Pax Alums Selected for SpaceX Mission
Two US Naval Test Pilot School at NAS Pax River alums — Nicole Mann and Josh Cassada — have been selected to command and pilot NASA’s SpaceX Crew-5 mission headed to the International Space Station next year. The pair expected to fly on early missions of Boeing’s crew capsule, but instead will ride to orbit with SpaceX.
F-35 Full-Rate Production Put on Hold
DoD has put a hold on the full-rate production of the F-35. The Pentagon says technical challenges and the impact of COVID-19 have delayed preparation of the simulation facility where the combat testing will be conducted.
With Peace Deal, Troops Could Be Out of Afghanistan in 14 Months
The US and the Taliban have signed a peace agreement aimed at ending the 18-year war in Afghanistan. If the Taliban meet their commitments, US troops would leave in 14 months.
NASA Plans 3-D Printing of Habitats on Other Planets
NASA uses 3-D printing to repair tools in space and now wants to use the technology to build habitats on other planets. The US Army deploys its Rapid Fabrication via Additive Manufacturing on the Battlefield, with five printers to get broken equipment ready for battle quicker. The current, fourth deployment of the $250,000 facility, is in South Korea.
Defense Spending Bills Taking Shape
Both the House and Senate are proposing $675B in defense spending. The House passed its version of the defense appropriations bill last week. Lawmakers will return after the holiday to reconcile their differences in the legislation.
Navy Officers Face Criminal Charges for Pacific Collisions
Five Navy officers and a chief petty officer have been recommended for possible criminal charges in connection with the separate collisions of the USS John McCain and USS Fitzgerald.
AH-1Z Undergoing Testing at Pax
The US Navy has successfully completed its first joint air-to-ground missile flight test on the AH-1Z helicopter at NAS Patuxent River.
Traditional & Unmanned Aircraft Paired at Pax
Navy and Pentagon leaders praise the successful pairing of the P-8 Poseidon aircraft with the unmanned MQ-4C Triton undergoing testing of their capabilities at Pax River.
Report: Captain at Fault in El Faro Sinking
A Coast Guard report says the primary cause of the 2015 sinking of the cargo ship El Faro, which killed all 33 aboard, was the captain underestimating the strength of a hurricane and overestimating the ship’s strength.
Rosetta Mission Comes to An End
Rosetta, the first spacecraft to orbit a comet, is dead, setting down Friday on Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. Radio signals from Rosetta flatlined at 7:19 am after it did a soft belly-flop.
