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May 18, 2021

Airborne-Unmanned 05.18.21: VoloConnect Unveiled, Canada Drones, uAvionix ping200XR

Also: Advanced Air Mobility, Drone Delivery Canada, Next Starliner Test, HAI UAS Advisor

Volocopter has unveiled its newest aircraft, VoloConnect. This electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft (eVTOL) is designed to connect suburbs to cities and complements the company's existing family of aircraft for the intra-city mission. VoloConnect's hybrid lift and push design is expected to achieve certification within the next 5 years. With the capacity to travel longer distances, VoloConnect joins Volocopter's aircraft family and extends the company's UAM ecosystem coverage to the suburbs. The new aircraft will be integrated into Volocopter's existing portfolio of UAM ecosystem solutions: VoloDrone, VoloCity, VoloPort, and the digital platform, VoloIQ. T

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Rocket Lab Recovers First Stage Following 2nd Stage Failure

First Stage Performed Nominally During The Mission And Did Not Contribute To The Flight Issue

The rocket business can be hard... On May 15, 2021, Rocket Lab experienced an anomaly almost three minutes into the company’s 20th Electron launch. Following a successful lift-off from Launch Complex 1, Electron proceeded through a nominal first stage engine burn, stage separation, and stage 2 ignition. Shortly after the second stage ignition the engine shut down, resulting in the loss of the mission. Rocket Lab continued to receive good telemetry from Electron following the safe engine shutdown on stage two, providing engineers with comprehensive data to review as part of a robust review into the anomaly.

Kayla Barron To Serve As A Mission Specialist

NASA has assigned Kayla Barron to serve as a mission specialist for the agency’s SpaceX Crew-3 mission to the International Space Station, which is targeted to launch as early as Oct. 23. This will be the first spaceflight for Barron, who became a NASA astronaut in January 2020 after completing two years of training. She will join NASA astronauts Raja Chari and Tom Marshburn, as the mission’s commander and pilot, respectively, and ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Matthias Maurer, who also will serve as a mission specialist.