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vol 23 ISSUE 12 • 2020
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1971 War:
Role of The Indian air force
Military • KC-46 Pegasus, A VERSATILE REFUELLING PLATFORM
Business Aviation • AERA’s Apathy
Space
• Falcon 6X rollout
• E XCLUSIVE interview Kirt Costello, Chief Scientist, ISS • SpaceX • CHINA’S UNMANNED LUNAR MISSION
RNI NUMBER: DELENG/2008/24199
• India’s communication satellite
• VBACE 2020 – VIRTUAL SHOW INAUGURATED
ISS of 20 Years Life in the Space
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table of CONTENTS
senior Editor Air Marshal B.K. Pandey (Retd) Deputy Managing Editor Neetu Dhulia
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Contributors India: Group Captain A.K. Sachdev (Retd), Group Captain Joseph Noronha (Retd)
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VOL 23 ISSUE 12 • 2020
1971 WAR:
The International Space Station (ISS) is a modular space station (habitable artificial satellite) in low Earth orbit. It is a collective project involving multinational collaboration of space agencies and is now composed of 16 modules. (Cover Photo: NASA) Cover Design by: SP’s Team
Group Research Associate Survi Massey
design Holistic Directions: Jayant Baranwal Designers: Vimlesh Kumar Yadav, Sonu S. Bisht
F O R
ROLE OF THE INDIAN AIR FORCE
MILITARY
Cover IMAGE
Deputy Manager – Circulation Rimpy Nischal
Research Assistant Sarthak Baranwal
C O N T E N T
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• KC-46 PEGASUS, A VERSATILE REFUELLING PLATFORM
BUSINESS AVIATION • AERA’S APATHY
SPACE
• FALCON 6X ROLLOUT
• EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW KIRT COSTELLO, CHIEF SCIENTIST, ISS • SPACEX • CHINA’S UNMANNED LUNAR MISSION • INDIA’S COMMUNICATION SATELLITE
RNI NUMBER: DELENG/2008/24199
Planning & Business Development Executive Vice President: Rohit Goel
S H A R P
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Europe: Alan Peaford USA & Canada: LeRoy Cook Chairman & Managing Director Jayant Baranwal
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Principal Correspondent Ayushee Chaudhary
• VBACE 2020 – VIRTUAL SHOW INAUGURATED
ISS of
MUCH MORE...
20 YEARS LIFE IN THE SPACE
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SP's Aviation Cover 12-2020.indd 1
22/12/20 10:45 AM
Military
Business Aviation
3
1971 - 50 Years
25 Policy
IAF’s Role in the War with Pakistan in 1971
AERA’s Apathy towards Indian GA/BA Industry
7
Refueller
26 Roll-Out
KC-46, a Versatile Platform
30 NBAA-VBACE
space 10 ISS Two Decades of Humans in Space
15
Dassault Aviation’s Highly Anticipated Roll-Out
EXCLUSIVE
Inaugural Virtual Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition 2020
Interview
Dr Kirt Costello, ISS Chief Scientist from NASA
18 SpaceX
SpaceX’s 25th Launch this Year; Strengthens Commercial Spaceflight
21 Lunar Probe
regular Departments 2
A Word from Editor-in-Chief
31 Hall of Fame Günther Rall (1918 - 2009) 32 Last Word Safeguard Satellites
China’s Unmanned Spacecraft Returns to Earth
23 ISRO
Communication Satellite Launched
Awards 2017
Special
Contribution to Business Aviation
NEXT ISSUE: Aero India 2021 Special
w w w. s p g u i d e p u b l i c at ions.com www.sps-aviation.com
ISSUE 12 • 2020
1
a word
from editor-in-chief
Throughout the last 20 years of inhabiting human life in space, the International Space Station has been orbiting earth as a symbol of possibility, exploration, potential, science, engineering, and working together
One event, other than the disastrous COVID-19 Pandemic, that has made the year 2020 noteworthy, is that this year marked the completion of 20 years of inhabitation by human beings of space on board the International Space Station (ISS) that had been placed in low Earth orbit. The first component of ISS was launched in 1998 and November 2, 2000 was the date on which first lot of human beings inhabited this platform. Since then, the space station has been occupied continuously by astronauts from across the world. As per NASA, during the past two decades, the space station has supported numerous discoveries, scientific publications, unique opportunities and historic breakthroughs. This issue of SP’s Aviation carries a detailed report by Ayushee Chaudhary on the two decades of human life in the space on board the ISS. On this momentous occasion, the magazine also carries an exclusive interview of Dr Kirt Costello from NASA who is its Chief Scientist of the International Space Station. Another highly successful foray into the domain of space has been by SpaceX, a private sector venture, marked by the recent launch of the Falcon 9 on the SXM-7 mission, marking the company’s 25th mission. Ayushee Chaudhary has a report on this successful mission in this issue of SP’s Aviation. Closer home, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) recorded another success on December 17 this year by launching and inserting into orbit its 42nd communication satellite designated as CMS-01. This successful mission was undertaken with the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle C-50, an extremely reliable workhorse designed and developed by ISRO. A report on this, by Air Marshal B.K. Pandey (Retd), has also been included in this issue of the magazine. Around the time that ISRO successfully launched its communication satellite, China recorded a major success in the domain of space exploration when its Chang’e 5 robotic probe landed back with fresh samples of rock and debris from the Moon, the first in more than 40 years. A report
on this journey of Chang’e 5 by Ayushee Chaudhary figures in this issue of the magazine. In the domain of Business Aviation, despite the COVID-19 global pandemic, on December 8, 2020, in a virtual rollout, Dassault Aviation of France unveiled its latest product – the newest and most advanced ultra wide-body Falcon 6X. This issue has a report on the rollout of the aircraft. In an article in this issue of SP’s Aviation, Group Captain Rajesh K. Bali (Retd) highlights the apathy of the Airport Economic Regulatory Authority’ (AERA) towards the Business and General Aviation segment of the Indian civil aviation industry. The author is of the view that AERA has already lost its relevance to small aircraft operators and this issue needs to be addressed urgently. Year 2020 also marked 50 years of India’s victory in the 1971 war against Pakistan and the creation of Bangladesh. Indian Air Force had played a vital role in this comprehensive victory by the Indian Armed Forces. In this issue, we have a report on the role played by the IAF in the 1971 war with some images from that period. All this and more in SP’s Aviation final issue of 2020. Welcome aboard and we wish you many happy landings! Jai Hind!
Owned, published and printed by Jayant Baranwal, printed at Kala Jyothi Process Pvt Ltd and published at A-133, Arjun Nagar (Opposite Defence Colony), New Delhi 110003, India. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, photocopying, recording, electronic, or otherwise without prior written permission of the Publishers.
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ISSUE 12 • 2020
Jayant Baranwal Publisher & Editor-in-Chief
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Military 1971 - 50 years
IAF officers being felicitated by the then Defence minister of india
IAF’s Role in the War with Pakistan in 1971 Photographs: IAF / Twitter
For the first time in the history of warfare, an armoured thrust was defeated by air action alone in just two days By Air Marshal B.K. Pandey (retd) An armed conflict between the Bengali nationalists in what was then East Pakistan and the Pakistani armed forces deployed there, became a war of liberation of East Pakistan in 1971 from the domineering West Pakistan that is reported to have massacred around three million Muslims and Hindus. This initially resulted in a flood of Bengali refugees into India and
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ultimately led to the Bangladesh War of Independence in 1971 in which the Indian armed forces got involved in a big way as it escalated into a full scale war between India and Pakistan. In this war against Pakistan for the liberation of East Pakistan and the creation of Bangladesh that lasted for 14 days, the Indian Air Force (IAF) played a significant role that is recorded in the
ISSUE 12 • 2020
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Military
1971 - 50 years
(Top) four Hunters of No. 20 Sqn raid Murid airfield ; (above Left) TANK DAMAGED IN LONGEWALA AREA BY HUNTER; (above right) a burning steamer at narayan ganj after hunter attack
Murid and destroyed five sabre jets on the ground. However, in the conflict with the PAF in the Western sector, the IAF did not aim at achieving air supremacy over the PAF as the primary focus of the IAF was on the Eastern front. Action on the Western WESTERN THEATRE The Indian armed forces joined the war on December 3, 1971, front was largely defensive in nature whereas on the Eastern secafter Pakistan Air Force (PAF) launched Operation Chengiz tor, the IAF had made plans to decimate the PAF deployed in East Khan which included pre-emptive air strikes in the day time Pakistan. However, there was one operation by the combat fleet on 11 military targets that included forward air bases and of the IAF in the Western sector which was in the battle of Longeradar installations of the IAF in the Western sector i.e. in Pun- wala that has gone down in history as an outstanding achievejab, Jammu and Kashmir and Rajasthan. In retaliation, the IAF ment. In this operation, a major armoured thrust with 65 battle tanks by the Pakistan Army on December went into action at midnight on Decem5, 1971, was blunted by use of air power ber 3, 1971 with the aim primarily of alone. Six Hunter aircraft operating out knocking the Sabre fighter jets of the of Jaisalmer, destroyed or damaged 52 PAF out of action. The aerial action was Pakistani tanks. For the first time in the expanded to massive retaliatory air The IAF did not history warfare, an armoured thrust was strikes the next morning. At least in the aim at achieving air defeated by air action alone in two days, initial stages, the air campaign in the a feat that was repeated nearly 30 years Western sector was limited to striking supremacy over the later in the first Gulf War. forward bases of the PAF and providing Pakistan Air Force close air support to the land forces duron the Western front ing offensive or defensive operations. EASTERN FRONT One of the most successful air raids Operations by the IAF on the Eastern as the primary focus by the IAF into West Pakistan was on front against the PAF were controlled of the IAF was on the December 8, 1971, in which Hunter by Headquarters of Eastern Air Comfighter aircraft based at Pathankot, mand located in Shillong which is in a Eastern front launched a strike on Pakistani air base somewhat remote location. In order to annals of military history as the Lightening Campaign. The 50th anniversary of the victory will be celebrated a year from now!
