November 23, 2020 - No. 88 In This Issue : Thai Airways to build aviation maintenance center in Rayong province : ProSafeT - SMS, Quality & Audit Management Software : Boeing 737 MAX Aircraft Undergoing 24-Hour Maintenance and Upgrades After FAA Green Light : Dassault Aviation partners the Paris Region Challenge AI for Industry 2020 : CDB Aviation Brings Next Generation A330 P2F Freighter to Market : First Venezuelan-made aircraft passes test flights with flying colors : EL Al Israel Airlines and Etihad Airways to Explore Partnerships : Bombardier to establish Engineering Academy in Cairo : SMART TECHNOLOGY TO HELP PILOTS : 3M and Safran Announce Partnership to Design Cleaner Aircraft Interiors : China to launch moon probe, seeking first lunar rock retrieval since 1970s : SpaceX scrubs Starlink satellite launch on record 7th flight of a Falcon 9 rocket Thai Airways to build aviation maintenance center in Rayong province BANGKOK, Nov. 23 (Xinhua) -- Thai Airways International (THAI) will put forward an investment plan for building an aviation maintenance, repair and overhaul center in eastern Thailand, said an official of the Eastern Economic Corridor Office (EECO) on Monday. The national flag carrier has planned to co-invest in an aviation maintenance, repair and overhaul center to be built near the U-Tapao international airport in the Rayong province and to conclude related talks with potential partner the Airbus company by the end of this year or early next year, said EECO official Chokchai Panyayong. The planned joint venture between THAI and Airbus is expected to see a maintenance, repair and overhaul center for passenger and cargo aircraft open in 2024 in the neighborhood of the U-Tapao airport, about 45 kilometers south of beach resort Pattaya, according to the official. THAI has suffered huge financial losses due in part to the COVID-19 pandemic, said Panyayong. http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2020-11/23/c_139537507.htm Boeing 737 MAX Aircraft Undergoing 24-Hour Maintenance and Upgrades After FAA Green Light MOSES LAKE, Wash. (Reuters) - The future of Boeing Co’s freshly approved 737 MAX is in the hands of nearly 700 workers toiling behind the gray doors of a three-bay hangar at a desert airport in Washington state. Inside, over an endless 24-hour loop, 737 MAX planes are rolled in for maintenance, and upgrades of software and systems as mandated by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration in this week’s order lifting a flight ban imposed after two crashes, the airport’s director said. In front, workers in bright yellow vests inspect the roughly 240 jets stored in giant grids at Grant County International Airport in Moses Lake - more than half of an inventory worth about $16 billion, according to investment firm Jefferies. Analysts say clearing the logjam of up to 450 stored jets in total is crucial before Boeing can resume meaningful production of its traditional cash cow - a task complicated by the fact that buyers have in some cases walked away during the grounding. While parked on the tarmac, each jet is fitted with red engine and wheel covers, a windshield screen to block out the sun, and a small generator powering cycles of fresh air and electricity through its systems - the aviation equivalent of life support. “It’s an enormous undertaking,” the airport’s director, Rich Muller, told Reuters. “But this go-ahead from the FAA has given them a real shot in the arm. It’s really energized everyone.” The work at Moses Lake is a cornerstone of a global logistical and financial strategy under way at Boeing to clear a backlog of more than 800 mothballed 737 MAX jets. About 450 are Boeing property, and a further 387 were in airline service before the FAA’s grounding order in March 2019. Across the globe, Boeing teams are hammering out delivery schedules - and financial terms - with airlines who last year had to scale back schedules and fly aging jetliners because they lacked the aircraft to meet strong demand as the MAX grounding dragged on longer than airline and Boeing executives expected. But the jet is returning at a time when the coronavirus pandemic has hammered demand for air travel and new jets. Boeing also faces new European trade tariffs and palpable mistrust of one of the most scrutinized brands in aviation. “Airlines and the supply chain do not see major deliveries until 2022,” said Arndt Schoenemann, managing director of supplier Liebherr-Aerospace Lindenberg. “Right now, COVID is the biggest problem for the industry.” A Boeing spokesman declined to comment beyond listing preparation steps before 737 MAXs go to customers, which include installing a flight control software upgrade to deal with a system tied to both crashes, separating