Griffin Cleverly

Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Selects Umbra for Phase II of the Distributed Radar Image Formation Technology (DRIFT) Program Read More: https://ow.ly/PVzZ50RuqeQ #darpa #umbra #radar #imaging #satellite #technology #selection #security #drift #algorithms #innovation #processing #imagery #government

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I have been saying some of this for years. SpaceX customers are subsidizing Starlink. With traditional launch, costs are simple. Fixed costs (infra, labor...) + Cost of rocket / $$$ from the launch. The fixed costs get divided by launch cadence, so they are huge for 1 launch per yr, but not bad for 10/yr. With reuse, your launch cost breakdown gets funkier. You still have the fixed costs, but now you divide those by 100+ instead of 1 or 10. Add in the less quantifiable increase in competence that comes from doing this 2/wk instead of 2/yr. Now, you get to amortize the rocket over its lifetime. With that though, you have to add some stuff back in. You add refurb costs, which include spare parts and labor. Do you get better at that over time? That seems to be the case, and spare parts on a 23X flown bird certainly beats a new bird! So, I can have 1/20 rocket cost + refurb? That's only something knowable after it has been retired. So, 23? 30? We don't know yet! Of course Falcon 9 isn't fully reusable. The upper stage is expended, and I've recently heard that 2/3 of their cost is due to the upper stage expenditures. So, what does a launch cost SpaceX? At this point, it costs something like this: (Fixed costs/100+) + ((booster + fairing/20+) + (Refurb )) + (Expended upper stage) + (Propellant, which is usually 1-2% of launch cost, so it ordinarily doesn't even factor) And here's the kicker. They have no reason to lower price until a second player enters the arena at a similar price point. It would be destructive to their own profits and the absolute razor edge Margin model they are playing with Starlink, but it would also be destructive to any current or future competitors. Of course Starship will be different. The rocket will be cheaper/kg of payload, it will be fully reused and the unit lifetime will be higher.

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[DJI ban in USA Part 2] Possible ways out The DJI ban is a restriction of DJI ability to get FCC license for future drones and current FCC license might be revoked as well. There might be a way out of this. You dont really need a FCC license if you sell a drone without any radio link. All enterprise drone since M300 can actually be flown via 4G. This is done via DJI branded 4G radios but technically can be any 4G radio as long as the drone has the right drivers. Hence DJI can easily sell future enterprise drones without any radio and instead asking clients to install FCC approved 4G modems on them. The downside is of course now clients need to pay a monthly data fee. I tested LTE M30T before and the latency is a little worst then OS4 but still usable. For products like Dock 2 this is definitely workable and actually a better solution for BVLOS. #drone #DJI

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Is the proliferation of drones confusing customers? Industry experts have predicted that within the Defense & Military market alone that drone platforms will go from several hundred types to over 10,000 platforms satisfying diverse needs and following the “miniaturization” curve over the next 5-7 years. That is a strong statement for the drone Industry, although it also reinforces how difficult it will be for customers to distinguish and differentiate drone-related products and services. The key is continuing to look for those drone providers that focus on solving problems and designing their drone solutions to fit critical, applications requirements. EuroLink grew-up in the Technology field – with decades of experience learning and meeting the demands of mission-critical, program needs. This experience has been translated into EuroLink’s Beluga™ family of mini-drones – which was designed from the user perspective first, leveraged and applied lessons learned from the Aeronautical Industry and uniquely applied a Bio-inspired approach to support its design and breakthrough blade/propeller technology resulting in the “Silent Drone.” Here is a published article from Unmanned Systems Technology (UST) highlighting Beluga’s application for ISR target applications: https://lnkd.in/dZsgwNVQ Intriguing and supported by a challenging Roadmap to continue extending Beluga’s™ capabilities and providing advanced UAV, UGV and UUS products. Time to take a look at an emerging, Drone Leader that approaches things differently than the rest of the pack? Contact Andrea Lapiana at: andrea.lapiana@eurolinksystems.com or Ed Hennessy at: ehennessy@pmg-results.com about your challenges and we will get you moving forward. #Aerospace #Defense #Innovation #Technology #UncrewedVehicles #sUAS #Drones #C4ISR #SituationalAwareness #PublicSafety #LawEnforcement #MedicalTransport #InfrastructureInspection

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Check out our latest blog article by Dann Hayes!