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Military
1971 - 50 years
(Top) Armed with 500 Kg bombs, MiG-21s of No. 28 Sqn & No. 4 SQN; (above Left) first major heliborne opERATION; (above right) An-12 of the IAF during the months preceding the 1971 war
facilitate better coordination of operations with the units of the sustaining prolonged air operations. The satellite air bases were Indian Army as well as amongst the large number of units of the at Chittagong, Comilla, Jessore, Barisal, Ishwardi, Lalmunirhat, IAF involved in the offensive operations against East Pakistan, Cox’s Bazar and Shamsher Nagar. The PAF had temporarily deployed a squadron of Shenyang an Advanced Headquarters was created at Fort William in Kolkata after due consultation with the top brass of the Eastern Army F-6 fighter aircraft at Kurmitola which is now an international Command. Also involved in the operations against East Pakistan, airport and has been renamed as Shahjalal International were units under the Central Air Command whose Headquar- Airport. However, these aircraft were withdrawn soon after ters was located at Bamrauli, Allahabad. Units of the Central Air because the base was not adequately developed in respect of Command inducted for operations against PAF in East Pakistan, infrastructure to support operations by fighter aircraft. The first raid by the IAF in East Pakistan was carried out functioned under the direct control of the Advanced Headquarters of Eastern Air Command, Fort William, Kolkata. Units of by Hunter aircraft with air defence cover provided by four MiGthe Central Air Command deployed in air operations against the 21 fighters which really was not necessary. The Hunter aircraft were quite capable of air defence as well PAF in East Pakistan, were temporarily as it was demonstrated in the first raid housed in bases under Eastern Air Comitself when the Hunters shot down one mand for the duration of the campaign. Sabre when intercepted before the renOn the Eastern front, the PAF was The first raid by the dezvous took place. Hunters, MiG-21 no match against the IAF. The PAF had and Canberra bombers of the IAF were just one fully operational airbase at IAF in East Pakistan used extensively to strike PAF air bases Tejgaon near the capital city of Dhaka was carried out by to neutralise the airpower of East Pakifrom where the PAF was operating just Hunter aircraft with stan. Apart from the combat fleet that one squadron i.e. total of 16 F-86 Sabre achieved air supremacy from the word combat jets. This was the only air base in air defence cover go, the transport and helicopter fleets of East Pakistan that was capable of underprovided by four the IAF also played a crucial role. The taking sustained air operations. There transport fleet that participated in the air were a number of satellite airbases, but MiG-21 fighters operations essentially to provide transthese lacked the service facilities for
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ISSUE 12 • 2020
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Military
1971 - 50 years
(left) Hunters struck Kiamari oil installation at Karachi; (Top) officers of 22 sqn and 253 su, af; (Above) THE FAMOUS TANGAIL AIRDROP
port support, consisted of three squadrons of the C-47 Dakotas, two squadrons of Antonov An-12, one squadron of C-119 Packet, one squadron of Caribou and one squadron of Otter. Some of these transport squadrons that were under Western and Central Air Commands, were redeployed under Eastern Command and were based at Jorhat, Guwahati, Barrackpur and Dum Dum airfields to provide logistic support to the Indian Army in the offensive operations launched into East Pakistan. A major operation undertaken jointly between the IAF and the Indian Army was the paradrop of a battalion group over Tangail in East Pakistan on December 11, 1971. Regarded as a landmark event, the objective of the paradrop was to capture the Poongli Bridge on the Jamuna river to cut off the retreating 93 Brigade of the Pakistan Army that was moving back from Mymensingh to reinforce the defences of Dhaka. The paradrop which included paratroopers, artillery, vehicles and other stores was carried out by a fleet of 36 transport aircraft that included the An-12, C-119, Dakotas and Caribou. Feint dummy drops were also carried simultaneously by Caribou aircraft at another location to confuse the Pakistan Army about the real location of the Indian armed forces. The paradrop on December 11 at Tangail behind the enemy lines, was the trump card of the Indian armed forces that dealt a severe blow to the Pakistani forces
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and ultimately led to the fall of Dhaka. The rotary-wing fleet of the IAF that consisted largely of the Mi-4 platforms, played an important role by providing logistic support. On December 10, 1971, the helicopter fleet rose to the occasion in support of the No. 4 Corps when one of its Brigades had to be transported across vast stretches of marshy land and across the 12 km-wide Meghna river where there was no bridge available, to get to Dhaka soonest possible. This was made possible by the helicopters of three units of the IAF through “Operation Cactus Lily”. THE FINAL WORD In the final tally, the IAF flew 1,978 sorties in the East and about 4,000 in the Western sector against the PAF that flew 30 sorties on the Eastern front and 2,840 on the Western front. More than 80 per cent of sorties flown by IAF aircraft were for battlefield air support and interdiction missions. The IAF lost 45 aircraft as against the PAF’s loss of 75. In a war that was initiated by Pakistan with pre-emptive strikes against air bases and other assets, the IAF performed reasonably well as it gained the initiative rapidly and thereafter dominated the skies on both the Western and Eastern fronts. It was the first time that the IAF experienced a two-front war that is of major concern for the Indian armed forces even today. SP
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Military Refueller
The KC-46 offers a multi-role capability while retaining the capability to undertake aerial refuelling
KC-46, a Versatile Platform The KC-46 Pegasus is a versatile aerial refuelling platform available in the global market that is ushering in a new era of efficient in-flight refuelling of military aircraft
Photograph: Boeing
By Air Marshal B.K. Pandey (Retd The Boeing KC-46 Pegasus is a twin-engine aerial tanker developed by Boeing based on its 767 wide-body airliner also developed by the company that has been in service since July 1982. More than 1,000 of these platforms have been manufactured by the company that are flying today. The KC-46 aerial tanker was selected by the United States Air Force (USAF) in February 2011 to replace the fleet of Boeing KC-135 Stratotankers, a fourengine platform that has been the only aerial tanker with the service for more than six decades now. The KC-46 is equipped with both hose-and-drogue as well as boom receptacle system, built to match international standards
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The need to induct modern aerial tankers into the IAF is urgent and for this requirement, the latest version of the Pegasus would be a good choice that will remain so for decades to come as it is a very reliable and economical platform
rendering the aerial tanker capable of delivering fuel in flight to a wide variety of aircraft ranging from combat jets to heavy transports aircraft. The KC-46 offers a flexible multi-role capability and is capable of carrying troops, cargo, medical supplies with personnel as well as any combination of the three, while retaining the capability to undertake aerial refuelling task. The KC-46 also has a fully integrated capability that enables the crew to carry out aero medical evacuation. The aircraft can be rapidly reconfigured in just two hours for any selected mission and can be made to get airborne with a notice of just ten 10 minutes from a state of ground readiness.
ISSUE 12 • 2020
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Military
Refueller
The KC-46 has been designed and built as a combat tanker platform using the proven combination of light, durable aluminium alloy and composite structure that help make it lighter and more fuel efficient. The attributes of this platform have been derived from the advanced avionics, aerodynamics, materials and propulsion incorporated on the Boeing 767 passenger and freighter aircraft. The KC-46 is equipped with chemical and biological protective systems as also has a robust suite of defensive systems and self-protective measures. It incorporates flight-deck armour for protection against small arms fire as also is electromagnetic pulse-hardened for undertaking missions in a nuclear environment. All of these systems are incorporated into the aircraft during the production phase itself and not as a retrofit or modification later on. The KC-46 aerial tanker has lower maintenance and repair costs on account of which this platform will offer the lowest lifecycle costs resulting in substantial savings over its lifetime as compared with any of its competing platforms available in the market today. It thus makes it the most efficient and effective aerial tanker currently available. Overall, the KC-46 Pegasus is thus an extremely versatile aerial refuelling platform that is ushering in a new era of efficient inflight refuelling of military aircraft.
KC-46 Pegasus Quick Facts The KC-46 Pegasus has: • Worldwide operations in all airspace • 15-inch (38.1 centimeter) 787-style advanced electronic displays • Redundant displays and controls for improved instruction and reliability • 24-inch (61 centimeter) displays with 3-D refueling picture • Comprehensive suite of logistics products and services • Global support infrastructure • Unparalleled lifecycle cost savings The first lot of aerial tankers that the Indian Air Force (IAF) acquired was in 2003 by way of a fleet of six IL-78 four-engine platforms from Russia. On account of problems with maintenance and product support for the fleet that has resulted in poor flight-line availability of the aircraft, the IAF has been trying to acquire new generation aerial tankers for nearly a
Photograph: UsAF
The KC-46 is equipped with both hose-and-drogue as well as boom receptacle system, rendering the tanker capable of delivering fuel in flight to a wide variety of aircraft
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ISSUE 12 • 2020
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Military
Refueller
decade and a half to replace this vintage fleet; but the effort so far has not been successful. With the acquisition of the Rafale combat jets from Dassault Aviation of France currently under delivery, the need for inducting modern aerial refuelling platforms has acquired greater urgency. Initially, the IAF had made significant progress in its move to acquire six of the twin-engine Airbus A330 Multi Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) which had emerged as the winner in tenders floated twice, but the contract could not be awarded on account of dispute over pricing that could not be resolved. After the two failed attempts, the IAF had last floated a Request for Information in 2018 as part of its third attempt to acquire six aerial tankers. However, as per a statement from Air Headquarters in May this year, tender for this acquisition will be issued for the third time in the near future. Ever since the failure of the second tender for aerial tanker, the IAF has been looking at the KC-46 Pegasus as an alternative to the A330 MRTT. The need to induct modern aerial tankers into the IAF is urgent and for this requirement, the latest version of the Pegasus would be a good choice that will remain so for decades to come as it is a very reliable and economical platform and could prove to be a game changer for the IAF. SP
KC-46 TANKER: Key Features Self Protection • Electromagnetic pulse hardening • Chemical / biological operations • Fuel tank ballistic protection • Cockpit armor
Defensive Systems • Infrared countermeasures • Radio frequency warning • Night vision lighting
Air Refueling Receptacle • Extended range and flexibility • 1,200 GPM Crew Compartment • Seating for 15 crew members • Bunk/Storage/Galley/Lav Camera Systems • Hi-resolution stereoscopic boom cameras • 185 degree panoramic field of view Wing Air Refueling Pods (WARPS) • 400 GPM offload rate • Improved hose response • Improved fault detection and isolation
Pratt & Whitney PW4062 Engines • 62K thrust per engine • 120 kVA generators Centerline Drogue System (CDS) • 400 GPM offload rate • Parts commonality with WARPS • Permanently installed Advanced Fly-By-Wire Refueling Boom • Modernized KC-10 boom design • 1,200 GPM offload rate • Full-time independent disconnect • Full-time automatic load alleviation
Multi-role Capabilities Passenger Configuration • FAA certified for 58 passengers; 114 for contingency operations • C-17 palletized seating • Palletized Air Transportable Galley/Lavatory • Palletized passenger bags Cargo Configuration • Seamless integration with Defense Transportation System
• 18 463L pallets; 10 pallets centerline configuration • Integrated roller system • Compatible with all USAF loaders Aeromedical Evacuation Configuration • 54 patients with patient support pallets • 24 Litter / 30 Ambulatory • 6-patient integrated capability • Onboard emergency oxygen & electrical power
Technical Specifications Width
156 ft 1 in (47.5 m)
Length
165 ft 10 in (50.5 m)
Height
52 ft 10 in (16.1 m)
Engines
Two Pratt & Whitney PW 4062 with 62,000 lbf (289.13 kN) thrust
Maximum Takeoff Weight
415,000 lbs (188,241 kg)
Maximum Landing Weight
310,000 lbs (140,614 kg)
Fuel Capacity
212,299 lbs (96,265 kg)
Maximum Air Speed
.86 Mach (650 mph)
Source: https://www.boeing.com/defense/kc-46a-pegasus-tanker/#/technicalspecifications
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ISSUE 12 • 2020
9
space ISS
Two Decades of Humans in Space Photograph: NASA
A symbol of exploration, possibilities, research & collaboration, the International Space Station completes twenty years of human habitation beyond planet earth By Ayushee Chaudhary
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ISSUE 12 • 2020
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space
ISS International Space Station - Celebrating 20 continuous years of life in Space
Last month November 2, 2020 marked twenty years since the International Space Station received its first residents. Since then the orbiting habitat, also referred to as an orbiting laboratory, the International Space Station (ISS) has stayed occupied, making it possible for humans to live in space. The ISS is a modular space station (habitable artificial satellite) in low Earth orbit. It is a collective project involving multinational collaboration of space agencies like NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration), Roscosmos (Russia), JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency), ESA (European Space Agency), and CSA (Canadian Space Agency). The ISS is now composed of 16 modules: four Russian, nine US, two Japanese and one European. Through these 20 years, the ISS has been orbiting earth as a symbol of possibility, exploration, potential, science, engineering, and working together. After 20 years of continuous human presence, the ISS has provided 241 visitors with an extraordinary view of Earth from outer space — the glimpse of which they have shared with the entire world. Astronaut photography, formally called Crew Earth Observations (CEO), has resulted in more than 3.5 million photographs of the ever-changing blue planet through astronauts as well as an impressive suite of Earth Science instruments that have also visited the station to capture vast amounts of data about our planet. However, NASA points out that space aboard the station itself is limited, and the spots are highly coveted. Instruments go through a rigorous approval process and cycle through every couple of years, turning the station into a virtual swiss-army knife of interchangeable remote sensing tools. These instruments together provide a more complete picture of Earth systems, according to William Stefanov, Branch Chief for the Exploration Science Office at NASA’s Johnson Space Center, and Principal Investigator for the Crew Earth Observations Facility on the International Space Station. 20 years of Space Communication The ISS is largely deemed as a marvel of cooperative engineering, science, and research. Throughout the mission, NASA’s Space Communications and Navigation (SCaN) networks have connected station astronauts with loved ones on Earth and empowered profound research on the orbiting laboratory. “As we celebrate 20 years of science and research aboard the station, we also celebrate the mission-enabling support infrastructure that makes it all possible. Space communications has always been a vital piece of NASA’s crewed missions in low-Earth orbit and beyond,” said Robyn Gatens, Acting Director of the International Space Station at NASA Headquarters in Washington. It was in November 20, 1998 that the construction of the ISS in orbit started, when the Zayra Module launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Since then, the orbiting laboratory has been expanded and upgraded to meet the needs of astronauts living on the station and the science objectives of the mission. Since November 2, 2000, the space station has been occupied continuously by astronauts from NASA and international space organisations. The million-pound spacecraft has an internal pressurised volume equal to that of a Boeing 747, providing living space for six-months long expedition crews of six people, while sometimes hosting up to 13 during crew rotations and shuttle visits. Most of the communication and occupation on the station has been made possible by NASA’s communications networks.
