Antares blows up on liftoff

WALLOPS ISLAND, Va. – An Orbital Science Antares rocket exploded just after liftoff Tuesday night, destroying the rocket, cargo and causing damage on the launch pad. The rocket, on a mission to bring supplies to the International Space Station, was unmanned and blew up about six seconds after leaving the launch pad at NASA’s Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport. The Cygnus spacecraft had some 5,000 pounds of supplies and experiments aboard. (Sources: multiple, including WKMG-TV, CBS News, CNN, 10/28/14) The Antares first stage is powered by twin AJ26 engines tested at Stennis Space Center, Miss. In May 2014, an AJ26 engine being tested at the E-complex reportedly exploded halfway through a test. Previous

NASA partners with innovators

NASA selected four teams of agency technologists for participation in the Early Career Initiative (ECI) pilot program. The program encourages creativity and innovation among early career NASA technologists by engaging them in hands-on technology development opportunities needed for future missions. NASA created the ECI to enable a highly collaborative, joint-partnering work environment between the best and brightest NASA early career innovators and leading innovators in industry, academia and other government organizations. Among the teams selected was NASA’s Stennis Space Center, Miss., with partner Innovative Imaging and Research (I2R) of Mississippi. The team will develop and demonstrate a system for high-speed, 3-D, High Dynamic Range (HDR) imaging. Video imaging will be performed at the chip level using computational photography, providing NASA with advanced visualization technologies to meet future needs. (Source: NASA via PRNewswire, 10/17/14)

NASA awards contract

STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. -- NASA awarded Affigent LLC of Herndon, Va., a firm-fixed price delivery order for NASA's Oracle Database Management Software license maintenance. The order has a period of performance consisting of a one-year base period with two, one-year option periods through Oct. 14, 2017. The total not-to-exceed value of the order is about $15 million. The contract is administered by the NASA Shared Services Center (NSSC) Enterprise License Management Team (ELMT) at Stennis Space Center. The NSSC performs selected business activities for all NASA centers. (Source: NSSC, 10/16/14)

CTi-equipped engine has test flight

Rolls-Royce has completed the first flight test of aircraft featuring its composite carbon/titanium (CTi) fan blade with advance and ultrafan engine design. The CTi fan blades were integrated into a Trent 1000 engine of the Rolls-Royce 747, which recently completed its successful flying test at Tucson, Ariz. The engine design provides a 20 percent fuel consumption savings. In September Rolls-Royce completed crosswind testing on this fan system at the company's outdoor jet engine test facility at Stennis Space Center, Miss. Established in 2007, the SSC test facility is one of three company testing sites worldwide. It conducts noise, crosswind, thrust reverse, cyclic and endurance testing on all current Rolls-Royce large engine types. (Source: Aerospace Technology, 10/16/14) Previous

Lunch and Learn slated

The next Mississippi Enterprise for Technology "Lunch and Learn" will feature Ingalls Shipbuilding. Hal Todd, manager supply chain integration and Joan Branson, manager socio-economic business program, will be guest speakers. The Lunch and Learn is 11:30 to 1 p.m. Oct. 16 at Infinity Science Center, Conference Room D. Register by noon Oct. 13. Call 228-688-3144 or e-mail for more information. (Source: MSET, 10/10/14)

Maritime cluster gets SBA funding

The U.S. Small Business Administration announced the Marine Industries Science and Technology (MIST) Cluster, centered at Stennis Space Center, is one of four new regional innovative clusters that will receive SBA funding. The MIST Cluster will cover an area that includes Alabama, Florida, Louisiana and Mississippi. According to Sen. Thad Cochran (R-Miss.), MIST will be administred by the non-profit Mississippi Enterprise for Technology, a business incubator and technology transfer office. SBA funding will range from $500,000 to $550,000 for each of the clusters. According to SBA, the MIST Cluster will "focus on the Stennis Space Center's ecosystem of world class marine technology research, the highest concentration of oceanographers in the world, and a broad consortium of federal and state partners to provide targeted support for the creation and growth of small businesses involved in 'blue technology.'" The MIST Cluster, along with three other new regional innovation clusters announced Tuesday, expands the SBA initiative to 11 clusters nationwide. (Sources: SBA, 09/30/14, Mississippi Business Journal, 10/01/14)

A350 XWB EASA certified

The Airbus A350 XWB received type certification for airworthiness from the European Aviation Safety Agency on Sept. 30. Federal Aviation Administration certification of the plane, also called the A350-900, will follow. The A350 XWB is Airbus' all-new mid-size long range product line and the newest member of the wide-body family. Launch customer Qatar Airlines is expected to begin flying the plane before the end of the year. (Sources: Airbus, Derby Telegraph, 09/30/14) Note: The jetliner is powered by Rolls-Royce Trent XWB engines tested at Stennis Space Center, Miss.