Reamonn L. Soto

NASA is soliciting industry proposals to carry out rapid studies of mission designs and mission elements capable of delivering samples collected by the Mars Perseverance rover from the surface of Mars to Earth. NASA recognizes that U.S. industry has innovative ideas and substantial capabilities that may be relevant to a Mars Sample Return campaign. This Rapid Mission Design Studies for Mars Sample Return program element (henceforth “program element”) seeks to establish whether there are viable mission designs or mission element options, such as a smaller Mars Ascent Vehicle, to return samples from Mars that offer benefits (e.g., less complexity, lower overall cost, lower annual cost, earlier sample return, and/or lower risk; see Section 3.4) compared to NASA’s reference mission design. Studies may be for complete mission designs, for mission designs that include elements of NASA’s Mars Sample Return Program or NASA’s Artemis Program as Government Furnished Equipment (GFE), or for individual mission elements; see Section 3.2. The results of these studies may inform revisions to NASA’s Mars Sample Return Program and may result in future procurements. go.nasa.gov/rasmsr24

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May 28, 2024- Synoptic Data, a Public Benefit Corporation signed a two-year Cooperative Research and Development Agreement with NOAA’s National Weather Service and Grand Sky Airfield Operations, LLC, to deploy uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS) to gather and evaluate the upper air data to determine how it could aid in weather forecasting. The research project will take place at the GrandSKY Flight Operations Center in Grand Forks, North Dakota and gather weather data up to an altitude of 16,900 feet. Real-time data is a necessity for weather forecasting and meteorologists are continuing to improve their accuracy. Ongoing research projects allow the National Weather Service to learn more about our atmosphere and use the information for better forecasts and warnings. NOAA: National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration announced a new research effort to study how upper air data from Uncrewed Aircraft Systems (UAS) can aid in forecasting. Synoptic Data is participating in this CRADA (Cooperative Research & Development Agreement) by providing data storage and delivery to the National Weather Service. Read the full story and learn how upper air data will be collected and used for forecasting and warning efforts: https://zurl.co/dAFS Meteomatics AG Grand Sky #uas #upperairdata #soundings #weatherdata

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Skydio faces a significant setback in the defense sector. The U.S. Army selected a lesser-known Utah-based company, over Skydio for its Short Range Reconnaissance (SRR) program. This decision entails supplying thousands of small surveillance drones to U.S. soldiers, with the contract potentially valued at approximately $260 million. Teal Drones selection is notable, especially considering Skydio’s previous involvement in the SRR program. In February 2022, Skydio was awarded a contract for the SRR program, with a base year value of $20.2 million and a potential total value of up to $99.8 million over five years. In November 2024, the company raised an additional $170 million in funding, I assume based on being awarded aforementioned contract, so what now? Additionally, Skydio has been navigating supply chain challenges due to Chinese sanctions, which have impacted its access to critical components. The company is actively seeking alternative suppliers to mitigate these disruptions. While the loss of the SRR contract is a setback, does Skydio’s recent funding and ongoing efforts to address supply chain issues demonstrate its resilience and commitment to maintaining a strong presence in the drone industry? Or is there another Airware about to happen? https://lnkd.in/e6sQQg3n

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Method Aeronautics Advances to Next Phase in DARPA's ANCILLARY Program, Pioneering VTOL Technologies for Unmanned Aircraft Falls Church, Virginia — April 30, 2024 The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has announced that Method Aeronautics LLC has progressed to the next phase of the groundbreaking AdvaNced airCraft Infrastructure-Less Launch And RecoverY (ANCILLARY) program. This phase aims to further the design and test of an X-plane demonstrator of advanced propulsion and control architectures for Vertical Takeoff and Landing (VTOL) unmanned aircraft systems (UAS). Adding to Method's reputation as experts in long endurance fixed-wing aircraft design, with this milestone Method has emerged as a leader in vertical takeoff and landing technology for unmanned aircraft systems. Method's design brings a novel approach enabling efficient, robust VTOL capability for Group 3 UAS. Method sees this program as critical technology development to enable wider use of VTOL UAS by U.S. forces abroad, and is actively working to accelerate development beyond the scope of the award. For the ANCILLARY program Method is collaborating with two other industry standouts: Bechamo and SNC. Bechamo was founded in 2020 to provide flight control solutions, and to help aircraft makers create better and more controllable aircraft. Funded also by NASA Phase 1 and Phase 2 SBIRs, Bechamo is using AI and Optimization approaches to provide easier, safer aircraft flight controllers. SNC is proud to partner with Method and Bechamo as part of the DARPA ANCILLARY program. SNC’s long-history in enduring landing systems and aircraft modification and integration is enabling it to generate a state-of-the-art AI/ML landing solution with verifiable statistical safety checks to meet the demands of the ANCILLARY program and the modern warfighter. About Method Aeronautics: Since being founded in 2019 by the team responsible for the creation of Vanilla Aircraft, Method Aeronautics has been engaged in concept development, detail design, fabrication, flight test, and operational support for multiple unmanned aircraft programs. By adopting an entirely fresh approach to unmanned VTOL designs, Method once again aims to redefine the limits of possibility in the industry. Contact Information: [email protected] https://lnkd.in/gtAc2Fxu