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All technology seems like magic once it works. The question is how do we tell if some goals are too outlandish? Here is a simple template: > Does it fall within the bounds of physics? > Will a first principles check show feasibility? - even if the odds seem slim. > Do you have a team from all disciplines needed to solve this? It takes imagination and courage to attempt breaking the norm. SuperHeavy booster catch envisioned in this video (Credit : Space.com & SpaceX) checks all three boxes. Catching the Superheavy booster sounds crazy but, at one point, so did landing a F9 booster after an orbital launch. It will be exciting and rewarding to reach this goal. #Spacex #Spacetechnology #Starship #rockets https://lnkd.in/g7yq_yiV

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Safran - Navigation & Timing ✨ Skydel introduces full compatibility with Galileo Open Service Navigation Message Authentication (OSNMA) ✨ Skydel 24.4 now fully supports the Galileo E1 OSNMA signal, which enhances the security and integrity of GNSS signals. ➡️ Read our updated application note and OSNMA datasheet to learn how you can simulate the OSNMA signal to ensure robust and reliable positioning for your critical applications. #GNSS #Galileo #OSNMA #Simulation #PNT #ResilientPNT

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In this article by Dann Hayes, Director of Operations & Testing, we highlight Direct Field Acoustic Testing technology in human spaceflight applications. Find out how ARS is pushing the boundaries with scalable and efficient acoustic testing systems that are now being embraced by the human spaceflight sector. From rigorous system checks to meticulous planning, learn why Direct Field Acoustic Testing is becoming the preferred method for ensuring the safety and reliability of space missions. Learn more how ARS is setting new standards in human spaceflight safety with DFAN technology: https://lnkd.in/egkmCUmF #directfieldacoustictesting #aerospace #spacetech #directfieldacousticnoise #dfan #environmentaltesting

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Leading space technology company Sierra Space, best known for its Space Plane, has now developed a new idea that promises to deliver freight anywhere on Earth within 90 minutes of receiving a request. It is said that this technology will transform space logistics. How does it operate? The system would entail manufacturing supply units that would contain cargo. After that, these units would be sent into orbit and kept there for a maximum of 5 years until someone requests the cargo. The orbiting unit will execute brake burns to slow down and deorbit towards the earth's surface under gravity as soon as the delivery request is received. A thermal shield would be fitted to the unit to shield the cargo from the extreme heat and plasma produced during reentry. The shield will separate in the last stage, allowing a parafoil with a rudder to open and guide the unit to its intended landing location. The company wants the unit to land no more than 100 meters from the delivery location. What worries people about this technology? Without strong legislation, the technology's application in humanitarian aid efforts would be restricted, even though its goals include both supplying weapons to combat zones and aiding in relief efforts in disaster-prone areas. It may be difficult for the general public, particularly in rural areas, to locate and handle a landed space payload in the case of a natural catastrophe, as communication lines are typically the first to be damaged. The government or other administrative body may view the space payload as a possible threat if it carries weapons or warheads and is providing relief assistance to areas affected by war or other man-made calamities. No nation dealing with such a situation would take the chance of permitting an unidentified foreign body to set foot inside its boundaries. Therefore, even though the technology has enormous potential, it does not seem to be practical enough to be achieved. There's a concern that this technology will spark a rush to militarize space. As soon as one government begins to store weapons in space, other spacefaring nations will soon be competing to store their own arsenal. Furthermore, it wouldn't take long for simple weapon storage to give way to the storage of nuclear bombs in orbit. What benefits does technology offer? It is unfounded, even though it may appear at times that there are more hazards associated with technology than advantages. This concept has the capacity to completely alter the field of space logistics. The system is not merely for delivering supplies; it can also be used to return the space station's modules and experiments from orbit. Moreover, the technology can be utilized for returning small satellites to Earth for data collecting and reuse (in whole or in part). Way forward? Legislation restricting the militarization of space can be introduced by space-faring nations without impeding the advancement of technology. #space #spacetourism

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The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) officially designated the hybrid-electric uncrewed aircraft system (UAS) developed under its Series Hybrid Electric Propulsion AiRcraft Demonstration (SHEPARD) program as the XRQ-73, the agency announced in a statement. The SHEPARD program, an "X-prime" initiative, incorporates series hybrid electric architecture and various technologies from the earlier AFRL/IARPA Great Horned Owl project. This approach is designed to mitigate system-level integration risks and accelerate the maturation of long-endurance aircraft designs suitable for rapid field deployment, the agency says. https://lnkd.in/eMfngjEY

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Don’t make your deployed personnel use their hands to launch and catch your #UAS every 5-8 hours. Use #FLARES for #ScanEagle and #Integrator. Keeps people safe, and allows your aircraft to fly further, for longer with less cycles. #ExperienceMatters #EnduranceIsEverything #NoHandsNearFans #VTOL #SafetyFirstMissionAlways #ExpeditionaryRedefined https://lnkd.in/gyg2eRiK