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ISSUE 12 • 2020
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space
ISS For 20 years, the astronauts aboard the ISS have conducted science in an extremely unique and quite literally in an out of the world way. Orbiting about 250 miles above our planet, the space station is the only laboratory available for long-duration microgravity research. NASA noted that during the past two decades, the space station has supported numerous discoveries, scientific publications, unique opportunities, and historic breakthroughs. This research not only helps us explore farther into space, it also benefits us back on Earth. While the ISS is continuously exploring our home planet, it is pushing further to learn more about the universe as well and at the same time carrying out significant research and experiAfter 20 years of ments to add value to life on earth. Life continuous human science continues ramping up aboard presence, the ISS the ISS as quite recently, the Expedition 64 crew explores cancer therapies and has provided 241 heart conditions. Through a new canvisitors with an cer study, the space medical research could accelerate the development of extraordinary view advanced therapies on Earth that tarof Earth from outer get cancer cells.
The station primarily relies on the constellation of Tracking and Data Relay Satellites (TDRS) and associated ground antennas. The orbiting laboratory also has a backup communications system. A series of very-high frequency (VHF) antennas around the world can provide astronauts with voice-only communications in the unlikely event of an emergency. “NASA’s relay satellites provide the space station with robust, comprehensive services that keep our astronauts connected with mission control at all times. In combination with the redundant VHF network, TDRS assures the continued success and safety of the station,” said Network Services Division Director Susan Chang. Research and development Throughout its history, the space station has also served as a hub for communications research and development. From 2012 to 2019, the SCaN Testbed has also allowed communications engineers to have a platform to study space-based applications of software-defined radios. The Testbed researched innovations like cognitive communications, space-based GPS, and Ka-band communications. The station has also tested revolutionary optical communications technologies that use infrared lasers to exceed data-rates offered by comparable radio systems.
Continuous
of Life on the Space Station space — the glimpse
which they have Celebrating the Peopleofshared and Scientific and ToEngineering tap into the growing opportunities with the and potential that space exploration has, NASA has also been focusing on world Accomplishments of theentire International Space Station Low Earth Orbit Economy
Low Earth Orbit Economy for which
The SPACE STATION is 357 FEET end to end, one yard shy of the full Specifications length of an American football field including the end zones of the International Space Station POWER GENERATION:
WINGSPAN:
4 Pairs of Solar Arrays Provide 75 to 90 Kilowatts of Power
357 Feet (109 Meters)
HABITABLE VOLUME:
MASS:
13,696 Cubic Feet (388 Cubic Meters) not including visiting vehicles
925,335 pounds (419,725 kilograms)
SPACE STATION SPEED: Moves at 17,500 mph (28,000 km/h)
source: NASA
240 INDIVIDUALS from 19 countries
Most
have visited the12 International Space Station. ISSUE • 2020
12 Canada 8 People
Denmark 1 Person Germany
Kazakhstan 1 Person Sweden
SPACECRAFT www.sps-aviation.com Russia 48 People
CAN ARRIVE at the
Belgium 1 Person
9 People
Spain 1 Person
space
ISS
France 4 People Brazil 1 Person
after launch.
South Korea 1 Person Malaysia 1 Person
Italy 5 People
United Arab Emirates 1 Person
South Africa 1 Person
Working of the International Space Station An international crew of 6
PEOPLE
The solar arrays are (240 FEET) long, about the same length as the world’s largest passenger aircraft, the Airbus A380.
live and work while traveling at a speed of five miles per second, orbiting Earth about every 90 minutes.
90 MINUTES
20 YEARS The space station
internal pressurized volume equal to that of a Boeing 747.
The space station has an
has been continuously occupied since Nov. 2000.
16
ORBITS SUNRISE SUNSET
In 24 hours, the space station makes 16 orbits of Earth, traveling through 16 sunrises and sunsets.
NASA astronaut
Astronauts and cosmonauts have conducted more than
NASA astronaut
SCOTT KELLY
227 SPACEWALKS
CHRISTINA KOCH
currently holds the record for the longest single spaceflight by an American, with 340 consecutive days in space completed on March 1, 2016.
(and counting!) for space station construction, maintenance
and upgrades since December 1998.
C. KOCH K.KYK
currently holds the record for the longest single spaceflight by a woman, with 328 consecutive days in space completed on February 6, 2020.
source: NASA
The station’s orbital path Space is a growing industry and low-Earth orbit is full the space station has been a keytakes part it ofover supporting that growth. SPACESHIPS and aims to NASA explains Low-Earth orbit (LEO) encompasses Earth- of opportunity which NASA has acknowledged 90 percent of the explore. Establishing a robust LEO centered orbits with an altitude of 2,000 can be connected Earth’s population, with economy in which many groups on km (1,200 mi) or less. For the purposes to the astronauts taking millions of Earth can space participate benefits Ameriof the Commercial Use Policy, low-Earth station images can industry, at promotes orbit is considered the area in Earthof the planet below. once. technologiWhile the ISS Check them out at cal discovery, and increases benefits orbit near enough to Earth for convefor humanity that are discovered or nient transportation, communication, is continuously https://eol.jsc.nasa.gov advanced through in-space work and observation and resupply. This is the exploring our home research, the space agency states. Once area where the ISS currently orbits and planet, it is pushing a thriving economy in low-Earth orbit where many proposed future platforms has been established, NASA can purwill be located. further to learn more chase services as one of many customThe LEO economy is about the about universe Biology Earththe & Educationalas Human Technology The Spacedistribution, Station has and trade ers. This Physical should enable the agency to production, of & Biotechnology Space Science Activities Science focus its resources onDevelopment landing the first goods andalmost services within low-Earth well and at the same Research 3,000 hosted woman and next man on the moon orbit. As technology progresses, this time carrying out research by 2024. And when it comes to NASA, economic space will grow to include investigations significant research the space administration is commitmore groups (including but not limresearchers incommercial, and ted to continuing the sustained human itedfrom to governmental, and experiments to more than 100 countries presence in LEO and stimulate this academic) that will contribute to the add value to life on andeconomy’s counting. continued expansion economy as the next step in humanLEO ity’s exploration and expansion into the andnasa.gov/iss-science support future sustainable space earth. solar system. NASA points out that LEO enterprises.
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Science investigations that take place on the space station:
To mitigate the loss
of muscle and bone www.sps-aviation.com mass in the human body in microgravity,
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Different CARGO SPACECRAFT
The Water
deliver science, cargo and supplies: ISSUE 12 • 2020Recovery System 13
recycles 93% of
Northrop
SpaceX’s
JAXA’s HTV
Russia’s
space station waste
space
ISS ISS - TOP 20 ACHIEVEMENTS
To mark the 20 years of science, NASA picked up 20 scientific and technological breakthroughs that have been achieved in the last two decades as a result of space station science Fundamental disease research: The space station has rigorously researched on diseases like the Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, cancer, asthma, and heart disease. Discovery of steadily burning cool flames: When scientists burned fuel droplets in the Flame Extinguishing Experiment (FLEX) study, something unexpected occurred. A heptane fuel droplet appeared to extinguish, but actually continued to burn without a visible flame at temperatures two-and-a-half times cooler than a typical candle. New water purification systems: Water is vital for human survival and yet many around the world lack accessibility to clean water. NASA observes that at-risk areas can gain access to advanced filtration and purification systems through technology that was developed for the space station, enabling the astronauts living aboard to recycle 93 per cent of their water. Drug development using protein crystals: Protein crystal growth experiments conducted aboard the space station have provided insights into numerous disease treatments, from cancer to gum disease to Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. Methods to combat muscle atrophy and bone loss: Space studies have contributed greatly to the knowledge of bone and muscle loss in astronauts – and how to mitigate those effects. The knowledge gained also applies to people on Earth dealing with diseases such as osteoporosis. Exploring the fifth state of matter: 25 years ago, scientists first produced a fifth state of matter, called a Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC), on Earth. In 2018, NASA’s Cold Atom Lab became the first facility to produce that state of matter in space. This achievement may provide insight into fundamental laws of quantum mechanics. Understanding how bodies change in microgravity: When humans head to Mars, we need to know what challenges we face. Long-term stays aboard the space station have uncovered unexpected ways that the human body changes in microgravity. Testing tissue chips in space: Tissue chips are roughly thumbdrive-sized devices that contain human cells in a 3D matrix, representing functions of an organ. Chips have been sent to station, seeking to better understand the impact of microgravity on human health. Stimulating the low-Earth orbit economy: From satellite deployment to in-space research, a vibrant commercial space economy has developed, with a value that now exceeds $345 billion. Growing food in microgravity: Many techniques for growing plants have been explored aboard the space station to prepare for these missions. On August 10, 2015, astronauts sampled their first space-grown salad, and astronauts now are growing radishes in space.