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Really great article on Space! Highlights Rocket Lab and their mission of small launches their Electron rocket has filled. It goes on to discuss the Neutron that is a medium lift vehicle. Rocket lab focuses on the taxi service where it takes individual payloads to specific orbits, but the new Neutron rocket is meant to compete with SpaceX and its Falcon 9. The article further discussed start ups, such as Relativity Space and ABL Space Systems. I was quoted around the maturity of businesses in this segment and discussed M&A activity. I highlighted that, "... for a company to be a consolidation target it needs some enterprise value; it needs sales and employees and contracts." I further went on to say that, "... those pure-play space companies, they are going to have a harder time because it is a slower cycle, versus a company that gets into space with a diversified book of business and will probably be more successful." #aerospace #space #mergersandacquisitions #thefactorydoctor https://lnkd.in/gsNrw2cA

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ICYMI: Last week, I posted an article on my Forbes column to talk about the Modular Open Systems Approach (#MOSA), which is now required by law for very #DoD major defense acquisition program. So, if you expect to work on US #military #rotorcraft development efforts in the future, you should read this. In addition, the NATO Next Generation Rotorcraft Capability (#NGRC) program will require MOSA, and commercial aircraft efforts will likely all look at modular and open systems approaches. In other words, just about everyone should get familiar with MOSA, how to incorporate it into aircraft developments and why. https://lnkd.in/ek-tn2nf Bell Flight #V280 #Valor #FLRAA #FVL #AAM #eVTOL #Standards #OpenSystems #Modular

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My #unfiltered take on the State of the Commercial #UAS industry – while there is value (present and future), we have a long/painful way to go before the industry figures itself out. None of my opinions are directed at any one individual/company...just my own general thoughts.   A full $0.02 exceeds a LI character limit. So here is my $0.01: UAS/Hardware/Software manufacturers 🚁🕹️💻 : Many of you are making great strides in the #innovation aspects of your products, kudos to you. It’s becoming harder to weed you out from your competitors though. It’s one thing to brand yourself product as a Swiss-army knife. It’s a completely different thing to say your Swiss Army knife is bullet proof, only to find out that under the hood, it’s made of #3D printed plastic. Drone Service Providers (DSPs)🚧📋: You’re trying to juggle #industry resources, conflicting industry reports, a challenging #economy , #customer demands (race-to-bottom pricing), and #differentiation . All while trying to manage the idea of your customers taking on flight services internally (effectively cutting you out). #Regulatory State ⚖️: Whether you are for or against the CCP regulations, & whether or not it is completely passed, it is going to affect all of us in some way. I see both sides of the issue. Both sides can (and should) stand up as tax paying citizens and have their voices heard. But at the end of the day, #politicians are going to play #politics . You should have bravo, charlie, & delta plans for each scenario. #Conference Organizers 🏟️: You need to #innovate . The days of nail-biting keynotes with flashy product reveals have come and gone (hopefully not forever). I think you will always have a core group of attendees that can stomach the expensive travel budgets (mainly to network). But right now it’s the same people, with the same breakout sessions, and generally the same tech, every year. That core group is dwindling. If we are going to sacrifice time away from our family’s, let’s get back to when conferences were exciting. End-users/customers of DSPs 🏭:        End-users have been accustomed to this idea that DSPs provide a safer (or alternative) solution to solve a problem. Generally, this is true. But when end-users buy into some of the misconceptions about things like pricing, availability, capacity, and demand, the only underlying KPI that matters is direct cost. If your organization is using a contracted model for UAS services, I think there needs to be a stronger emphasis on the relationships with your contractors (and supporting them). When a customer puts so much pressure on pricing, you’re backing legitimate DSPs into a corner where #safety and #integrity are compromised. No one #wins here. Moral of my story 💡 :     Buckle up and be ready for whatever this crazy world is ready to throw at us next. The commercial UAS industry is here to stay. What will the industry look like in the near (or long-term) future? No one truly knows.