wiring bundles that posed a potential safety hazard, and multiple tests including a test flight before a final FAA inspection. WHITE TAILS Airlines say it will take about two weeks to ready each plane for service with maintenance and software upgrades factored in, though Boeing has already deployed teams around the world to help companies get ready. In a visual display of the jet demand slump, workers at Moses Lake on Thursday rolled a 737 MAX “white tail” - a jet without a buyer, or whose buyer has been changed - out of a long row of aircraft awash in the bright liveries of airline customers, ranging from customers American Airlines to Norwegian Air. This week, Norwegian sought bankruptcy protection in Ireland. Reuters counted 12 white tails at Moses Lake on Thursday, though sources say Boeing is worried about 100 such aircraft in inventory, or more. Boeing declined to comment. Jets are also stored at Boeing property in the Seattle area and in San Antonio, Texas. Boeing is in discussions with several airlines, including Southwest, Delta and Alaska, hoping to stimulate demand for the jet. Deals are expected to include significant discounts, industry sources have said. But analysts caution cutting prices too far could upset other customers. A fire sale could also depress resale values of such single-aisle jets - the cornerstone of a complex system of financing that has attracted capital to the industry, powered by relatively strong returns on planes which are seen as mobile real estate. To kickstart the recovery of the MAX and contain any fallout to the jet’s valuation while offering aggressive discounts to find new homes, Boeing is expected to line up a handful of large deals with marquee customers who will put them in long service. The 737 MAX 8 has a list price of $122 million but the market long ago abandoned published prices as competition heated up. Most jets are privately sold well over 50% below the list price and the new MAX discount may be more, jet traders said. Slowing the recovery, the FAA, which has faced accusations of being too close to Boeing in the past, has said it plans in-person inspections of each of the 450 planes, which could take at least a year to complete, prolonging the jets’ deliveries. Grant County International has been a strategically important asset for Boeing at least since the 1960s, and every MAX built in the Seattle area is flown there for touch-and-go landings or other tests. The airport and abutting Boeing property has absorbed nearly 700 employees and contractors to aid the ungrounding effort, up from only a handful, Muller said. Meanwhile, Boeing is paying some $51,000 per plane a month to park its MAXs, he added. https://www.equities.com/news/boeing-737-max-aircraft-undergoing-24-hour-maintenance-and-upgrades-after-faa-green-light Dassault Aviation partners the Paris Region Challenge AI for Industry 2020 Saint-Cloud, France, November 23rd, 2020 – The “Paris Region Challenge AI for Industry 2020” kicks off. This ambitious competition in artificial intelligence is co-organized by the Ile-de-France Region and Dassault Aviation. Dassault Aviation provides the challenge with a scientific topic to be addressed, along with the necessary technical data samples and a team of engineers and Data Scientists to help out with preparation, supporting entrants and participation in the panel of judges. The proposed topic consists of using AI algorithms to develop, by learning, virtual sensors capable of estimating local stress suffered by a Falcon business jet, based solely on available aircraft instruments. By gaining further insight into the mechanical stress put on the aircraft, these virtual sensors will help to optimize maintenance programs and develop lighter and therefore more fuel efficient structures. Around ten European teams (start-ups and laboratories) based in the Paris Region will be shortlisted by a panel of judges to compete and submit a processing methodology based on the data provided. At the end of the challenge, the judges will select a single winner to which Dassault Aviation will offer a collaborative project lasting 12 to 18 months. The Region will provide the winner with €500,000 support in this context. “Dassault Aviation is at the cutting edge of innovation, particularly in digital technology, and our aircraft have integrated smart systems for more than 30 years. We are therefore delighted to contribute to this challenge and work with the AI ecosystem in the Paris Region, which is recognized for its vitality and very high standard, says Eric Trappier, Dassault Aviation Chairman and CEO. The competitors will process real industrial data, which is unusual in this kind of competition, and will be assisted by our teams. On top of