provides an ideal environment for crew training, fundamental and applied research, and advanced systems development, as well as other activities. NASA’s investment in the ISS and its commercial activities, including commercial cargo resupply missions, commercial crew, and the ISS National Lab research and development, have led the way to return benefits to NASA and the American economy, and shall eventually look for doing so to the global economy as ISS is but an international entity. A robust and competitive low-Earth
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Deployment of CubeSats from station: CubeSats are one of the smallest types of satellites and provide a cheaper way to perform science and technology demonstrations in space. More than 250 CubeSats have now been deployed from the space station, jumpstarting research and satellite companies. Monitoring our planet from a unique perspective: The capacity to host varying complements of instruments, both internal and external, has evolved the station into a robust platform for researchers studying Earth’s water, air, land masses, vegetation, and more while providing them additional views beyond those of NASA’s typical Earth remotesensing satellites. Collecting data on more than 100 billion cosmic particles: The Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer – 02 has provided researchers around the globe with data that can help determine what the universe is made of and how it began. A better understanding of pulsars and black holes: Two tools installed on the outside of the space station, NICER and MAXI, have worked in tandem to advance our knowledge of pulsars and black holes. Student access to an orbiting laboratory: Companies and professors are not the only ones using the space station for microgravity research. Station has given elementary- to college-aged students access to science in space and the opportunity to study microgravity’s effects. Capability to identify unknown microbes in space: Having the ability to identify microbes in real time in space without the need to send them back to Earth for identification would be revolutionary for the world of microbiology and space exploration. Opening up the field of colloid research: Toothpaste, 3D printing, pharmaceuticals, and detecting shifting sands on Mars may not seem related to each other at all, yet each stands to benefit from improvements made thanks to research on colloids aboard the space station. The evolution of fluid physics research: Fluids cover our planet, but sending them to space can help us better understand how they flow. The study of fluids in space has progressed from fundamental research into the testing of technology applications ranging from advanced medical devices to heat transfer systems. 3D printing in microgravity: The first item was 3D printed on the space station in 2014. Since then, we have explored 3D printing using recycled materials and even printing human tissue. Responding to natural disasters: With crew handheld camera imagery as a core component, the station has become an active participant in orbital data collection to support disaster response activities both within the US and abroad. SP
orbit (LEO) economy is vital to continued progress in space. One year ago, NASA announced the agency is opening the space station for business, enabling commercial and marketing opportunities on the station, and the agency has moved forward toward its ultimate goal in low-Earth orbit to partner with industry to achieve a strong ecosystem. Providing expanded opportunities at the ISS to manufacture, market and promote commercial products and services will help catalyze and expand space exploration markets for many businesses. SP
www.sps-aviation.com
space Interview
EXCLUSIVE In an exclusive interview on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the International Space Station (ISS), Dr Kirt Costello, ISS Chief Scientist from NASA speaks to Ayushee Chaudhary of SP’s Aviation about the space station’s journey, significance and plans ahead.
“ISS is an amazing accomplished engineering and social experiment”
Photographs: NASA
—Dr Kirt Costello, ISS Chief Scientist from NASA
SP’s Aviation (SP’s): 20 years down the line, how (in your personal belief) has ISS become a window to the earth? Dr Kirt Costello (Costello): ISS has this incredibly unique advantage because this programme as a whole is a really healthy reminder of what we can accomplish when we work together peacefully. It is just an amazing accomplishment and a successful engineering and social experiment firstly to form such an international partnership and then to assemble all of these modules in orbit, and get them to work. Looking down on the earth we can really see the fragility of the earth and the dangers present outside of the platform itself. The space station reminds us how beautiful is our relationship with earth and how we need to take care of it. ISS provides an
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overview effect of seeing a bigger picture of what earth and humanity are. SP’s: How crucial has been the role of ISS in escalating space developments? Costello: We have seen a number of different eras so to say for the space station. First was an assembly era doing everything we could to assemble it all together and then in 2011 we transferred to the utilisation phase where we were focused on appropriately using this beautiful laboratory we had put together in space and return to more science then we ever had. Following the utilisation, we are now moving into commercialisation, getting commercial crew, commercial providers as well as develop-
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Interview
ers while looking for new solutions to get us there. Bringing all of this together, we can create a lower earth orbit economy, the market place in lower earth orbit to explore the programme expansion possibility which is the future for us. We want to have a viable market place in the lower earth orbit so we never have to leave that space. We learned a valuable lesson from the shuttle programme, which was to not end a programme before we understand what the next step is. With ISS, we’ve been given a clearly defined step to go on to the moon; yet we have to have that lower earth orbit capability in place so we don’t lose all of the microgravity research, the test bed for technologies, all those capabilities that we need to get ourselves further.
and still not lock yourself out of access to space, if something goes wrong. So lowering of price, ease of access, and capability for redundancy. SP’s: What according to you is the highlight of ISS? Costello: The benefits of the space station is that it has showed that we can exist off the planet and that there are discoveries to be made in the space environment, to observe our changing planet and the impact humans are having on the planet. ISS is, I believe, a stepping stone to rest of the exploration. When we step onto the Moon or Mars, I will feel completely happy that ISS played a huge role in both of those possibilities.
SP’s: There are many achievements to laurel upon but what according to you would be some of the major challenges that SP’s: How important has been the role of research? Costello: Research is extremely essential, it was one of the ISS stood through these years? primary goals for creating the space station. Over 20 years, Costello: Some vehicle mishaps that we have dealt with over we have had more than 3,000 investigations that have flown the years, the loss of discovery during assembly and then the to the space station and over 4,200 researchers have been programme having to recover from those and change in esinvolved. We would not be flying today in ISS if we had not sence its entire safety culture to be able to confidently proceed with assembly again. Another made that lab accessible and usable significant challenge over the years has by those researchers who wanted to been in the time of crew duration and explore scienceand simultaneously we the effort it takes to maintain and ophave made research beneficial for the erate space station. However, we have people on earth which is further en“ISS is, I believe, recently overcome that with the Comhancing the interest in doing research a stepping stone mercial Crew Program, having more on board ISS. Now we have this huge crew members now for a specific duinterest to move into exploration to the to rest of the ration. We now have extra crew memmoon and the Mars and to do that we exploration. When bers onboard and that has enhanced need ISS and that research capability we step onto the the wealtah of research and in the next to perform. 4-10 years more extensive research is One thing that ISS has taught us is moon or mars, I going to happen. that if you can make space accessible it will feel completely is okay to put forward research on the SP’s: Does ISS play an important role in very early stages and learn from the happy that ISS aiding upcoming missions planned to failures. played a huge role Mars or Sun? If so how? in both of those Costello: Absolutely, I’ll point to one SP’s: How has ISS opened the door for instrument in particular. We have an the possibility of humans living in space possibilities.” investigation from the science misespecially with the recent SpaceX mission directorate called NICER. [The sions, do you think in some years we Neutron star Interior Composition could actually have people taking trips Explorer (NICER) is an ISS payload, a to ISS and beyond? Costello: Yes. While we all recognise earth as our home, with NASA telescope devoted to the study of neutron stars through ISS research we have opened the possibility that we won’t al- soft X-ray timing. Neutron stars are unique environments in ways be hereand having something like ISS is a great way to which all four fundamental forces of nature are simultanetest the technologies that we need for even farther exploration ously important] We are learning so much about these compact objects like neutron stars from that one investigation as in space particularly Moon and Mars. well as black holes and other high energy phenomenon far away from our solar system. It is an amazing accomplishSP’s: How would privatisation aid ISS missions? Costello: On the commercial side there are primarily two main ment to be able to say that we were able to host that instrument on ISS and do such wonderful science. benefits as I look at it: The first is that the commercial industry in a capitalistic society that brings the price down which lowers the barrier of SP’s: There are also talks about a Space station being planned entering into space and that competition lets you enter more for the moon. Could you share some details? Costello: That’s the Gateway program which is looking at an space further bringing the cost down. The other one is particularly tied to being able to provide orbital station around moon that will be smaller than ISS and a redundancy, a capability of multiple players in market to be the crew would visit, stay for shorter periods and then return. able to offer similar service since throughout history it’s been The Gateway station, which is a part of the Artemis program, large government agencies working on one transportation sys- does offer a lot of capabilities. We have a lot of research going on including health related tem and we have seen that interruptions in that scenario can impact largely. If you have multiple players because of commer- research, do we also having something to better understand the cialisation than you can spread the risk among all those players environmental aspect on earth?
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space
Interview
Research was one of the primary goals for creating the space station
We have four earth looking instruments on board, extra on the ISS right now funded by both JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) and NASA. Those instruments are sharing data and we are looking at the earth, the atmosphere and also at the vegetative state of the earth, grasslands, understanding carbon cycle and water cycle of earth is crucial research. SP’s: What are your thoughts on the possibility of space colonies in the future? Costello: Understanding of where life came from and how we extend life in the universe is one significant aim of NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) and colonisation is somewhere further in future but I do expect humanity to do that because we are all about exploring.
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SP’s: Your thoughts on other countries also planning space stations? Costello: It’s a fine idea for anyone who wants to go up and look into developing their own space station, that’s perfectly in their realm as there are some benefits to having multiple providers. It does make room for more competition as well in a way but also that’s a lot of potential within the field which can be utilised as I see it. SP Dr Kirt Costello is the International Space Station Chief Scientist and the ISS Research Integration Office Deputy Manager. As the Chief Scientist within the ISS Program, he represents all NASA research on the ISS, and provides recommendations regarding research on the ISS.
