more report has been issued criticizing the FAA for its oversight of Boeing and the tragic 737 Max accidents that resulted. The latest report, from the House of Representatives Committee on Transportation and Oversight, details significant breakdowns at both Boeing and the FAA. The report criticizes the FAA for maintaining an oversight structure that allows for “inherent conflicts of interest that have jeopardized the safety of the flying public” and a safety culture that prioritizes the opinions of the industry over those of its own employees. The House report was preceded by a U.S. Department of Transportation Inspector General report. It will likely be followed by other reports. Criminal prosecutions may also result as the Department of Justice has convened a grand jury to review whistleblower complaints regarding the lead-up to these accidents. Reports criticizing the FAA are nothing new, of course. After every major accident or incident, fault can be found in many places including the government agency responsible for safety oversight. What hurt the FAA’s safety standing are the actions nations of the world took to ground the 737 Max before the FAA took similar action and, most disturbingly, while the FAA continued to insist on the safety of the aircraft. No report can compare with the reputational hit the FAA took when countries decided that safety demanded that they ground the aircraft regardless of what the FAA said about its safety. Whether done for purely safety reasons or partially for political or economic reasons, the impact was to tarnish the FAA as setting the gold standard for aviation safety. The first grounding of the 737 Max fleet was by Ethiopia following the crash on March 10, 2019. The next day, the Civil Aviation Authority of China grounded all 737 Max operations by its airlines. Shortly thereafter, the UK, the European Union, Canada, and other countries grounded the aircraft and closed their airspace to the 737 Max. The lone holdout was the FAA, which was still insisting on March 11 that the aircraft was safe to fly. But by March 13, the cascade of groundings from around the world could not be ignored and the FAA reversed course and closed U.S. airspace to the 737 Max as well. (On a side note, I always found the FAA’s emergency order in this matter interesting. Instead of suspending the type certificate of the 737 Max as it had done with the DC-10 in 1979 or issuing an emergency airworthiness directive as in the case of the 787 battery fire, the FAA issued an Emergency Order of Prohibition. In my decades of reviewing FAA orders, including my 10 years as a member of the National Transportation Safety Board, I had never seen or heard of such an order. The order prohibited operation of the 737 Max by U.S. operators and its operation over U.S. territory but did not attack the aircraft's airworthiness or type certification standards.) As the FAA enters its final deliberations on restoring the 737 Max to operation, it's also time to consider how the FAA will prove to the world once again that it deserves to be considered the preeminent safety oversight organization. My suggestions are twofold. First, the agency should start listening to its employees and the employees of regulated entities in the same way it listens to executives of those regulated entities. For years I have seen the safety concerns of FAA employees, pilots and mechanics, and other employees of regulated entities given short shrift by agency supervisors and managers. If an employee raises a safety issue, take the time to analyze that issue and reach a decision based on a proper safety risk analysis. Of course, the FAA will not always agree with its employees or the employees of aviation entities raising concerns, but it should thoughtfully consider and properly analyze those concerns. Too often, I have not seen that happen in accident investigations I was involved in. My second suggestion is for agency executives, managers, and supervisors to always act as though they work for the public and not the aviation industry. Stop kowtowing to the industry and stop pressuring employees when industry executives complain. Treat the industry at arm’s length as a safety regulator should. Of course, the industry’s input and concerns are critical, but they are not the ultimate concerns. It will take time for public confidence and international confidence in the FAA to return. But I am confident that it can. https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/blogs/can-faa-win-back-aviation-safety-gold-standard Senate committee rejects N5 billion bailout for airline operators, others The Senate Committee on Aviation has rejected the proposed N5 billion bailout for airline operators and other businesses in Nigeria’s aviation sector. The offer, it said, is grossly inadequate to make any meaningful impact or relieve the impact of COVID-19 on the industry. This decision was made at the public hearing on six executive bills aimed