the scientific aspects, the topic includes a real economic and environmental dimension, both for aviation and other areas of industry such as transport and energy. This is consistent with our conception of AI which should develop algorithms for the benefit of human beings. In short, this challenge has all the ingredients to be especially motivating. I wish all the entrants good luck.” Valérie Pécresse, President of the Ile-de-France Region, says: "The Challenge organized with Dassault Aviation follows on from the Smart Aerospace strategy announced at the Paris Air Show with Mr. Trappier. It therefore helps to position Europe's leading AI start-ups as drivers of a competitive aviation sector in Paris - France's largest in terms of employment - particularly with a view to reducing carbon emissions. In addition to the €500,000 prize dedicated to this Challenge, the region has mobilized €30 million to revitalize the aviation sector in the Paris region." https://www.iledefrance.fr/challenge-ai-industry-2020 ABOUT DASSAULT AVIATION: With over 10,000 military and civil aircraft (including 2,500 Falcons) delivered in more than 90 countries over the last century, Dassault Aviation has built up expertise recognized worldwide in the design, development, sale and support of all types of aircraft, ranging from the Rafale fighter, to the high-end Falcon family of business jets, military drones and space systems. In 2019, Dassault Aviation reported revenues of €7.3 billion. The company has 12,750 employees. https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2020/11/23/2131948/0/en/Dassault-Aviation-partners-the-Paris-Region-Challenge-AI-for-Industry-2020.html CDB Aviation Brings Next Generation A330 P2F Freighter to Market CDB Aviation, a wholly owned Irish subsidiary of China Development Bank Financial Leasing Co., Limited (“CDB Leasing”), announced today a new partnership with Germany-based EFW GmbH (“EFW”) to conduct the Passenger-to-Freighter (“P2F”) conversion of two Airbus A330-300 aircraft in 2021, which will be available for lease to airline customers from early 2022. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20201123005989/en/ CDB Aviation is bringing the next generation Airbus A330 P2F freighter to the market with 23% more cargo volume than older freighters aircraft types, which will be available for lease to airline customers beginning in early 2022. (Photo: Business Wire) The A330-300 P2F conversion program marks CDB Aviation’s first entry into freighter conversion, advancing the lessor’s strategic efforts to deliver ever-more customized fleet solutions to customers, while tapping the long-term growth potential of the medium widebody freighter market. The A330 P2Fs are part of the existing fleet of 228 aircraft, in addition to the lessor’s further commitments for 150 in-demand, next-generation technology aircraft. “We are seeing an increasing interest from our customers for medium-sized freighters, as they look to take advantage of record-high freighter utilization, rapidly growing e-commerce demand, and higher cargo yields,” elaborated CDB Aviation Chief Executive Officer Patrick Hannigan. “We look forward to working with EFW on converting our highly efficient A330-300 aircraft into the next generation of medium widebody freighters that our customers can use to meet the burgeoning international and regional air freight demand.” The medium widebody freighter segment is today comprised of over 600 aircraft, served primarily by aging twin-jet aircraft, such as the Boeing 767F and Airbus A300F, which have an average age of 22 years. The A330-300 P2F will bring next generation technology and efficiency to this segment. With growing express cargo demand and declining cargo densities, the A330-300 P2F offers more volumetric space than older freighters in this category, in line with what cargo operators and freight forwarders are seeking. “With 12,000 Airbus cockpit aircraft in service, the A330-300 P2F will seamlessly slot into the fleets of A320 Family, A330, and A350 operators, and will bring a new paradigm of efficiency with 23% more cargo volume,” expanded Hannigan. “We are very excited to have CDB Aviation on board for investing in A330P2F Airbus converted freighters,” said Dr. Andreas Sperl, Chief Executive Officer of EFW. “We look forward to a prosperous long-term relationship and to support the fleet growth in this promising market segment.” “As a major lessor of passenger A330s, it is a natural evolution of our portfolio to be able to offer our customers the A330-300 P2F. Our belief is that the A330-300 P2F is the exact type of medium widebody aircraft that airlines and cargo operators require to meet cargo demand near-term and into the future,” concluded Hannigan. About