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space SpaceX
Photographs: SpaceX, wikipedia
Falcon 9 launched the SXM-7 mission marking SpaceX’s 25th mission just in 2020
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SpaceX
SpaceX’s 25th launch this year; strengthens commercial spaceflight Last month, SpaceX also received certification from NASA for human spaceflight By Ayushee Chaudhary On December 13, Falcon 9 launched the SXM-7 mission from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Station, Florida, marking SpaceX’s 25th mission just in 2020. SpaceX noted that this mission marked the seventh flight of this Falcon 9 first stage rocket booster, which previously supported launch of Crew Dragon’s first flight to the International Space Station (Demo-1), launch of the RADARSAT Constellation Mission, and four Starlink missions in 2020. Following stage separation, SpaceX landed Falcon 9’s first stage on the “Just Read the Instructions” droneship, which was located in the Atlantic Ocean. Despite the pandemic woes, SpaceX seems to be on an upward journey this year adding new feathers to its cap. On December 9, Starship serial number 8 (SN8) lifted off from Cameron County launch pad and successfully ascended, transitioned propellant, and performed its landing flip maneuver with precise flap control to reach its landing point. “Low pressure in the fuel header tank during the landing burn led to high touchdown velocity resulting in a hard (and exciting!) landing,” stated SpaceX. While many reported the hard landing as a crash, SpaceX nevertheless hailed it as a success. “Fuel header tank pressure was low during landing burn, causing touchdown velocity to be high & RUD, but we got all the data we needed! Congrats SpaceX team hell yeah!! Successful ascent, switch over to header tanks & precise flap control to landing point. Mars, here we come,” tweeted Elon Musk, SpaceX CEO, calling this as the gateway to Mars. While on December 6, 2020, SpaceX’s upgraded cargo Dragon
spacecraft lifted-off on its way to the International Space Station (ISS) after launching atop a Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. This was the first launch for SpaceX under NASA’s second Commercial Resupply Services contract, CRS-21 which delivered supplies, equipment, and materials to directly support dozens of the more than 250 science and research investigations that will occur aboard the orbiting laboratory during Expeditions 64 and 65. Included in this delivery was the Nanoracks Bishop Airlock, the first commercially owned and operated airlock that, once installed, will provide a variety of capabilities to the space station, such as payload hosting, robotics testing, and satellite deployment, stated NASA. It is also said that it will serve as an outside toolbox for crew members conducting spacewalks. Dragon was scheduled to arrive at the space station on December 7, 2020. Cargo Dragon’s arrival at the space station marked the first time two Dragon spacecraft were docked to the orbiting laboratory at the same time. The Crew Dragon spacecraft, named Resilience that brought the Crew-1 astronauts has been docked since its arrival on November 16, 2020. The Cargo Dragon spacecraft will remain attached to the space station for about one month, after which it will return to Earth with 5,200 pounds of research and return cargo, splashing down in the Atlantic Ocean. The Falcon 9 rocket’s first stage had successfully landed on the “Of Course I Still Love You” droneship in the Atlantic Ocean on December 6, 2020, marking the 100th successful landing of
On December 9, Starship serial number 8 (SN8) lifted off from Cameron County launch pad but high touchdown velocity resulted in a hard (and exciting!) landing. While many reported the hard landing as a crash, SpaceX nevertheless hailed it as a success.
“Fuel header tank pressure was low during landing burn, causing touchdown velocity to be high & RUD, but we got all the data we needed! Congrats SpaceX team hell yeah!! Successful ascent, switch over to header tanks & precise flap control to landing point. Mars, here we come,” tweeted Elon Musk, SpaceX CEO, calling this as the gateway to Mars. www.sps-aviation.com
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SpaceX
SpaceX’s final flight test, it will validate all aspects of its crew transportation system, including the Crew Dragon spacecraft, spacesuits, Falcon 9 launch vehicle, launch pad 39A, and operations capabilities.This was SpaceX’s second spaceflight test of its Crew Dragon and its first test with astronauts aboard, which will pave the way for its certification for regular crew flights to the station as NASA certifies SpaceX for human spaceflight Last month on November 10, 2020, SpaceX issued an update part of Commercial Crew Program. This programme is a partnernotifying that NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administra- ship to develop and fly human space transportation systems. An international crew of astronauts was en route to the ISS tion) has certified SpaceX for human spaceflight. “Today, NASA announced it has certified SpaceX’s Falcon 9 and Crew Dragon on November 14, 2020 following a successful launch on the first human spaceflight system for crew missions to and from the NASA-certified commercial human spacecraft system in history. International Space Station – the first commercial system in his- NASA’s SpaceX Crew-1 mission lifted off from Launch Complex tory to achieve such designation. Not since the certification of the 39A at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.The SpaceX space shuttle nearly 40 years ago has NASA certified a spacecraft, Crew Dragon Resilience successfully docked to the ISS on Novemrocket, and ground support systems for regular flights with astro- ber 16, 2020, transporting the NASA astronauts. The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket propelled the Crew Dragon nauts,” the release stated. spacecraft, named Resilience, with Launched atop Falcon 9 on May 30, NASA astronauts Michael Hopkins, Vic2020, Dragon’s second demonstration tor Glover, and Shannon Walker, along flight test to and from the space stawith Soichi Noguchi of the Japan Aerotion restored human spaceflight to the space Exploration Agency (JAXA), into United States for the first time in almost NASA announced it orbit to begin a six-month science misa decade. has certified SpaceX’s sion aboard the space station. That flight was the culmination of Falcon 9 and Crew “NASA is delivering on its commityears of development, testing, and trainment to the American people and our ing—all throughout safety remained Dragon human international partners to provide safe, SpaceX’s top priority, noted SpaceX furspaceflight system reliable, and cost-effective missions to ther adding “SpaceX put every compothe International Space Station using nent of every system through its paces, for crew missions American private industry. This is an including two flight tests to and from the to and from the important mission for NASA, SpaceX International Space Station, demonstraInternational Space and our partners at JAXA, and we look tions of Dragon’s escape system both forward to watching this crew arrive at on the launch pad and in-flight, over Station – the first station to carry on our partnership for 700 tests of the spacecraft’s SuperDraco commercial system all of humanity,” said NASA Administraengines, more than 500 joint soft-capture tor Jim Bridenstine. docking tests to validate the performance in history to achieve The Crew-1 mission is the first of of Dragon’s docking system design, about such designation six crewed missions NASA and SpaceX 8,000,000 hours of hardware in the loop will fly as part of the agency’s Commersoftware testing, and nearly 100 tests and cial Crew Program. flights of Dragon’s parachutes to ensure a “I could not be more proud of the work we’ve done here safe landing back on Earth—in addition to all of the knowledge gained from twenty previous successful cargo resupply missions to today,” said Gwynne Shotwell, President and Chief Operating Officer of SpaceX. “Falcon 9 looked great, Dragon was dropped the space station and over forty Falcon 9 block 5 launches.” It was marked as an historic moment in May as NASA astro- off into a beautiful orbit about 12 minutes into the mission, and nauts launched from American soil for the first time in a com- we’ll get more data as we go.” NASA stated that this mission has several firsts, including: mercially built and operated American crew spacecraft on its way to the ISS. The SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft carrying • The first flight of the NASA-certified commercial system designed for crew transportation, which moves the system NASA astronauts Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley lifted off from development into regular flights; on the company’s Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The same launch pad • The first international crew of four to launch on an American commercial spacecraft; was used for the Apollo 11 Moon landing mission. “Today a new era in human spaceflight begins as we once • The first time the space station’s long duration expedition crew size will increase from six to seven crew members, again launched American astronauts on American rockets from which will add to the crew time available for research; and American soil on their way to the International Space Station (ISS), our national lab orbiting Earth,” NASA Administrator Jim • The first time the Federal Aviation Administration has licensed a human orbital spaceflight launch. Bridenstine had said that time. “I thank and congratulate Bob Human spaceflight is SpaceX’s core mission, and “we take Behnken, Doug Hurley, and the SpaceX and NASA teams for this significant achievement for the United States. The launch of this seriously the responsibility that NASA has entrusted in us to safely commercial space system designed for humans is a phenomenal carry astronauts to and from the International Space Station. We demonstration of American excellence and is an important step are humbled to help NASA usher in a new era of space exploraon our path to expand human exploration to the Moon and Mars.” tion,” stated SpaceX. With all these constant highlights and many more to come, The Demo-2 mission was deemed as the final major test before NASA’s Commercial Crew Program that will certify Crew Dragon SpaceX has certainly opened a wide scope of possibilities and a for operational, long-duration missions to the space station. As doorway to commercial flight. SP a Falcon 9 first stage, and the 35th landing on a droneship. This was the fourth flight for this particular first stage – one of those being the agency’s SpaceX Demo-2 mission that carried NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley to the ISS.
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space Lunar Probe
China’s unmanned spacecraft Chang’e 5 on surface of the moon
China’s Unmanned Spacecraft Returns to Earth Chang’e 5’s successful lunar landing, sample collection and return to earth, makes China the third nation to bring samples back from the moon, after the US and the former Soviet Union.
Photographs: CNSA
By Ayushee Chaudhary After successfully landing on moon and collecting samples from the lunar surface, China’s unmanned spacecraft, Chang’e 5 landed back on Earth on December 17, 2020. The China National Space Administration (CNSA) said in a statement that Chang’e 5’s re-entry capsule touched down on its landing site in Inner Mongolia autonomous region. The recovery team is making initial processing of the capsule and will then use a plane to transport it to Beijing where it will be opened for technicians to remove the container holding lunar samples. The successful landing marked the completion of the 23-day expedition of Chang’e 5, the first in more than 40 years, to bring lunar samples back to Earth, also making China the third country to achieve this feat after the United States and the former Soviet Union. The entire unmanned mission, has returned with over 4 pounds of rock and soil sample from the surface of the moon. As next steps, the sealed samples will be transferred to specially designed laboratories for analyses, experiments and
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tests so scientists can determine the extraterrestrial substances’ composition, structure and traits, thus deepening their knowledge about the history of the moon and the solar system, CNSA noted. It also informed that a certain proportion of the samples will also be on public display to enhance science awareness among the public, especially young generations. The space administration had earlier informed that the rocks and dust from the moon have been delivered from Chang’e 5’s ascender to their final host - the probe’s re-entry capsule, which will bring them to Earth. Chang’e 5, China’s largest and most sophisticated lunar probe had four main components - an orbiter, lander, ascender and re-entry capsule. The spacecraft was launched on November 24, 2020 by a Long March 5 heavy-lift carrier rocket, the biggest and mightiest launch vehicle in China, at the Wenchang Space Launch Center in Hainan province, setting out on China’s most challenging lunar adventure and the world’s first mission since 1976 to bring lunar samples to Earth.