at fine-tuning regulatory issues as well as effective management of agencies in the Nigerian aviation industry on Monday. President Muhammadu Buhari had in November 2019, transmitted six aviation sector bills to the Senate for consideration and passage into law. Some of the legislations are the bill for an Act to repeal and enact the Civil Aviation Act; Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria Bill, 2019 and Nigerian College of Airspace Management Agency (Establishment) Bill, 2019; Others are Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (Establishment) Bill, 2019; Nigerian Meteorological Agency (Establishment) Bill, 2019 and Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (Establishment) Bill, 2019. The Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, had told the panel about the federal government’s plan to provide N4 billion for airline operators and another N1 billion for other business owners in the aviation sector as part of its intervention to cushion the effects of COVID-19 pandemic. The decision, he said, was based on the recognition of the pivotal role of the aviation sector to the Nigerian economy. But the chairman of the committee, Smart Adeyemi, maintained that the fund is far less than is required for them to finance aircraft maintenance and retain their workers. “I do not think that N4 billion is what we are talking about. I think the federal government should give the industry all the attention it deserves; substantive support. Four billion is not enough. Yes, you might say they are in business; but their business is the soul of our economy.” Mr Adeyemi further urged the government to provide sufficient bailout to the airline operators to avoid them “cutting corners” in their operations – “the implication of which is better imagined,” he said. Speaking to journalists after the hearing, the minister agreed with the Senate over the low offer for bailout funds but noted that it is what the federal government can afford. This, he said, is because both the ministry and many other agencies are “currently struggling.” Aviation agencies owing FG The minister also told the panel that some agencies are owing the federal government and that the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority operates on a cost recovery basis. This was in response to concerns raised by a representative of the Airline Operators Association of Nigeria (AON), Chinansa Unaegburam, about some sections of the bill. She urged the Senate to consider reducing the five per cent cost of contract sales and service charge to 1.5 per cent. “That five per cent has been in law since 2006. Our proposal is that consideration be given to lowering that percentage. “We are proposing that we have our fees at cost recovery so the aim is to ensure that these agencies are run efficiently in the system. That there is accountability and transparency. Putting these factors in place, we can then justify the retention of this five per cent. But today members of the AON are groaning. “We propose 1.5% but it is subject to negotiation. The operators have to operate efficiently which is a very important issue for the operators,” she said. In his response, Mr Sirika kicked against the proposal, saying the AON owes the federal government about $7 million “They (AON) are owing us $6,993,234 and N19,365,374,686. She is proposing that the percentage goes down and the money is not there. These are monies we get from tickets and they ought to be remitting this money so that we can train more inspectors and keep the industry safe. “We have concerns and they are very genuine. NCAA operates on a cost recovery basis. We are here so we get a very robust civil Aviation Act.” The panel promised that all proposals made will be considered before the bills are passed by the Senate. The hearing is expected to continue on Tuesday and Wednesday. https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/424244-senate-committee-rejects-n5-billion-bailout-for-airline-operators-others.html Mitsubishi confirms SpaceJet programme is shelved - for now Mitsubishi Heavy Industries has confirmed that its SpaceJet (nee MRJ) project has been put on hold indefinitely given changes in the market environment as a result of COVID-19 as well as a protracted certification process. According to the Nikkei, when questioned on the SpaceJet's revised delivery date, which has been postponed six times, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries President Seiji Izumisawa said during an online press conference on October 30 that "a delivery time has not been set" and that it cannot foresee any date at present when the first M90 will be handed over to launch operator ANA - All Nippon Airways (NH, Tokyo Haneda). "We are not in a position where we can talk about when," he said. "I'm sorry that the development period has become so drawn out and deployment has been delayed." In its 2021 Medium-Term Business Plan, which covers the three years