{"id":17325,"date":"2022-12-30T23:12:38","date_gmt":"2022-12-30T15:12:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp-productionenv-bjg9h2g2bgg5b8aa.southeastasia-01.azurewebsites.net\/news\/from-artemis-to-webb-take-a-look-back-and-a-look-ahead-at-the-years-top-trends-in-aerospace\/"},"modified":"2022-12-30T23:12:38","modified_gmt":"2022-12-30T15:12:38","slug":"from-artemis-to-webb-take-a-look-back-and-a-look-ahead-at-the-years-top-trends-in-aerospace","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/news\/from-artemis-to-webb-take-a-look-back-and-a-look-ahead-at-the-years-top-trends-in-aerospace\/","title":{"rendered":"From Artemis to Webb, take a look back  \u2014 and a look ahead \u2014 at the year\u2019s top trends in aerospace"},"content":{"rendered":"<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full-width\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"630\" height=\"479\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.geekwire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/221229-wreath-630x479.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-745550\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.geekwire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/221229-wreath-630x479.jpg 630w, https:\/\/cdn.geekwire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/221229-wreath-1260x959.jpg 1260w, https:\/\/cdn.geekwire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/221229-wreath-768x584.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cdn.geekwire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/221229-wreath-1536x1169.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/cdn.geekwire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/221229-wreath.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 630px) 100vw, 630px\"><figcaption data-nosnippet=\"\" class=\"wp-element-caption\">An image of the galaxy NGC 7469 in the midst of star formation serves as this season\u2019s \u201choliday card\u201d from NASA\u2019s James Webb Space Telescope. (ESA \/ Webb, NASA &amp; CSA \/ L. Armus, A.S. Evans)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>A few years from now, we just might look back at 2022 as Year One for a new age in aerospace: It was the year when NASA\u2019s next-generation space telescope delivered the goods, when NASA\u2019s moon rocket aced its first flight test, and when an all-electric passenger plane built from the ground up took to the skies.<\/p>\n<p>I\u2019ve been rounding up the top stories in space on an annual basis for 25 years now (starting with the Mars Pathfinder mission in 1997), and 2022 ranks among the biggest years when it comes to opening up new frontiers on the final frontier. The best thing about these frontier-opening stories \u2014 especially the James Webb Space Telescope and the Artemis moon program \u2014 is that the best is yet to come.<\/p>\n<p>Here\u2019s my top-five list for the big stories of the past year, plus five aerospace trends to watch in the year ahead:<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Looking back at 2022<\/h2>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Happy Birthday Webb!\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/zwlIyO5jOiE?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen=\"\"><\/iframe><br \/>\n<\/figure>\n<p><strong>JWST delivers the goods:<\/strong> The Christmas Day launch of the James Webb Space Telescope was one of last year\u2019s top stories \u2014 but the space telescope\u2019s scientists didn\u2019t start sharing their cosmic goodies with the rest of the world until July. The first presents to be opened included a new deep-field image that was jam-packed with distant galaxies and an updated view of the Pillars of Creation, the Hubble Space Telescope\u2019s most iconic image.<\/p>\n<p>And that was just the start: In December, astronomers gathered in Maryland to celebrate JWST\u2019s first scientific results. We\u2019re sure to see more marvels from the space telescope when the \u201cSuper Bowl of Astronomy\u201d (a.k.a. the winter meeting of the American Astronomical Society) comes to Seattle in January.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOne thing I\u2019ve found truly remarkable about JWST this past year is just how many people want to talk about it,\u201d University of Washington astronomer James Davenport told me in an email. \u201cOf course I knew every astronomer would be excited \u2014 these images of young stars and ancient galaxies are something we\u2019ve only dreamed of until now \u2014 but almost every week I meet someone in the grocery store or the airport and they know about this mission! They\u2019ve seen some of these iconic pictures and are moved.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Davenport said that\u2019s what he loves about astronomy, and about JWST: \u201cIt strikes a chord deep within, and brings us together in awe and wonder of the universe.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"NASA\u2019s DART Mission Tests Earth\u2019s Defenses Against Asteroids | WSJ\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/e4JfVcCdrNE?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen=\"\"><\/iframe><br \/>\n<\/figure>\n<p><strong>DART hits an asteroid bull\u2019s-eye:<\/strong> Davenport said his \u201csurprise hit of the year\u201d was a NASA mission that sent out a camera-equipped space probe to smash into an asteroid in September. The Double Asteroid Redirection Test was aimed at assessing how the impact, involving a spacecraft the size of a vending machine, would change the orbit of one asteroid around a larger one.