EFW Elbe Flugzeugwerke GmbH (“EFW”), joint venture between ST Engineering and Airbus combines various aviation and technology activities under a single roof: development and manufacturing of fibre-reinforced composite components for aircraft structures and interiors of the entire Airbus family, the conversion of passenger aircraft into freighter configuration, maintenance and repair of Airbus aircraft as well as engineering services in the context of certification and approval. The company has a workforce of about 1,600 employees and achieved revenues of approximately €300 million in 2019. With over 20 years of experience and more than 40 conversion customers worldwide, thereof the largest Express carriers in North America and Europe but also renowned General Freight and Combination Carriers, EFW is the Centre of Excellence for freighter conversions and driving the development of the Airbus freighter family. For more information about EFW, please visitwww.efw.aero. About CDB Aviation CDB Aviation is a wholly owned Irish subsidiary of China Development Bank Financial Leasing Co., Limited (“CDB Leasing”), a 35-year-old Chinese leasing company that is backed mainly by the China Development Bank. CDB Aviation is rated Investment Grade by Moody’s (A1), S&P Global (A), and Fitch (A+). China Development Bank is under the direct jurisdiction of the State Council of China and is the world’s largest development finance institution. It is also the largest Chinese bank for foreign investment and financing cooperation, long-term lending and bond issuance, enjoying Chinese sovereign credit rating. CDB Leasing is the only leasing arm of the China Development Bank and a leading company in China’s leasing industry that has been engaged in aircraft, infrastructure, ship, commercial vehicle and construction machinery leasing and enjoys a Chinese sovereign credit rating. It took an important step in July 2016 to globalize and marketize its business – listing on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (HKEX STOCK CODE: 1606).www.CDBAviation.aero https://www.galvnews.com/news_ap/business/article_2b1ae54a-4099-5f1c-b252-f34bbf370b47.html First Venezuelan-made aircraft passes test flights with flying colors CARACAS, Nov. 21 (Xinhua) -- The first Venezuelan-made aircraft concluded its test flights on Saturday with flying colors, the deputy minister of air transportation, Ramon Velasquez Araguayan, announced. "The aircraft took to the skies, with a perfect takeoff and landing," Velasquez said in a video posted to Twitter, referring to the SIBO-100 prototype named in tribute to Latin American liberator and national hero Simon Bolivar. "Today we completed the test flight of the SIBO-100 ... in honor of the centennial of our military aviation," added Velasquez, who also serves as president of the Venezuelan consortium Industrias Aeronauticas y Servicios Aereos (Aeronautical Industries and Air Services). Transportation Minister Hipolito Abreu also celebrated the event, calling it a "historical milestone that marks the birth of the National Aeronautical Company (EANSA)." EANSA was created in February of this year and this week opened its headquarters in the central state of Aragua. The president of Venezuela, Nicolas Maduro, on Thursday established two companies to provide aeronautical services and maintenance, in a bid to strengthen an industry hard hit by U.S.-led sanctions. Enditem http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2020-11/22/c_139533994.htm EL Al Israel Airlines and Etihad Airways to Explore Partnerships EL AL Israel Airlines, the national airline of Israel, and Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, are set to explore deeper cooperation following the signing of a virtual Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). The wide-ranging MoU covers scope to introduce joint codeshare services between Abu Dhabi and Tel Aviv, as well as on the global flight networks beyond the two carriers’ hubs. The MoU also contains plans for greater commercial cooperation in the fields of cargo, engineering, loyalty, destination management and the optimal use of pilot and cabin crew training facilities. The MoU was signed ‘virtually’ by Tony Douglas, Group Chief Executive Officer of Etihad Aviation Group, and Gonen Usishkin, Chief Executive Officer of EL AL Israel Airlines. Both carriers’ engineering and cargo divisions are also set to begin talks about greater cooperation. These discussions would look at optimising MRO (maintenance repair and overhaul) opportunities, as well as ways to increase volumes of freighter traffic flowing into and out of Abu Dhabi and Tel Aviv, and across the carriers’ combined networks. Etihad Airways has announced its intention to commence