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I just want to emphasize that this rule is the first step toward real UAS integration the FAA will take. Part 107 was the easy part - small UAS in line of sight of the pilot. Part 108 is key to the first step for medium size UAS to be integrated into low risk airspace. It represents a critical first step toward the integration of UAS into the US airspace since congress mandated integration in the 2012 FAA Reauthorization Act. Unfortunately, the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking is being held up at the Department of Transportation (NOT the FAA) for purely bureaucratic reasons. Because of the delay, the rule will likely miss the window for publication before the change of administrations and the inevitable hold on all rulemaking actions that always occurs during the change of administrations. If you care about UAS integration and the US leadership in aircraft automation in general, please forward the CDA/AUVSI OpEd to your congressional representatives. They all have websites where you can email them your concerns. Thanks!

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"While primarily known for commercial space initiatives such as the Dream Chaser reusable space plane and Orbital Reef space station, Sierra Space is looking to strengthen its foothold in the national security sector, with a particular emphasis on satellite technology.... The contract falls under the SDA’s Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture, specifically the Tranche 2 Tracking Layer, a component of the Defense Department’s low Earth orbit constellation. The satellites are scheduled to launch in 2027." https://lnkd.in/gnhdHGh2

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In Oct 2022, Alameda Applied Sciences Corporation (AASC) sold its patented Metal Plasma Thruster (MPT) business to Benchmark Space Systems (BSS), while continuing its development for NASA under SBIR contracts. AASC and Benchmark have now agreed to a new business framework in which Benchmark will continue marketing and sales of the MPT via a non-exclusive license, while AASC will continue its development and sales of the MPT to increase MPT performance, allowing it to address a growing market in Low Earth (LEO) and Very Low Earth (VLEO) orbits. AASC and Benchmark will also develop a Hybrid thruster configuration, where Benchmark's chemical propulsion systems are combined with the MPT, to offer satellite operators a unique capability for rapid collision avoidance combined with the MPT’s small impulse bits, for highly precise attitude control and fine positioning. The chemical and electric propulsion units will share a common avionics platform to provide plug-and-play mobility to satellite operators.  Ryan McDevitt, Benchmark CEO said that the new business relationship allows Benchmark to focus on its primary chemical propulsion product line while benefiting from AASC's sole focus on electric propulsion. Mahadevan Krishnan, President of AASC, welcomed the new arrangement and said he looks forward to serving customers in the burgeoning market for CubeSats and Small Satellites in LEO and VLEO. Together, BSS and AASC aim to provide a unique Hybrid (chemical/electric) mobility capability to satellites.

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It’s official: we are now an AFWERX STTR Phase 2 awardee!! This $1.8M grant will allow us to continue developing our core technology—a magnetically levitated reaction wheel for superior satellite stability and pointing—and bring it closer to a final product. We’re excited to collaborate with amazing partners like MIT Lincoln Laboratory, Stellar Solutions, and Moog Inc. on this project. Over the past few months, we’ve been able to engage with the Air Force Research Laboratory and Space Systems Command, and it's rewarding to see that hard work pay off! A special thanks to Col. Nate D. and Dr. Roberta Ewart (as well as Kevin Plascencia, Cody Bronkar, Peter Lai and Elozor Plotke, MSEE, PE, ESEP) for their unwavering support and encouragement, and to the entire BZY team at SSC for their swift assistance in identifying the right signatories and getting the MOU signed. The SSC Front Door has proven to be an incredible tool for small businesses, and it works like a charm! Now, there’s no time to waste—we’re eager to bring this technology to the next generation of DoD missions to enhance our national security. 🚀 🛰 💪 #DOD #NASA #SSC #USSF #SpaceForce #SpaceInnovation #GNC #SatelliteNavigation #PrecisionPointing #SatelliteInnovation #SpaceTech #SpaceEngineering #FutureOfSpace #NationalSecurity #ReactionWheels #MagLev

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In a recent interview with Paul Brinkmann of Aerospace America, a publication of AIAA, we get into some of the finer what-if details of #AAMInfrastructure standards and fire code. Understanding that this is an area of technology that is evolving daily and that what we knew yesterday is often different than what we understand today, developing standards and codes in this ever-changing landscape requires constant input from all stakeholders. That said, I encourage those who are interested to check out NFPA-418, Standard for Heliports and Vertiports, and provide Public Input as you see fit to help guide the next revision cycle. NFPA-418: https://lnkd.in/gRX2mv4w NFPA Free Access: https://lnkd.in/gfAzyXbV Vertical Flight Society Vertical Aviation International NASAO - National Association of State Aviation Officials General Aviation Manufacturers Association NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration Federal Aviation Administration NFPA Clint Harper, C.M. Nicolas Zart Raymond Syms Ricarda Bennett Kathryn Wright Jeff Wright Tom Schuman #uam #vtol #evtol #technology #advancedairmobility #vertiport #heliport #firesafety #firecode #faa #nfpa #nasa Jim Sherman

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Ultimate success in any business requires making a profit. Space hardware is not immune from this. Chuck Beames makes this point as it relates to government space budgets. Frugality breeds innovation and efficiency. https://lnkd.in/gZMpMBEq

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Really looking forward to hearing your insights on the panel about the importance of interfaces, standardization and modular infrastructure in space.