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Lunar Probe
The rocket was tasked with placing the 8.2-metric tonne tainer inside the ascender. Chang’e 5 was supposed to work Chang’e 5 in an Earthmoon transfer trajectory. As the land- for about two days in a region to the north of Mons Ruemker, ing procedures began, the lander-ascender combination of the a mountain overlooking a vast lunar mare called Oceanus Pro8.2-metric tonne Chang’e 5 started its 7,500-newton-thrust cellarum, or the Ocean of Storms, on the western edge of the engine to reduce its flying speed and began to descend toward the moon’s near side. The area is said to have never been visited moon from about 15 kilometers above the lunar surface. When before Chang’e 5 mission. The ascender activated an engine to lift itself into an elliptithe lander-ascender reached an altitude of 2.5 km, it conducted a rapid positional adjustment and continued approaching the lunar cal lunar orbit to prepare for docking with the re-entry capsule, surface. The lander-ascender suspended its descent when it was marking the first time a Chinese spacecraft has blasted off from about 100 meters from the moon and hovered for a short time an extraterrestrial bod, stated CNSA. Upon arrival in Earth’s orbit, to carry out accurate detection of obstacles before continuing to the pair separated in due course, and the re-entry capsule condescend at a slower, steady speed. The lander-ascender combina- ducted a series of complicated maneuvers to return to a preset tion landed on the moon, “becoming the world’s third spacecraft landing site in North China’s Inner Mongolia autonomous region. A total of about 382 kilograms of lunar rocks and dust were to touch down on the lunar surface this century after its predecessors - Chang’e 3 and 4. Shortly after the landing, it began to use a recovered by the US Apollo mission astronauts and the Soviet drill to obtain samples from 2 meters beneath the lunar surface,” Luna robotic landers from 1969 to 1976. Back on the lunar surCNSA noted. The first Chang’e probe was launched in October face, the lander will continue using its three scientific payloads 2007. Since then, China has launched five lunar probes, includ- to carry out survey and measurement -- the panoramic camera ing Chang’e 5, and one experimental spacecraft. The Chang’e 4, is tasked with mapping the topography of the landing site; the which remains operational on the moon, was the most remark- infrared spectrometer will determine the physical composition of stones and dirt around the able lunar mission by China landing site; and the soil as it is the first endeavor measurement instrument by any nation to conduct will detect and analyse the surface observation of the subsurface structure of the moon’s far side, which drilling point. The orbiternever faces Earth, the space reentry capsule is in lunar administration highlighted. orbit at an average altitude The landing combiof about 200 km above the nation made an enginemoon, according to the assisted touchdown on the space administration. moon and later conducted In a published stateassignments as using a ment, the space admincutting-edge drill to obtain istration stated that the underground rocks from Chang’e 5 mission is 2 meters beneath the surintended to fulfill several face and a mechanical arm objectives. “In terms of to gather surface dirt. The space engineering, it will 400-kilogram ascender demonstrate and verify docked with the 2.3-metric technical plans and appaton orbiter re-entry capsule ratus for autonomous combination transferred a Chang’e-5 returner successfully landed lunar sampling and packsealed container holding 2 ing, and moon-based kilograms of lunar samples into the capsule. The operation was the first automated rendez- launching, as well as lunar orbital docking. In the scientific field, vous and docking of any spacecraft in lunar orbit. The last time it will investigate the landing site’s geological and topographic two components of a spacecraft docked with each other in lunar features, and enable scientists to analyse the lunar samples’ orbit was in December 1972 during the final Apollo mission, and structure and physical traits so they can deepen their research that was monitored and controlled by astronauts, CNSA pointed into the moon’s origin and evolution.” CNSA further added that out. One of the most crucial devices during the highly sophis- the mission will also help to foster the country’s knowledge, ticated docking maneuver was a microwave radar, which is technology and talent pool for its future manned missions to the mounted on the orbiter that worked with its transponder on the moon and other deep-space expeditions. Pei Zhaoyu, spokesascender to measure the rapidly changing distance and provided man for the Chang’e 5 mission, said if the mission becomes succommunication between the two traveling vehicles to allow them cessful, it will be a milestone in the nation’s lunar exploration to adjust their position during the docking. Several hours after endeavor and will show the world China’s scientific, technologithe docking, the ascender departed from the orbiter re-entry cal and engineering capabilities. Furthermore, Chang’e 5 will capsule combination and the combination continued orbiting the strengthen the nation’s status and influence in the international moon before its journey back to Earth, the space administration space community, pave the way for the country’s future lunar expeditions and boost its space science, and will offer more said in a statement. After the two-day surface operations were done, the ascend- opportunities to lunar researchers around the world, he said. er’s rocket elevated it to lunar orbit to rendezvous and dock Scientists around the world are welcome to participate in the with the re-entry module. After the underground operation, the research related to the lunar samples brought back by the misrecovering of surface dirt, and completion of all collection and sion. This would not only be a significant moment in the space packing processes, samples were packed into a vacuum con- exploration of China but also the world. SP
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space ISRO
PSLV C-50 rocket, carrying the 42nd communication satellite designated as CMS-01, placed it in an elliptical geostationary transfer orbit (GTO)
Communication Satellite Launched Given ISRO’s track record so far, the nation would have a high degree of confidence in the organisation and its ability to achieve goals set for itself
Photographs: ISRO
By Air Marshal B.K. Pandey (Retd) In the afternoon of December 17 this year, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully launched the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) C-50 carrying its 42nd communication satellite designated as CMS-01. This mission had been scheduled for December 7 this year, exactly a month after the successful launch of the PSLV C-49 that carried ISRO’s all-weather Earth Observation Satellite along with nine other satellites belonging to other nations. However, on account of the prevailing adverse
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weather conditions, the launch was postponed by ten days. The Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) C-50 in its XL configuration with six solid strap-on motors carrying the communication satellite, lifted off from the Second Launch Pad of Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) at Sriharikota. This was the 52nd flight of the PSLV, a highly successful workhorse designed and developed by ISRO and was the 77th launch vehicle mission from this location in Sriharikota.
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space
ISRO
nologies related to space and The CMS-01 communication its space-based applications. In satellite will be the first in a new the year 1972, the government series of communication satelset up a Space Commission and lites designed and developed by created the Department of Space ISRO after the INSAT and the (DOS). ISRO was then relocated GSAT series. The satellite that to function under the DOS. has an estimated mission life of The very first satellite that over seven years, was launched was built by ISRO was named to replace the GSAT-12 comas “Aryabhata” after the first munication satellite that was of the renowned major mathlaunched and inserted into orbit ematician and astronomer of by ISRO in 2011. The GSAT-12 ancient India. However, as the has been in orbit for nine years recently established ISRO had and has already reached the not developed the capability to end of its useful life. launch satellites, Aryabhata was After the burn of all four launched successfully by the stages of a PSLV C-50 rocket, Soviet Union on April 19, 1975. the CMS-01 has been placed Over the years, however, ISRO in an elliptical geostationary has developed phenomenal transfer orbit (GTO). After four capabilities in space exploration days in GTO, the Liquid Apogee and has launched satellites for Motor will be fired and with the varied applications. The list of required manoeuvres, the CMSThe successful CMS-01 mission was the second one satellites includes Communica01 communication satellite will for the ISRO this year tion Satellites, Earth Observabe inserted into a circular geotion Satellites, Navigation Satsynchronous orbit at 36,000 km above the surface of the Earth. The CMS-01 will help expand ellites, Experimental Satellites and space vehicles related to the nation’s communication networks and enhance capabilities Space Science and Exploration. In the regime of communication satellites, the Indian in the domain of e-learning, tele-medicine as well as in disaster National Satellite (INSAT) system is one of the largest domestic management. The successful CMS-01 mission was the second one for the communication satellite systems in Asia-Pacific region with nine ISRO this year, with most of the missions including big-ticket solar operational communication satellites placed in Geo-stationary mission and first unmanned flight of the Gaganyaan mission orbit. The INSAT system with more than 200 transponders in that have been delayed on account of the COVID-19 Pandemic. the C, Extended C and Ku-bands, provides services to telecomAlso, the success of the CMS-01 mission came at a time when munications, television broadcasting, satellite news gathering, there have been other successful missions in the world such as societal applications, weather forecasting, disaster warning as the launch on November 15 this year of SpaceX, a private sector well as Search and Rescue operations. The first communication venture in the United States, that was able to dock with the Inter- satellite that was launched by ISRO was the INSAT 1A. This satnational Space Station (ISS) as also the successful recovery of the ellite was launched on April 10, 1982 on board a Delta rocket. Chinese Chang’e 5 lunar capsule that departed from the surface The commissioning of INSAT-1B in 1983, initiated a major of the Moon and has returned to Earth. The Chinese space vehicle revolution in India’s communications sector. Over the years, landed in the Siziwang district of Inner Mongolia with fresh sam- despite some failures, ISRO has sustained an impressive rate of growth. On February 15, 2017, ISRO set a new world record ples of rock and debris from the surface of the Moon. The domain of space exploration in India began with the with the successful launch of the PSLV C-37 that inserted into establishment of the Indian National Committee for Space orbit as many as 104 satellites in a single mission. This perforResearch (INCOSPAR) in 1962 under the Department of Atomic mance was far better than the world record set in 2014 by Russia in which the Russian space agency Energy (DAE) by the then Prime Minishad launched as many as 37 satellites ter of India, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. using a Dnepr rocket. ISRO has already Vikram Sarabhai was appointed as the undertaken successful unmanned misfirst Chairman of this new organisation. Credit for driving sion to the Moon and has plans to send In fact, the credit for driving the Indian Indian astronauts into space in 2021 in space programme has always been the Indian space a mission named as Gaganyaan. attributed to the vision of Vikram Sarabprogramme has Targets set by ISRO for space explohai who is regarded as the “Father of always been ration in the future, are undoubtedly the Indian Space Programme”. extremely challenging. Given ISRO’s With its headquarters in Bengaattributed to Vikram track record so far, the nation would luru (then Bangalore), INCOSPAR was Sarabhai who is have a high degree of confidence in renamed as ISRO which became the the organisation in its ability to achieve primary agency in India under the regarded as the goals set for itself. For the present, with control of the central government that “Father of the Indian the successful launch on December 17 was entrusted with the responsibility of Space Programme” this year, ISRO certainly has added a handling tasks related to exploration of new feather in its cap! SP space as well as development of tech-
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Business Aviation Policy