daily services between Abu Dhabi and Tel Aviv from 28 March 2021. Tony Douglas said: “Following EL AL’s historic flight to Abu Dhabi, the first ever flight between Israel and the UAE, this MoU is the foundation of what we envision will be a strong ongoing relationship between Abu Dhabi and Tel Aviv. "We look forward to examining ways in which the two flag carriers – Etihad and EL AL – can work more closely together to improve business operations and enhance the experience for our guests." Gonen Usishkin said: “Following the normalisation of diplomatic relations between Israel and the UAE, we have been provided a great opportunity to examine the possibility of cooperation with Etihad Airways. "This MoU is only the start and we believe that together, the two flag carriers will be able to provide our mutual customers with the best possible product and service. Already, the common goals we have outlined speak for the success of our future cooperation." In addition to codeshare operations, the teams at Etihad Guest and EL AL Matmid loyalty programmes will explore reciprocal earn and burn opportunities for its members, as well as other benefits. The airlines’ destination management teams will also collaborate to encourage recipricoal inbound tourism to Abu Dhabi and Tel Aviv. https://www.transportandlogisticsme.com/smart-air-freight/el-al-israel-airlines-and-etihad-airways-to-explore-partnerships Bombardier to establish Engineering Academy in Cairo On the opening day of the prestigious TransMEA 2020 exhibition in Cairo, rail technology leader Bombardier Transportation announced it will establish an Engineering Academy in Cairo to develop the next generation of skilled Bombardier engineers for its mobility projects in Egypt and beyond. The Engineering Academy will be open to recent engineering graduates in Egypt who are interested in developing a long-term career in rail transportation with Bombardier. The training program will provide a structured series of work placements on the Cairo monorail mega-project, as well as classroom-based tuition and online tuition, individual assignments and mentoring. It will be aligned with established and proven Bombardier engineering systems and processes. Once they have completed the program successfully, the engineers will have access to the Bombardier international job career path. “The Bombardier Transportation Engineering Academy will be an exciting post-graduate program giving talented young Engineers the benefit of practical work experience combined with the opportunity to learn from international engineering experts from a world leading mobility provider. Our young Engineers will undertake assignments in the real-life project delivery environment here in Cairo on our monorail mega-project,” said Ahmed Eldamanhoury, Managing Director Egypt at Bombardier Transportation. He added, “This hands-on approach will enable our trainees to hone their skills and the program presents opportunities to gain long-term employment in the rail industry with Bombardier.” Bombardier aims to recruit up to 15 aspiring young engineers for its first Engineering Academy and it will officially launch the recruitment for the program early next year. It also plans further intakes in the years that follow. The program will be promoted at Recruitment Fairs, on LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/company/bombardier-transportation and on Bombardier’s careers website www.careers.bombardier.com. Once the programme is launched, applications must be submitted online via the career’s website (Bombardier does not accept applications or CVs via email). Representatives from Bombardier will be at the TransMEA 2020 exhibition (part of the Cairo ICT exhibition) from November 22 to 25, 2020 at the Egypt International Exhibition Centre (EIEC) in Hall 4 on Stand 4D3. Information about Bombardier and its mobility solutions is also available at http://www.rail.bombardier.com. About Bombardier Transportation in Egypt Bombardier has been a long-term partner to Egypt’s railways since the 1970s. It has supplied around 50 per cent of the Egypt National Railways (ENR) locomotive fleet, as well as turbo trains and fleet support services. In August 2019, a consortium of Bombardier, Orascom Construction and Arab Contractors won the contract to design and build Cairo’s new monorail system, consisting of two new lines and incorporating 70 BOMBARDIER INNOVIA monorail 300 four-car trains and the BOMBARDIER CITYFLO 650 communication-based train control (CBTC) signalling technology, as well as project management and system integration. The 6th of October City line will be 42 km long with 12 stations and the New Capital City line will be 54 km long with 21 stations. About Bombardier Transportation