ahead from FY2021 to FY2023, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries said that given the current development status and market conditions, it has had no choice but to temporarily pause the majority of SpaceJet activities, except for type certification documentation. "We will work to review where we stand, make improvements, and assess a possible program restart," it said, adding that it does not foresee any real aerospace recovery likely before FY2024 (April 1, 2024, to March 31, 2025). For the first half of FY2020, the SpaceJet programme racked up an EBITDA loss of JPY82.2 billion yen (USD785.5 million) against JPY13.8 billion (USD131.88 million) for the previous year. Overall, Mitsubishi anticipates a full-year EBITDA loss of JPY120 billion (USD1.147 billion) for its SpaceJet programme. Going forward, Mitsubishi said it will minimise its aerospace losses by focussing on its CRJ programme where a recovery in short-haul travel demand is expected to accelerate the recovery of Mitsubishi's CRJ and aero-engine businesses. Investment that would have gone to the SpaceJet will now be diverted to other priority growth areas such as energy transition, new mobility, and logistics https://www.ch-aviation.com/portal/news/96848-mitsubishi-confirms-spacejet-programme-is-shelved-for-now SpaceX's Starship may help clean up space junk SpaceX's next-generation Starship system may help clean up Earth orbit when it's not taking people to the moon and Mars. Starship is at the heart of SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk's longtime Mars-colonization goal, and he has said that he envisions the rocket-spaceship duo eventually shouldering the company's entire spaceflight load. If all goes according to plan, Starship'smany tasks will include launching people to far-flung cosmic locales and on superfast "point-to-point" trips here on Earth, carryingsatellites into orbit and — perhaps — collecting and de-orbiting particularly big and troublesome pieces of space junk. SpaceX president and chief operating officer Gwynne Shotwell highlighted that potential cleanup role recently. During an online "Time 100 Talks" interview with Time Magazine that was posted on Oct. 22, she said that "it's quite possible that we could leverage Starship to go to some of some of these dead rocket bodies — other people's rockets, of course — basically, go pick up some of this junk in outer space." The "of course" in that last sentence is a nod to Starship's planned reusability, which will be total. The system's giant rocket, known as Super Heavy, will return to Earth for a vertical landing after launching the 165-foot-tall (50 meters) Starship spacecraft to orbit. That spaceship, somewhat confusingly known as Starship, will be able to fly many missions once aloft — going back and forth from Earth orbit to Mars repeatedly, for example. (Starship will be powerful enough to launch itself off the moon and Mars, but it will need help to escape Earth's much deeper gravity well.) "It's not going to be easy, but I do believe that Starship offers the possibility of going and doing that," Shotwell told Time technology columnist Patrick Lucas Austin, referring to debris mitigation. "And I'm really excited about it." A growing problem Space junk poses a serious threat to humanity's use and exploration of the final frontier going forward, many experts say. About 34,000 objects greater than 4 inches (10 centimeters) in diameter are thought to be circling Earth at the moment, according to the European Space Agency. It's much harder to get a handle on the smaller stuff, but the estimates are frightening — about 900,000 or so orbital objects in the 0.4-inch to 4-inch (1 to 10 cm) range and 128 million shards between 0.04 inches and 0.4 inches wide (1 mm to 1 cm). All of this material would pack a wallop in a collision because of the velocities involved. For example, at the altitude of the International Space Station, about 250 miles (400 kilometers), bodies move at roughly 17,500 mph (28,160 km/h). The costs of developing, building and launching satellites are dropping, and Earth's orbital space lanes are getting more and more crowded. The fear is that a collision or two could spawn a space-junk cascade, generating clouds of debris that cause further smashups. This scenario, known as the Kessler Syndrome, could make it hard to operate in Earth orbit if things get bad enough. The spaceflight community should therefore start taking mitigation measures now, many exploration advocates say. We've seen orbital collisions already. In February 2009, for instance, the defunct Russian military satellite Kosmos 2251 barreled into the operational communications satellite Iridium 33, spawning 1,800 pieces of trackable debris (and many others too small to spot) by the following October. And China and India have generated debris clouds on purpose, during destructive anti-satellite tests in 2007 and 2019, respectively. SpaceX is one of the major