AERA’s Apathy towards Indian GA/BA Industry The ‘Airport Economic Regulatory Authority’ (AERA) als’ of public airport hangars as ‘housing charges’. Therefore, was formed in the year 2009 after enactment of AERA Act by this remains an ‘exercise on paper’ every time and AERA’s Indian parliament in 2008. AERA’s sole function is to determine orders continue to be blatantly ignored by airport operators. the optimal charges for aeronautical services at public airport, As regards GH charges, AERA, for reasons known only to the which were hitherto being fixed by Airport Authority of India ‘authority’, doesn’t even propose tariff for the GH services to (AAI), with the approval of the Central Government. With for- be mandatorily provided by ‘public airport operators’ as per mulation of Airport Infrastructure Policy in 1997, participation Schedule-I of ‘Ground Handling Policy’ issued by the governof private sector was allowed in management, operations and ment through ‘The Gazette of India: Extraordinary’, on Decemdevelopment of public airports. The first two public airports to be ber 15, 2017. This, again, adversely affects only the non-schedprivatised were the most busy Delhi and Mumbai airports. AERA uled operators as they connect the whole of India and, can’t have came out with its first ‘Order’ on aeronautical tariff for Mumbai own GH staff at every airport. In some isolated cases, at Delhi & International Airport (MIAL) in January 2013 and, that was the Mumbai, AERA does issue the list of GH charges for small airbeginning of a long drawn battle for justice and equitable treat- craft but, these are just the ones sent to the ‘authority’ by the airment for the small aircraft industry comprising non-scheduled port operators or its concessionaires. Never, till date, AERA has decided GH charges, and private operators. which so adversely AERA’s powers affect small operaand functions have tors, as per provibeen clearly defined sions of para 13 of in the AERA Act para AERA Act to ensure 13 as the ‘author‘viable and economic ity’ to determine operations’. AERA tariff for aeronautidefines this isolated cal services at pubapproach as ‘soft lic airports. Further, touch’ one but, this para 2 of AERA Act hits the small airgives the list of sercraft ‘the hardest’ vices, provided by the and endangers susairports, that have tainability of operabeen unambiguously tions. Allowing of defined as ‘aeronau‘royalty’ for both, tical’. Ground Han‘hourly use of handling (GH) services gars’ & ‘GH charges’, and use of ‘hangars at further adds ‘salt to commercially operaAERA needs to introspect on truly discharging its role, especially for injuries’ and small tional airports on the small aircraft operators aircraft operators hourly basis (houscontinue to suffer at ing), though clearly the hand of AERA. It defined as aeronautical services, are not being determined by the ‘authority’ as per is important to mention that ‘royalty’, which is levying charge provisions of AERA Act para 13. Tariff of these two aeronautical without providing any service, is not provided for in para 13 of services, GH and ‘housing’ on hourly basis, directly affects only AERA Act. AERA has been allowing ‘royalty’ on ‘hangar rental’/ the operators of small aircraft registered under non-scheduled GH charges’/’Fuel Services at public airports. In the beginning and GA category. The airlines operators, because of larger fleet of this very year (2020), government intervened for stopping of aircraft, and fixed schedule, have own ‘ground handling’ royalty on fuel services at public airports, defined as ‘Fuel staff and own or hire hangars ‘on long lease’. The small aircraft Throughput Charges’. This has happened because of the larger industry, which connects every nook and corner of India, has to cause of ‘fuel charges’ adversely and unfairly affecting scheddepend on the airport operator for both GH and hangar (hous- uled operators too, including Air India. It is high time AERA introspect on truly discharging its role ing) services to carry out routine day to day operations. AERA comes out with its mandatory ‘Consultation Paper’ as ‘economic regulator of public airports’, especially for the (CP) proposing aeronautical tariff at major public airports (both small aircraft operators, in non-scheduled category, connecting privatised & operated by AAI) for the forthcoming ‘five years all cities across India, as part of public air transport network period’. While ‘housing charges’ are being determined each in the country. As of now, AERA has lost its relevance to small time, these are never being implemented by airport operators aircraft operators and, seeking legal recourse seems the only in actual practice for the small aircraft operators in NSOP/GA option left with them. SP category. And, AERA turns a blind eye to it in spite of BAOA’s repeated submissions, as comments on CP, to treat ‘hourly rent—By Group Captain Rajesh K. Bali (Retd)
Illustration: Vimlesh kumar Yadav
AERA
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Business Aviation Roll-Out
Photographs: Dassault Aviation
Dassault Aviation rolled out the company’s newest and most advanced aircraft, the Falcon 6X
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Business Aviation
Roll-Out
Dassault Aviation’s Highly Anticipated Roll-Out In a first virtual socially distance rollout, the 6X, said to have the largest cabin cross section of any purpose-built business jet had its debut By Ayushee Chaudhary Uncertainty and innovation is quite at the heart of the aviation industry and challenges always find a way in different forms but no one saw a crisis coming their way that would so significantly disrupt activities and industries. However the aviation industry which remains one of the most affected has continued to stand resilient. The recent example of that is the French manufacturer Dassault Aviation that rolled out its much anticipated Falcon 6X virtually. As the final assemble team at Dassault Aviation in BordeauxMerignac (France) opened the doors of Charles Lindbergh Hall on December 8, 2020, the world witnessed the company’s newest and most advanced aircraft, the Falcon 6X. Aircraft companies expect challenges (usually engineering related) on the path to rollout and first flight but Dassault could not have anticipated the disruption of a global pandemic that arrived out of the blue in March 2020, the manufacturer stated in a release. As the world grappled with the first wave of the crisis, work for quite some time paused and the timeline to a year-end rollout was in doubt but the buoyancy of the company and the partners rose above the obstacles to put the program back on track. “We have faced an unprecedented challenge, but working with our partners up and down the supply chain, we have been resilient,” said Dassault Aviation Chairman and CEO Eric Trappier at business aviation’s first socially distanced, livestreamed rollout. The Falcon 6X is claimed to be the first all-new Falcon in a generation and pioneers new levels of efficiency, comfort and safety, with all the performance strengths of the Falcon line. With a range of 10,186 kilometers (5,500 nm) and top speed of Mach.90, connecting the vast majority of popular business aviation destinations non-stop, the 6X can fly unrefueled from Los Angeles (LA) to Moscow, for example or Beijing to San Francisco. Dassault stated that remarkably, for an aircraft of its size, the 6X can routinely slip into and out of smaller airports, even those with runways under 1,200 meters. The Falcon 6X can also perform safe approaches as low as only 109 knots, slower than other business jets. This further allows the 6X, like other Falcons, to safely access small airports equipped with ultra-short and hard-to-reach runways. “We had three main goals in mind for the 6X: safety, comfort and efficiency. At Dassault, those have always been our guiding principles. It’s a new generation business jet with impressive
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Eric Trappier, Chairman and CEO, Dassault Aviation at the rollout of falcon 6x
range, a digital flight control system that smooths the ride and enhances safety by providing automation, while keeping pilots in the loop. It will get you there with incredible safety, and with this roomy cabin the customer can be more efficient than ever,” said Trappier. The advanced technology used in this programme and the spacious comfortable cabin have had a major spotlight for the Falcon 6X. It is said to have the largest cabin cross section of any purposebuilt business jet being 1.98 meters tall by 2.58 meters wide. “It’s
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Business Aviation
Roll-Out
Falcon 6X - Setting New Standard in Long-Range, Ultra Widebody Segment
Talking about that cabin Brana further stated that the 6X intea cabin designed for a large team—up to 16 people. Passengers can comfortably move past each other in the wide aisle. Everyone rior style is contemporary and the furniture is sleek, very smooth has more elbow room and legroom. So innovative was the styling and flows very well within the cabin. “There are invisible features, of the 6X cabin that it received the 2020 International Yacht & for example the cabin pressurisation, which maintains a lower Aviation award for interior design,” the manufacturer stated. The cabin altitude so you can breathe better and feel better. The Falcon extraordinary quiet of the 6X cabin is another highlight, which will 8X is the reference in terms of quiet and the 6X will be at least at that level. There is the smoothness of the ride. Thanks to the digiachieve noise levels on par than the industry leading Falcon 8X. tal flight control system, we have the Carlos Brana, Dassault’s Executive ability, when we are in turbulence, to Vice President of Civil Aircraft, noted dampen the shocks. It’s a very smooth in a cabin tour during the virtual rollride, as if you were in silk. Also very out that the low cabin altitude of 3,900 important for productivity is fast and feet (about half that of a commercial “We had three main reliable Internet, allowing the customer airliner), is bound to make passengoals in mind for the to be productive and efficient during gers feel noticeably better at the end 6X: safety, comfort and long flights. But we have also created a of long flights. The 6X cabin also has beautiful environment for relaxing and 30 extra-large windows lining the efficiency. It’s a new focusing on other things” said Brana. cabin providing natural brightness generation business The 6X also achieves global highin daytime, while an adjustable intespeed connectivity and hence an effirior lighting palette can create sunjet with impressive cient productivity with service options rise and sunset effects, helping adjust range and a digital that include a Ka-band satellite conbiorhythms as the jet crosses multiple flight control system. nection. Dassault also pointed out to time zones. Another first in business a final passenger pleasing feature aviation is the Falcon 6X’s skylight in It will get you there assuring a smooth ride imparted by the galley area which is often considwith incredible safety, the industry’s most advanced flyered hard-to-illuminate. by-wire flight control system, which “The Falcon 6X represents a and with this roomy dampens the bumps in turbulence. major step forward for large-cabin cabin the customer can Trappier also mentioned that when business jet operators. Its awardbe more efficient than we talk about our aircraft, we often use winning cabin - the tallest and widest the word “efficiency.” Further elaboin business aviation - provides levels ever,” said Dassault rating on that he added, “When pilots of spaciousness, comfort, producAviation Chairman and hear that, they think about range, pertivity and safety that will set a new formance and fuel burn. In addition, benchmark in the long-range segCEO Eric Trappier. when we design our aircraft, we never ment,” said Trappier.
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Business Aviation
Roll-Out
The award-winning cabin of Falcon 6x is the tallest and widest in business aviation
Another feature that Dassault highlighted which makes Falstop thinking about customers. For them, efficiency has a different meaning. The cabin is your home, your office, your living room. con 6X easier to maintain is its entirely new feature on a busiWe want you to enjoy being on board, just as you enjoy being at ness jet—FalconScan, a remarkable diagnostic tool that includes home.” He further stated that ultimately, we are building these air- an onboard server that collects data on 1,00,000 parameters. craft to make them more efficient and productive in the sense of It identify faults, communicates them to the ground through making it easier for passengers to work, rest and arrive refreshed another system, FalconBroadcast, and even recommends the at their destination. We think we have accomplished that very well corrective procedure through a Dassault patented algorithm. The rollout has paved the way for completion of the ground with the 6X and we are truly offering a new flight experience. Dassault further highlighted the 6X digital flight controls test program and the extensive systems checks that must be performed before the first flight, which not only minimise the effects of which is scheduled to occur early turbulence but also impart ultra-prenext year. Dassault expects the 6X to cise handling qualities and reduce pilot fly early in 2021. Three aircraft will workload during critical flight phases “The 6X interior style be used in the flight test programme, such as when maneuvering near airis contemporary. expected to run through 2022. ports. In predecessor Falcons—the 7X The manufacturer also informed and 8X--the digital flight control sysThere are invisible that most of the ground and flight tem managed primary flight controls: features, like the cabin tests on the 6X’s PW812D engine ailerons, elevators and rudder, while have been completed, including bird the 6X digital flight controls tie in secpressurisation. There ingestion, icing and blade-off tests. ondary flight surfaces, including slats, is the smoothness of Flight testing included 300 hours flaps and a unique control called a flathe ride. We have also aboard Pratt & Whitney’s Boeing 747 peron (part flap/part aileron), which testbed, where the engine is mounted is particularly helpful in controlling created a beautiful just behind the cockpit, away from speed in steep approaches. environment for the 747s other engines. With those Dassault’s FalconEye combined tests concluded, the engine has been vision system, which is standard relaxing and focusing cleared to fly in the 6X test program. on the 6X further ensures stronon other things,” said The PW812D provides double digit ger safety. FalconEye gives a view Carlos Brana, Executive improvements in fuel consumpof terrain in pitch darkness and alltion and emissions. According to the weather conditions, making it safer Vice President of Civil manufacturer, it requires 40 per cent to operate when nearing or departAircraft, Dassault less scheduled maintenance and 20 ing airports and allowing approaches per cent fewer inspections than other down to 100 feet before picking up Aviation engines in its class. SP natural runway cues.