Bombardier Transportation is a global mobility solution provider leading the way with the rail industry’s broadest portfolio. It covers the full spectrum of solutions, ranging from trains to sub-systems and signalling to complete turnkey transport systems, e-mobility technology and data-driven maintenance services. Combining technology and performance with empathy, Bombardier Transportation continuously breaks new ground in sustainable mobility by providing integrated solutions that create substantial benefits for operators, passengers and the environment. Headquartered in Berlin, Germany, Bombardier Transportation employs around 36,000 people and its products and services operate in over 60 countries. About Bombardier With over 52,000 employees across two business segments, Bombardier is a global leader in the transportation industry, creating innovative and game-changing planes and trains. Our products and services provide world-class transportation experiences that set new standards in passenger comfort, energy efficiency, reliability and safety. Headquartered in Montréal, Canada, Bombardier has production and engineering sites in over 25 countries across the segments of Aviation and Transportation. Bombardier shares are traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange (BBD). In the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019, Bombardier posted revenues of $15.8 billion. News and information are available at bombardier.com or follow us on Twitter @Bombardier. http://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2020/11/22/2131329/0/en/Bombardier-to-establish-Engineering-Academy-in-Cairo.html SMART TECHNOLOGY TO HELP PILOTS A new breed of connected devices has been gaining momentum across the general aviation industry that combines wireless technology with the ease of use of a smartphone. These solutions help pilots manage preflight and postflight procedures while providing convenience, safety, and security for aircraft and hangar operations. For example, products like Switchbox and Hangarbot take advantage of cellular connectivity and enable pilots to start engine preheating remotely. For many, it means no more driving to the airport hours before a flight and having to wait for the engine’s temperature to reach a desired level. The engine preheating process is fully controlled through a mobile application and can be initiated from anywhere in the world. And additional devices like the Tanis Cabin Heater or a coffee maker can be controlled by the same connected products. If you happen to live in northern states where snow lingers, there are now automatic snow melting systems available to pilots. These systems feature heating elements that can be installed in asphalt or concrete that can be activated remotely through a phone app while saving you the time and effort of shoveling snow before you roll out the airplane. If you are interested in these solutions, products by Lynk Remote Technologies, Snow Melting Solution, or WarmlyYours can help you keep your concrete or asphalt free of ice and snow year-round. Other connected products turn a regular hangar into a “smart home” for your aircraft. They bring internet connectivity to any place where cellular coverage is available and offer the convenience of touchless operations, video monitoring, and ability to remotely control any device plugged into a power outlet. With automated hangar solutions, pilots are empowered to remotely operate a hangar’s door by simply pressing a button on a smartphone and being able to watch it move via live video stream. Do you need to let your mechanic or FBO personnel inside the hangar, but they don’t have a spare key? No problem. By installing smart door sensors and a W-iFi-enabled door controller, you can let them inside the hangar to service your aircraft, watch the work in a safe manner, and lock the door after they leave the hangar even if you are hundreds of miles away. If you would like to learn more about smart platforms that offer automation, security, and remote operation, take a look at solutions developed by Hangarbot. “Hangar rash” is another major concern of many pilots who store their aircraft inside hangars with multiple aircraft. By adding small video cameras with motion detector sensors around your airplane, you can monitor its surroundings 24/7 and see who came in close contact with it. These video monitoring systems can be accessed from anywhere in the world and can notify you if they sense anything suspicious. Cameras developed by Ring offer security with ultra-bright LED and siren. Many companies provide innovative and inexpensive solutions that help pilots protect their aircraft and offer added convenience via easy-to-install and easy-to-operate