drivers of Earth orbit's rapidly increasing population: The company has already launched nearly 900 of its Starlink internet satellites to low Earth orbit, and it has permission to loft about 12,000 of the craft. But SpaceX is taking pains to minimize Starlink's contribution to the orbital-debris problem, Shotwell said. The company decided to lower the constellation's operational altitude for this reason, she told Austin. SpaceX's original plans called for first-generation Starlink satellites to fly between 684 and 823 miles high (1,100 to 1,325 kilometers), but the shift in thinking brought them down to an altitude of 340 miles (550 km). SpaceX's standard operating procedure for Starlink involves deorbiting each satellite before it dies. But flying at just 340 miles up provides a sort of failsafe: atmospheric drag will bring a defunct satellite down from that altitude in just one to five years, according to SpaceX's Starlink page. "And, in fact, we inject into a lower altitude, so if, for whatever reason, right after launch they're not working well, they come back to Earth" quickly, Shotwell said. Starlink satellites can also perform collision-avoiding maneuvers autonomously, using information from the U.S. Department of Defense's debris-tracking system, according to the SpaceX Starlink page. Starship launching soon? SpaceX is iterating toward the final Starship design via a series of increasingly ambitious prototypes. Three single-engine vehicles have already taken brief 500-foot-high (150 meters) test hops, and the company is preparing the three-engine SN8 prototype for a 9-mile-high (15 km) flight in the coming days or weeks. The final Starship will have six of the company's new Raptor engines, and Super Heavy will sport about 30 Raptors. SpaceX wants the duo to be up and running relatively soon. Starship is in the running, for instance, to land astronauts on the moon for NASA's Artemis program, which is targeting 2024 for the first of those touchdowns. And Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa has booked a Starship trip around the moon, with a targeted launch date of 2023. And then there's the Red Planet, the destination that Starship is being built for. "If the Starship program goes as planned, I do think people will be able to travel to Mars in 10 years," Shotwell said. https://www.space.com/spacex-starship-space-junk-cleanup Museum Makes Monumental Move of Massive XB-70 Mach-3 Mega-Bomber for Maintenance Only Surviving XB-70 Valkyrie Gets Brief Day in Sun at Air Force Museum. While she once flew at Mach 3, the last time the only remaining XB-70 Valkyrie super bomber was in motion she moved at less than a walking pace. At the beginning of October the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force at Wright-Patterson AFB in Dayton, Ohio, had to briefly move the only remaining North American XB-70 Valkyrie outside for display maintenance. The museum’s media staff shot some exciting video of the breathtaking aircraft as she was gently towed outside while museum workers rearranged some displays in the museum’s newest fourth building gallery, the Research and Development (R&D) Gallery. https://youtu.be/poyTP6tK-3Q The North American XB-70 Valkyrie was the most ambitious super-bomber project of the Cold War, but was plagued by issues until it was eventually consigned to service as a research aircraft until it was retired to the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force in February of 1969. The massive six-engine bomber was initially displayed outside, but was moved to an indoor gallery in October 2015 for display in the new building in early 2016. Public Affairs liaison for the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force, Mr. Rob Bardua, told TheAviationist.com that, “The museum is in the process of redesigning several galleries in the fourth building in order to create a more cohesive and open space for new temporary exhibits, and more compelling exhibit storylines. As part of this redesign, the XB-70 was pushed out to the edge of the ramp and pulled right back in on the same day – it was only outside for a few hours and no preparations or maintenance was done.” The move clearly created some very rare and spectacular visuals of the XB-70, and the museum’s media team did a fantastic job of making these videos showing the towing of the massive bomber outside and a bonus look at the interior of the aircraft. The National Museum of the U.S. Air Force at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base near Dayton, Ohio, is the largest military aviation museum in the world, with over 360 fascinating vehicles, aircraft and missiles in addition to thousands of unique artifacts on display over a massive 19 acres of indoor exhibits. The museum is free to enter and hosts approximately one million visitors each year. https://theaviationist.com/2020/11/01/museum-makes-monumental-move-of-massive-xb-70-mach-3-mega-bomber-for-maintenance/ Curt Lewis