<\/p>\n<p>Scientists determined that the smash-up produced a larger-than-expected orbital change, in part because so much debris was blasted away from the target asteroid during impact. That boosted hopes that future probes might be able to help humanity dodge killer space rocks.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAt the UW\u2019s DiRAC Institute, we\u2019re building algorithms to map our solar system and search for asteroids that might threaten Earth,\u201d Davenport said. \u201cSeeing one of these objects up close, and in real time, was surreal! Watching the enormous plume form post-impact, and seeing just how much we\u2019ve been able to nudge this mountain-sized pile of rubble, gives me a bit of hope that someday we could come together and actually save our planet.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Artemis I Mission Highlights\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/kZ20H8sHo9w?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen=\"\"><\/iframe><br \/>\n<\/figure>\n<p><strong>NASA\u2019s moon rocket makes its debut:<\/strong> After years of delays and billions of dollars in cost overruns, NASA\u2019s Space Launch System rocket lifted off for the first time in November, sending an uncrewed Orion capsule on what was apparently a picture-perfect test mission around the moon and back. Speaking of pictures, the cameras mounted on Orion\u2019s solar arrays sent back jaw-dropping views of the moon and planet Earth that evoked the spirit of the Apollo era. (Orion splashed down on the 50th anniversary of the final Apollo moon landing, adding to the sense of history.)<\/p>\n<p>The Artemis 1 mission blazed a trail for a crewed round-the-moon trek scheduled for 2024, followed by a lunar landing set for as soon as 2025. NASA is expected to name the crew for Artemis 2 in 2023.<\/p>\n<p>Aerojet Rocketdyne\u2019s facility in Redmond, Wash., played a significant supporting role in Artemis 1. Ken Young, general manager of the Redmond facility, told me in an emailed statement that he and his teammates \u201cworked tirelessly for years to ensure the delivery of trusted, reliable propulsion for the Artemis 1 mission.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Aerojet\u2019s Redmond team supplied or supported mission-critical hardware including the jettison motor for Orion\u2019s Launch Abort System, reaction control system thrusters for the crew module, auxiliary engines on the European-built service module, the Orion Main Engine and RCS thrusters on the SLS upper stage. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019re extremely proud of our Redmond team and the larger national coalition for the success of the Artemis 1 mission,\u201d Young said. \u201cAs we like to say, the path back to the moon and on to Mars goes through Redmond.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"First Flight of Eviation's All-Electric Alice Aircraft\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/RnA5HXerVa0?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen=\"\"><\/iframe><br \/>\n<\/figure>\n<p><strong>Eviation\u2019s Alice airplane takes to the skies: <\/strong>Arlington, Wash.-based Eviation chalked up a milestone for zero-emission aviation in September when the company put its prototype all-electric Alice airplane through its first flight test at Grant County International Airport in Moses Lake, Wash. \u201cWhat we have just done is made aviation history,\u201d Greg Davis, Eviation\u2019s president and CEO, said after the eight-minute flight.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s expected to take years for Alice (which takes its name from the Lewis Carroll classic \u201cAlice\u2019s Adventures in Wonderland\u201d and the Jefferson Airplane song \u201cWhite Rabbit\u201d) to go through its full test program and win certification from the Federal Aviation Administration. But Eviation says it already has booked orders adding up to more than $2 billion, with first deliveries set for 2027.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Boeing's 747 program wraps after decades of production\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/ru7xCCrff-A?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen=\"\"><\/iframe><br \/>\n<\/figure>\n<p><strong>Boeing\u2019s last 747 begins the long farewell:<\/strong> A different kind of aviation history was made in November when Boeing\u2019s final 747 jumbo jet rolled off the production line in Everett, Wash. The cargo freighter still has to be painted and delivered to Atlas Air, which will operate the jet for a Swiss logistics company. But the late-night rollout marked the denouement of a story that began in Seattle back in the 1960s.<\/p>\n<p>Kim Smith, Boeing\u2019s vice president and general manager for 747 and 767 programs, hailed the 747 as a \u201cmagnificent airplane that truly changed the world.\u201d Unfortunately for the 747, the world kept changing: Today\u2019s passenger airlines favor smaller models ranging from the single-aisle 737 to the twin-aisle 767, 777, 787 Dreamliner and 777X. <\/p>\n<p>Since the final 747 left the building, Boeing has had a jumbo dose of good news on other fronts \u2014 including huge orders for Dreamliners and 737 MAX planes from United Airlines and BOC Aviation.<\/p>\n<p>Although this was the last rollout for the \u201cQueen of the Skies,\u201d 747s are likely to remain in service for decades to come, primarily as cargo planes. The next-generation Air Force One planes will also be 747s. Ironically, those planes are currently being retrofitted by the U.S. Air Force for presidential use after they were built for a now-defunct Russian airline.