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Safran’s digital beam position monitoring system (BPM) technology provides an accurate measure of the beam position in the XY plane defined by the section of the accelerating cavities. It plays a crucial role in the commissioning and operation of the cavities that compose any particle accelerator. Safran’s solution is tailored on customer needs. Based either on White Rabbit technology (Ethernet-based network protocol designed for sub-nanosecond accuracy over fiber optic cables) or external frequency reference, this solution provides a cutting-edge answer to the precise timing and synchronization challenges faced in BPM. #ResilientPNT #PNT #HighEnergyPhysics #WhiteRabbit #Timing

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Vannevar Labs is aiming for $1 billion in revenue by 2030. 💰 They are one of the fastest-to-profitability defense tech stratups... ever. 🚀 And their founders, Brett Granberg and Nini Hamrick, are two of the most candid, caring, and driven in the industry. This week's #CrossingTheValley is an absolute masterclass in what separates innovation theater from mission-impact. Check it out wherever you get your podcasts, and read on for some top takeaways 👇 1. Peers are the real support network of a business school… not (necessarily) the professors. Outside of the Hacking for Defense ecosystem, Brett got an icy reception from professors when he spoke about dropping out of Stanford. One went so far as to say, “if you drop out, I’m not going to help you.” 2. You can fundraise with problems and users… you don't (necessarily) need product. The world was different in 2018… but the Vannevar team didn't have a prototype. They had a deep background and extensive network of end users because they chose to solve a problem that they had experienced personally their previous lives. This made it easy for them to pick up the phone and get together with users who understood the problem deeply. 3. The best "first" deal is the first (real) deal you can get. “Whatever you can get, the fastest you can possibly get it, is what you should go after.” But crucially (and this will stand out from the typical deftech startup), they deprioritized SBIR, innovation money, and anything that sounded like innovation money or research funds. If it wasn't real money, it wasn't an important enough problem. 4. "Selling" in defense isn’t about sales… it’s about solving a problem with a customer who lacks existing capability. Many of the areas the team focused on were new to the government; they didn’t have to focus on competitors, and they didn’t have to obsess over a business model - they had to figure out what it would take to make the problem go away, and then deliver. Check out the full case writeup on Frontdoordefense . substack . com for the complete list of lessons and some 🌶 quotes!

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Lockheed is serving as a sort of intermediary between Terran Orbital and Firefly, matching up subcontracted satellites with subcontracted rockets to launch them. With Lockheed Martin as the indispensable party to both subcontractors, an investor can probably safely assume that it will be earning respectable profit margins on this business. And seeing as Lockheed Martin's space division profit margins have sunk from about 10.5% to less than 9% over the past five years, that would be a positive development. At the same time, Lockheed's patronage is obviously good news for Terran Orbital, helping keep the company afloat even as it continues losing money. (Terran reported more than $150 million in losses last year, a sum nearly equal to the company's entire market capitalization.)

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Siloed is silly; integrated is imperative! The production of #composites requires a holistic approach and broad understanding of the many “ilities” - producibility, inspectability, and supportability among others. If the only thing your designers ever do is sit in front of LCD screens, you may need to start mandatory rotations out on the shop floor to have them lay up what they’ve designed. Everyone would benefit from a trip to the #MRO facility to see how tough it is sometimes to pull the product apart to inspect and maintain it. And open and honest communication is critical to build trust and ensure everyone is aligned. Finally: just because you 𝒄𝒂𝒏 do everything on this list doesn’t mean you 𝒔𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 or that you’ve found the optimal material and process. Listen to the smart and experienced people no matter where you find them, inside or outside your organization. Breaking down silos early is way easier than struggling to build bad parts for decades. #LaminateLife #composite #design #inspection #assembly #maintenance #aerospace #advancedmanufacturing

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Exciting news from the aviation tech sphere as uAvionix Corporation secures a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) contract to revolutionize C-Band frequency management for uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS) command and control (C2) communications. This milestone represents a significant leap towards widespread commercialization of UAS operations, especially in scenarios involving multiple UAS operating closely. Cyriel Kronenburg from uAvionix emphasizes the critical need for reliable and deconflicted communications among multiple UAS operating in shared airspace, particularly in scenarios such as medical delivery and first response services. The use of licensed spectrum like C-Band is key to ensuring robust communications for UAS, but the current manual assignment process isn't scalable. uAvionix’s Dynamic Frequency Management System (DFMS) demonstrates a promising solution, leveraging protected C-Band spectrum for efficient frequency allocation and deconfliction. This contract underscores uAvionix’s commitment to advancing UAS technologies and aligns with regulatory initiatives like the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018. By showcasing the capabilities of DFMS through the SkyLine Platform, uAvionix aims to facilitate seamless and reliable C2 communications for multiple UAS, setting new standards for airspace integration and safety. Stay tuned to our blog for an in-depth look at uAvionix’s groundbreaking work in UAS communications and spectrum management. #AvfoilNews #uAvionix #FAAContract #UASCommunications #CbandFrequencyManagement

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