systems. Whatever system you choose, make sure it offers an extendable software platform so you may add other components as your needs grow over time. https://www.aopa.org/news-and-media/all-news/2020/november/20/smart-technology-to-help-pilots 3M and Safran Announce Partnership to Design Cleaner Aircraft Interiors ST. PAUL‚ Minn. & HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov 23, 2020-- 3M and Safran Cabin are bringing together their strengths and technologies in a partnership announced today. The pandemic has had a large impact on global air travel and the industry seeks solutions to restore passenger confidence and promote a recovery. Known for its multiplatform technologies and efforts to fight against COVID-19, 3M will leverage its deep roots in innovation by providing technologies to help design cleaner aircraft cabin interiors for ‘Travel Safe’ – a joint initiative of Safran Interior companies to verifiably elevate the hygiene of aircraft interiors. “Today, passengers choose their airline - considering not only safety, interactivity and connectivity, but interior hygiene assurance,” said Stephen Shafer, vice president and general manager of 3M’s Automotive and Aerospace Solutions Division. “The most important factor is the protection of travelers and their families, and 3M continues to apply its technology to enable passenger safety in the skies. Safran is a leader in the industry and we have great synergy between the two companies.” Safran will certify 3M technology that enhances cleaning and protection features of aircraft cabin equipment and provides the capability to mitigate or improve the removal of bacteria and viruses, including SARS-CoV-2. These solutions can be permanently embedded into aircraft interior surfaces during the manufacturing process, or they can be applied to upgrade existing interiors. “Clean interiors are an industry imperative, and we have with 3M an innovative partner and expert in cleaning, disinfection and protection, who can blend the latest in clean technology with the specialized plastics, decors, and composites used in aircraft interiors,” said Norman Jordan, CEO of Safran Cabin. The exclusive partnership will leverage the research capability of both companies to realize a shared vision for seamless, safe and stress-free travel. It’s expected that these new aerospace materials will be available in 2021. About 3M At 3M, we apply science in collaborative ways to improve lives daily. With $32 billion in sales, our 96,000 employees connect with customers all around the world. Learn more about 3M’s creative solutions to the world’s problems at www.3M.com or on Twitter @3M or @3MNews. About Safran Safran is an international high-technology group, operating in the aviation (propulsion, equipment and interiors), defense and space markets. Its core purpose is to contribute to a safer, more sustainable world, where air transport is more environmentally friendly, comfortable and accessible. Safran has a global presence, with 81,000 employees and holds, alone or in partnership, world or regional leadership positions in its core markets. Safran is listed on the Euronext Paris stock exchange and is part of the CAC 40 and Euro Stoxx 50 indices. Safran Cabin is a world leader in fully integrated Cabin Interiors, Catering Systems and Cargo Equipment. For more information: www.safran-group.com / Follow @Safran and @safran—cabin on Twitter https://www.oaoa.com/news/business/3m-and-safran-announce-partnership-to-design-cleaner-aircraft-interiors/article_da25d20c-2e7b-54d3-9cdc-118bcae98eb5.html China to launch moon probe, seeking first lunar rock retrieval since 1970s BEIJING, Nov 22 (Reuters) - China plans to launch an unmanned spacecraft to the moon this week to bring back lunar rocks in the first attempt by any nation to retrieve samples from Earth's natural satellite since the 1970s. The Chang'e-5 probe, named after the ancient Chinese goddess of the moon, will seek to collect material that can help scientists understand more about the moon's origins and formation. The mission will test China's ability to remotely acquire samples from space, ahead of more complex missions. If successful, the mission will make China only the third country to have retrieved lunar samples, following the United States and the Soviet Union decades ago. Since the Soviet Union crash-landed the Luna 2 on the moon in 1959, the first human-made object to reach another celestial body, a handful of other countries including Japan and India have launched moon missions. In the Apollo programme, which first put men on the moon, the United States landed 12 astronauts over six flights from 1969 to 1972, bringing back 382 kg (842 pounds) of rocks and soil. The Soviet Union deployed three