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Business Aviation NBAA-VBACE
Organised virtually, VBACE was an impressive combination of exciting new content and innovative variations of established NBAA events
INAUGURAL VIRTUAL BUSINESS AVIATION CONVENTION & EXHIBITION 2020
Photographs: NBAA
With virtual booths, exhibition halls, chat lounges and much more, NBAA’s VBACE 2020 took innovation a notch-up The year 2020 has been nothing short of an adventure that exposed everyone to unprecedented challenges and nudged them towards unique innovations. The aviation industry has been no different, while it is facing some of its most testing times but constantly going further with new adaptations in this transforming world. The latest testimony to that is the National Business Aviation Association’s (NBAA) inaugural Virtual Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (VBACE) 2020. “With VBACE we’re doing more than moving online – we’re moving ahead. This event promises to move the industry forward and connect us in an innovative and state-of-the-art way. It is an unmatched opportunity for everyone in the industry to chart their course for the year ahead,” NBAA stated. Organised on December 2-3, 2020, VBACE was an impressive combination of exciting new content and innovative variations of established hallmarks of NBAA events. Through its exclusive keynote addresses planned with award-winning singer, songwriter and pilot Dierks Bentley and acclaimed writer Erin Meyer; educational sessions; sessions on sustainability, tax benefits, ownership, safe operations, security concerns, etc. there was a wide range of session for the attendees to have an immersive experience. The VBACE also featured New Products Exhibit Hall which offered a one-stop look at dozens of gathering of new products and services by companies ranging from new industry entrants, to the industry established OEMs. The New Product Hall complemented 21 primary VBACE Exhibitor Halls featuring 170 unique, three-dimensional booths, ranging from small spaces to enormous custom installations that would allow you to transport to the booths right from the comfort of your homes. Exhibitors such as Airbus, Boeing, Bombardier, Cirrus, Collins Aerospace, Dassault, Embraer, Honda Aircraft, Honeywell, Pilatus, Pratt & Whitney, and Textron Aviation, and many others were exhibiting for the first time at any NBAA show.
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Throughout VBACE, a slate of chat lounges, coffee socials and other virtual gatherings spanning the diverse range of business aviation roles and positions were arranged for attendees to gather virtually to socialize with their peers.The platform also gave interactive booths with demonstrations, one-on-one video meetings, resources that highlighted products and services for attendees. There was also an option to chat with exhibitors, and have your own personalised virtual backpack. Whether it’s an exhibit video, education session, an entire booth, or any other collateral, you simply clicked on the Virtual Backpack icon where it will be saved for you to watch, read, or act upon when it’s convenient for you. There was also a virtual newsroom. NBAA had arranged a dedicated journalists’ webinar prior to the event to provide information and insights for attending and covering the first VBACE. NBAA Senior Vice President for Exhibitions and Membership Chris Strong noted, “VBACE is going to help us connect in new, exciting ways. That ability to connect is how we build and sustain relationships. It’s how we better ourselves as professionals. It’s how we get business done. It’s how we plan for the future, as individuals, and as an industry. We have many ways for people to connect, and we want to highlight those.” With many such sessions to attend, a lot of interesting and important information to gather, inspiring stories to experience, and expo halls to explore, VBACE 2020 was full of excitement as the aviation world came together virtually. SP —By Ayushee Chaudhary VBACE stories can be read on www.sps-aviation.com/VBACE-2020/ Some of the stories can be referred to in SP’s Airbuz issue 6/2020. Most of the stories will also appear in the subsequent issue of SP’s Aviation in 2021.
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hall of fame
Günther Rall (1918 - 2009) When the Second World War ended, Günther Rall had reached 275 victories and had been awarded some of Germany’s highest military honours
Generalleutnant Günther Rall’s forty years of military service spanned a crucial period of German history – the Second World War, Germany’s defeat and the subsequent reconstruction. During the War this Luftwaffe pilot logged an amazing 275 aerial victories in 621 combat missions, making him the third highest scoring fighter ace ever. The aircraft that helped him achieve this record was the Messerschmitt Bf 109. He narrowly escaped death on several occasions, being shot down eight times and severely injured thrice. Rall was born in Gaggenau on March 10, 1918. He volunteered for military service in December 1936 and two years later, he joined pilot training and soon qualified as a fighter pilot. He was posted to Jagdgeschwader 52 (JG 52, or the 52nd Fighter Wing), which later became one of the most famous flying units in aerial warfare. His squadron flew the Me 109E from Boblingen, near Stuttgart. On May 18, 1940, during the Battle of France, Rall scored his first victory over a French Curtiss P36. In June 1940, the squadron moved to Coquelles, near Calais, to fly missions against English Channel ports and convoys. Rall later said, “The British were sporting. They would accept a fight under almost all conditions.” However, his inexperienced unit was no match for the Royal Air Force and sustained heavy casualties. At the age of 22, Rall was appointed Staffelkapitän (Squadron Leader) and participated in the Balkans Campaign in April-May 1941. In June 1941, JG 52 moved to the Eastern Front. It remained there from Operation Barbarossa – the code name for the Axis invasion of the Soviet Union – until the end of the War. Günther Rall’s kills now came thick and fast against the raw Soviet pilots in their primitive planes. On November 28, 1941, he scored his 36th victory against a Polikarpov I-16 aircraft, but a momentary lapse of concentration led to his being shot. He tried to fly back to safety with a damaged engine, but had to crash-land in darkness and was knocked unconscious as a result. Fortunately, he was rescued from the wreck by German soldiers. The medical verdict was that his spine was broken in three places, his right leg was paralysed and he was finished as a pilot. He was transferred to a hospital in Vienna in December 1941 where romance blossomed between the severely injured pilot and Hertha Schön, the Viennese doctor treating him. They were married in 1943. Unknown to Rall,
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his wife was secretly helping Jewish acquaintances escape to safety from the Nazis. Although she was investigated by the Gestapo, the dreaded secret police of Nazi Germany, nothing came of it. Meanwhile, Rall had returned to combat flying defying medical opinion. By October 1942, he had tallied 100 kills and received the Knight’s Cross with Oak Leaves. In August 1943 he doubled this to 200 victories and was awarded the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords – the second highest military award of Germany. It was during this period that he received a head injury when a Russian fighter plane shot away his cockpit canopy. And after reaching 250 kills, he was posted to the Western Front to command a squadron flying specially equipped Me 109G aircraft to conduct high altitude interception attacks against daylight bombing raids by the US Air Force. In May 1944, he was shot during combat with a P-47 Thunderbolt. His left thumb was badly injured and after he cleared the ice from his windshield with his right hand, he bailed out. The thumb later became infected and could not be saved. He spent six months in hospital in Nassau before taking over command of the Fighter Leader School in November 1944. This injury however, saved his life because the US Eighth Air Force had established air superiority over Germany for the rest of the war and any enemy plane getting airborne, was liable to be shot down. When the war ended, Rall had reached 275 victories and had been awarded some of Germany’s highest military honours. How did he achieve this remarkable record? Unlike, the stereotypical fighter pilot he was modest of speech and manner. He once said, “I had no system of shooting as such. It is definitely more in the feeling side of things that these skills develop. I was at the front five and a half years and you just got a feeling for the right amount of lead.” Günther Rall was a prisoner of war for many weeks. When the West German military was re-established in 1956, he volunteered to join the cadre of officers in the German Air Force. In January 1971 he was appointed Chief of the Air Staff and later became Germany’s military attaché with NATO. Rall died on October 4, 2009 at the age of 91, following a heart attack. SP — Joseph Noronha
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LAST word
Safeguard Satellites
Photograph: ISRO
Unless, ISRO develops the capability of safeguarding its satellites from anti-satellite weapons of the enemy, this vital segment of national security can easily be compromised India’s endeavours into the domain of space technology began as early as in 1962 with the setting up of the Indian National Committee for Space Research (INCOSPAR). Thereafter, it was in August 1969, seven years after the foray into this domain, the Indian space Research Organisation (ISRO) was set up with its headquarters at Bangalore, now Bengaluru. Following the creation of ISRO, the Government of India constituted the Space Commission in June 1972 as well as established the Department of Space (DOS) and brought the newly created ISRO under its control in the year 1972. The purpose of these measures adopted by the Government was to provide the impetus for rapid development of space technology and the variety of related applications to assist in the all-round development of the nation. The domain of space technology was entirely a new field the nation was venturing into without any assistance from or collaboration with any nation with proven capability in this field. However, as this was an entirely new field for Indian scientists, dependence on foreign sources for some high end technologies such as solar cells to power satellite in space, was natural and only to be expected. This deficiency was corrected a few years ago when ISRO acquired the technology from the United States (US) for making space solar cells and hence has been in a position to mass produce this item in India. Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), the leading firm in the Indian public sector is now responsible for producing solar cells to power satellites while in space. This has resulted in enormous savings of precious foreign exchange as the requirement of this item is sizeable. Today, ISRO is supported by over a dozen Indian laboratories and organisations dealing with space technology. The first satellite that was made by ISRO marking its successful foray into the space age, was in 1975. The satellite was christened as “Aryabhata”, being named after the first of the major mathematician-astronomers from the classical age of Indian mathematics and Indian astronomy. Aryabhata was born in the year 476 AD. There is uncertainty about his place of birth, but it is known that he had his early education in Nalanda in Bihar. He was one of the earliest Indian mathematicians and astronomers whose pioneering work in these two fields is still studied by scholars even of modern times. Naming after him the first satellite that was successfully launched by India, was perhaps the most appropriate thing to do. Over the last forty five years, the Indian Space programme
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ISSUE 12 • 2020
By air marshal b.K. PANDEY (Retd)
has made impressive progress through a well-integrated, selfreliant programme. ISRO has launched nearly 200 satellites since the launch of Aryabhata, for use by the nation including its armed forces. In addition, ISRO has launched satellites for a number of nations as well purely as a commercial venture. Today, ISRO is regarded as one of the largest and most successful space agencies in the world. While Rakesh Sharma, an officer serving in the Indian Air Force, was the first Indian citizen to undertake a flight into space on April 02, 1984, it was not on board an Indian space vehicle; but on one called Soyuz T-11 that was launched by the Union of Soviet Socialist Republic. Although in 2003, the then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had urged ISRO to work towards sending a man to the Moon, the space agency is yet to achieve this feat. However, ISRO has successfully carried out missions to the Moon by way of Chandrayaan One and Chandrayaan Two. Also, on September 14, 2014, ISRO successfully launched its Mars Orbiter Mission called “Mangalyaan”. As per reports in the media, human spaceflight by ISRO that was planned for December 2021, is delayed by a year. The spacecraft for the Moon mission named as Gaganyaan, will be launched by the indigenous GSLV III rocket. ISRO has been playing a significant role in the defence of the nation by launching satellites that provide extremely reliable communication and reconnaissance facilities, both of critical importance for the Indian armed forces. The relevance of these two facilities have been clearly highlighted in the recent conflict in Eastern Ladakh between the Indian Army and the People’s Liberation Army of China. A recent event of significance is that ISRO has displayed the capability to destroy a satellite in orbit which made India the fourth country to do so after the US, Russia and China. One of ISRO’s defunct satellites was destroyed by a missile fired from the ground. Investment by the nation in building up the capabilities of ISRO in the domain of space technology has without doubt, been enormous and with passage of time, will only continue to escalate. The network of satellites that ISRO has place in orbit will not only have to be replaced periodically but also expanded considerably to meet with the ever increasing requirements of the nation. However, unless and until ISRO develops the capability of not only launching more satellites, but also to safeguard the network of satellites from anti-satellite weapons of the enemy, this vital segment of national security can easily be compromised. SP
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