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Looking ahead to 2023<\/h2>\n<p><strong>Will this be Blue Origin\u2019s big year?<\/strong> Jeff Bezos\u2019 space venture suffered a setback in September when an uncrewed New Shepard suborbital spaceship experienced a launch anomaly. Blue Origin says spacefliers would have survived the booster misfire; nevertheless, New Shepard flights have been suspended during the investigation. It seems likely that crewed flights will resume in 2023, but how will September\u2019s mishap affect operations? <\/p>\n<p>2023 is also expected to mark the first use of Blue Origin\u2019s BE-4 rocket engines (initially, on United Launch Alliance\u2019s Vulcan rocket) as well as the debut of Blue Origin\u2019s orbital-class New Glenn rocket. We should also find out whether Blue Origin will have a role in building a second type of lunar lander for NASA, and whether the company\u2019s plans for a commercial space station called Orbital Reef will move ahead. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Will Amazon launch Project Kuiper?<\/strong> United Launch Alliance\u2019s Vulcan rocket also plays a key role in Amazon\u2019s plans to build a satellite-based broadband network, known as Project Kuiper. Two prototype satellites are due to be deployed into low Earth orbit as secondary payloads for Vulcan\u2019s first launch. <\/p>\n<p>Right now, Project Kuiper is far behind SpaceX\u2019s Starlink constellation. Successful deployment of the prototypes would show that Amazon is serious about its multibillion-dollar effort to put more than 3,000 satellites in orbit and provide global internet service (including access to Amazon Web Services). Kuiper\u2019s rise is also likely to sharpen the debate over whether the benefits of having thousands more satellites zipping through the night sky outweigh the drawbacks.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Will Boeing\u2019s Starliner fly right?<\/strong> Two and a half years after an initial uncrewed test flight went awry, Boeing\u2019s Starliner space taxi hooked up with the International Space Station during a second uncrewed trial in May. Now Boeing is resolving the technical issues that were raised during the test, and targeting next April for Starliner\u2019s first-ever crewed flight. Boeing is banking on a successful test mission, which would solidify Starliner\u2019s standing as an alternative to SpaceX\u2019s Crew Dragon space taxi. Having alternatives is essential, as illustrated by the current crisis involving a leaky Russian Soyuz capsule attached to the space station. <\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Starliner Astronauts Train for Crewed Flight Test\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/x4InabNKwjI?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen=\"\"><\/iframe><br \/>\n<\/figure>\n<p><strong>Will other commercial space missions level up? <\/strong>2023 is expected to be a pivotal year for lots of other commercial space projects \u2014 including SpaceX\u2019s Starship super-rocket, Relativity Space\u2019s Terran 1 rocket and Stoke Space\u2019s reusable rockets. Also on the agenda: Virgin Galactic\u2019s resumption of suborbital space trips, privately funded orbital excursions organized by Axiom Space and the Polaris Program, and robotic lunar landings by the likes of iSpace, Astrobotic and Intuitive Machines. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Will eclipse mania return?<\/strong> We\u2019re focusing here on 2023, but It\u2019s not too early to start thinking about the total solar eclipse that will be visible along a narrow track stretching from Mexico to Maine on April 8, 2024. The event could attract as much attention as the \u201cAll-American Eclipse\u201d of 2017, particularly because the track of totality comes relatively close to population centers in the U.S. Midwest and Northeast. For what it\u2019s worth, I already have my reservation for an Airbnb near Austin, Texas. <\/p>\n<p>To whet your appetite, you can take in an annular solar eclipse that will feature a \u201cRing of Fire\u201d in locales ranging from Oregon to Texas and beyond on Oct. 14, 2023. If the weather cooperates, Seattleites can catch the show in Eugene and environs, just after 9 a.m. on that day. It\u2019ll be the highlight of 2023\u2019s skywatching schedule.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>An image of the galaxy NGC 7469 in the midst of star formation serves as this season\u2019s \u201choliday card\u201d from NASA\u2019s James Webb Space Telescope. (ESA \/ Webb, NASA &amp; CSA \/ L. Armus, A.S. Evans) A few years from now, we just might look back at 2022 as Year One for a new age [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[304,1285,4603,4604,1560,190,4378,4218,4605],"class_list":["post-17325","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news","tag-artemis","tag-dart","tag-electric-airplane","tag-eviation","tag-james-webb-space-telescope","tag-nasa","tag-skywatching","tag-year-in-review","tag-year-in-review-2022"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17325"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17325"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17325\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17325"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17325"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17325"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}