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Good morning and happy Friday! During the conference, the obvious question everyone had about Machiineit was, “Who would use this?” I get it—the world wants “single click manufacturing,” and anything less seems archaic. The challenge with current pursuits (think Xometry, Protolabs, Fictiv, etc.) is that the process is outsourced, and all of the rich technical data is locked away in a black box. The whole reason Reindustrialize came into existence is that we are living through the consequences of outsourcing and its effect on separating manufacturing from engineering. Our philosophy at Machiineit is that companies should fully own their processes. Whether provided to us or developed by us, there are no black boxes. The customer owns the process, and we provide them with the tools and analytics to help drive costs down. We believe in “single click” as well, but that doesn’t mean we can’t also provide full transparency in how we get there. #CNC #Machining #Manufacturing #Reindustrialize #GCode #Venturecapital

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In a recent DroneLife article, the call for unity in our industry couldn't have been more timely—or necessary. As drone pilots, innovators, and industry leaders, we find ourselves at a crossroads where collaboration, not division, will determine our future. It’s time to lay down our swords and come together to tackle the macro challenges we all face. The gaslighting and dismissing of others' perspectives has to end. We don’t need to agree on every point, but we must respect each other and move forward with shared goals. To borrow from President Eisenhower: “Plans are nothing; planning is everything.” In this industry, collective planning and problem-solving are what will define our success—not isolated endeavors. At the end of the day, a rising tide lifts all boats. If we can harness the collective expertise, innovation, and determination within this community, the potential for growth is limitless. Let's stop negating and start collaborating. The future of this industry—and our success—depends on it. https://lnkd.in/gJP2rGd9 Miriam McNabb Lisa Ellman

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Hi folks. We're going to be telling Dark Fission Space Systems' story at the Dallas Nuclear Energy Space & Defense Investor Summit, sponsored by Balerion Space Ventures on December 11, 2024. Hope to see some of you there. We've seen a lot of very positive news on the terrestrial nuclear front (e.g., Microsoft and Amazon jumping into the fray to meet the burgeoning demand for carbon-free power) and would suggest that we're on the cusp of a space nuclear renaissance that will truly change the game on orbit. This is a horses-to-autos level revolution - energy and power available at densities no solar or chemical narrative can match, and in compact, lightweight forms, thus eminently transportable and scalable. This is how we truly open up cislunar space (and then the rest of the solar system) to commerce. But make no mistake: This won't be easy, and it'll require committed players, people who get the vision and understand the risks. We're all in. 🚀☢️

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Thanks to Ron F. from General Atomics' Electromagnetics Division for inviting me to opine on the challenges and opportunities of space nuclear power and propulsion. As it turns out, we have quite a bit of both. Opportunities first. I've said it before but it's worth repeating: Elon and his superb team at SpaceX have dismantled the LEO bottleneck. And that has opened the door to innovations of every kind - at least in LEO. But what it's really done is enable us to envision how we will go to (and play in) higher orbits, offering us a chance to define what sort of infrastructure we will build the future space economy *on*. The future is not LEO - it's the entire solar system. So: It won't be chemistry or solar power that get us moving, not if we're serious about creating a gold rush to orbit. Both are too constrained and deficient (i.e., insufficiently energy- and power-dense) to rapidly and efficiently connect the dots in cislunar space, and provide the megawatts on demand we know we'll need, whether the use case is civil, commercial, or defense. That leaves us with nuclear - and it's going to be fission for awhile, despite noteworthy quantities of money flowing into fusion. We can make this work - but we have to get to orbit and prove ourselves now. If we don't? Well, sunk cost is very real (see SLS). If you have it, you use it - even if it doesn't make sense. Let's make sure that what we put on orbit makes sense - commercial sense, defense sense, civil sense. Challenges? Well, we're all capital-intensive plays with some uncertainty in our regulatory story and that combo tends to scare the 💩 out of most private investors. I'd love to be introduced to any visionary folks out there with some discretionary dollars who share my passion for the space gold rush and want to find a way to get involved that gets us out and moving during our lifetimes - while we can have some fun. We can do this. 🚀 https://lnkd.in/ezq6yv_G

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