successful robotic sample return missions in the 1970s. The last, the Luna 24, retrieved 170.1 grams (6 ounces) of samples in 1976 from Mare Crisium, or "Sea of Crises". China's probe, scheduled to launch in coming days, will attempt to collect 2 kg (4 1/2 pounds) of samples in a previously unvisited area in a massive lava plain known as Oceanus Procellarum, or "Ocean of Storms". "The Apollo-Luna sample zone of the moon, while critical to our understanding, was undertaken in an area that comprises far less than half the lunar surface," said James Head, a planetary scientist at Brown University. Subsequent data from orbital remote sensing missions have shown a wider diversity of rock types, mineralogies and ages than represented in the Apollo-Luna sample collections, he said. "Lunar scientists have been advocating for robotic sample return missions to these many different critical areas in order to address a host of fundamental questions remaining from earlier exploration," Head said. The Chang'e-5 mission may help answer questions such as how long the moon remained volcanically active in its interior and when its magnetic field - key to protecting any form of life from the sun's radiation - dissipated. THE MISSION Once in the moon's orbit, the probe will aim to deploy a pair of vehicles to the surface: a lander will drill into the ground, then transfer its soil and rock samples to an ascender that will lift off and dock with an orbiting module. If this is successful, the samples will be transferred to a return capsule that will return them to Earth. China made its first lunar landing in 2013. In January 2019, the Chang'e-4 probe touched down on the far side of the moon, the first by any nation's space probe. Within the next decade, China plans to establish a robotic base station to conduct unmanned exploration in the south polar region. It is to be developed through the Chang'e-6，7 and 8 missions through the 2020s and expanded through the 2030s ahead of manned landings. China plans to retrieve samples from Mars by 2030. In July, China launched an unmanned probe to Mars in its first independent mission to another planet. https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/china-to-launch-moon-probe-seeking-first-lunar-rock-retrieval-since-1970s-2020-11-21 SpaceX scrubs Starlink satellite launch on record 7th flight of a Falcon 9 rocket SpaceX called off the launch of its next Starlink satellite fleet late Sunday (Nov. 22), delaying a potentially record-setting flight for the mission's Falcon 9 rocket. A Falcon 9 rocket was poised to make its seventh launch (a record for the reusable booster) from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida when SpaceX scrubbed the mission. The liftoff was scheduled for 9:56 p.m. EST (0256 GMT) to deliver 60 Starlink internet satellites to orbit. "Standing down from today's launch of Starlink," SpaceX said in an update on Twitter. "Rocket and payload are healthy; teams will use additional time to complete data reviews and are now working toward backup opportunity on Monday, November 23 at 9:34 p.m. but keeping an eye on recovery weather." SpaceX was just over 30 minutes from launch when the mission was scrubbed. "Hold, hold, hold," SpaceX's launch director said in a live audio webcast from Mission Control. " We're standing down from today's attempt for additional mission assurance." Sunday's launch attempt followed on the heels of a successful Falcon 9 launch from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California on Saturday. That mission launched the Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich ocean-mapping satellite for NASA and the European Space Agency, and landed its first stage booster shortly afterward. Today's planned launch would have marked SpaceX's 23rd launch of 2020 and the landmark 100th flight of a Falcon 9 rocket. It is also SpaceX's 16th Starlink mission to build up a massive constellation of high-speed internet satellites in orbit. The Falcon 9 first stage for this flight first launched in September 2018, when it carried the Telstar 18 Vantage communications satellite into orbit. It flew again in January 2019 to deliver 10 Iridium Next satellites to orbit, and then four more times this year on different Starlink missions. After today's planned launch, the booster was expected to return to Earth again to land itself on SpaceX's drone ship "Of Course I Still Love You" in the Atlantic Ocean. The weather conditions for that planned recovery could impact plans for another launch attempt on Monday. SpaceX's current Falcon 9 rockets, called the Block 5 series, are designed to fly at least 10 times, if not more, the company has said. https://www.space.com/spacex-starlink-15-launch-scrub Curt Lewis