The development of electrically powered aircraft is accelerating

Although air transport accounts for only 2% of human-produced carbon dioxide, the aerospace industry is not complacent. In October 2016, the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) adopted... 

Iata supports AU on reopening continent’s civil aviation sector

The representative body for the global airline industry, the International Air Transport Association (Iata), has affirmed its support for the African Union’s (AU’s) campaign to safely restart... 

Stellenbosch researchers make major advance in imaging biochemical processes in cells

Scientists and engineers at Stellenbosch University have developed a ‘visualisation tool’ that can, in three-dimensional (3D) images in space, as well as in time, automatically localise and... 

Core stage of Nasa’s biggest-ever rocket has passed final major test

The US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Nasa) has successfully conducted a second ‘hot fire’ test of the core stage of its new Space Launch System (SLS) rocket. The SLS core stage,... 

Embraer’s commercial jet business takes Covid strain

Brazilian aerospace group Embraer, one of the world’s leading companies in the sector, has released its results for last year. (Embraer’s financial year is identical to the calendar year.) The... 

New patrol vessel for Navy launched in Cape Town

Damen Shipyards Cape Town (DSCT), a subsidiary of the Netherlands-based Damen International Shipyards Group, recently launched the first (of three) Multimission Inshore Patrol Vessels (MMIPVs) for... 

For South African agriculture, 2020 was a very good year

South African agriculture had a “remarkable year” last year, the Bureau for Food and Agricultural Production (BFAP) has reported. This was despite the Covid-19 pandemic, which caused all other... 

German physicist determines that starships are indeed possible – at least in theory

New calculations by a physicist at Germany’s Georg-August University, in Göttingen (more generally known as the University of Göttingen) has indicated that superluminal (faster-then-light) space... 

UK recognises Africa’s dynamism, restates commitments to global issues

In its recently published 2021 integrated review, the UK reaffirmed its commitments to multilateralism, international cooperation, free and fair trade, development, countering the effects of... 

Air transport body reports increasing confidence in air travel

The representative body of the global airline industry, the International Air Transport Association (Iata), has reported that its latest opinion poll, conducted from a sample of recent travellers,... 

Covid-19 hits Rolls-Royce Civil Aerospace hard, but diversification helps the group

UK-based global major industrial technology group Rolls-Royce has reported its full-year results for last year. The group was hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic, suffering a loss (including tax) of... 

Construction starts on new Sansa space weather centre

The ground has been officially broken to mark the formal start of the construction of the South African National Space Agency’s (Sansa’s) new R70.89-million Regional Space Weather Centre at... 

CSIR launches photonics centre to support twenty-first century industries

The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) has officially launched its new Photonics Prototyping Facility (PPF). The new facility is funded by the Department of Science and... 

Plan emerges for renewal of South Africa’s crucial space infrastructure

Almost unnoticed by most people on Earth, space technology and infrastructure has become essential for, and ubiquitous in, everyday life. It has become a major facilitator for national economic... 

Air charter operator reports dramatic increase in interest from mining companies 

UK-based international aviation charter broker Air Charter Service (ACS) has reported that the past year has seen dramatic increases in workforce logistics charter flight bookings by energy,... 

Iata identifies key issues for airlines, governments for reopening air travel

The International Air Transport Association (Iata) has appealed to the world’s governments to work with the global airline industry – for which Iata is the representative body – to prepare for the... 

UK, Australia sign first-of-its-type space-sector partnership agreement

In what has been described as the first such agreement in the world, the UK and Australia on Tuesday created a partnership to greatly strengthen space cooperation between the two countries in most,... 

Australia’s leading-edge UAV programme makes significant advances

The beginning of this month saw major developments in Boeing Australia and the Royal Australian Air Force’s (RAAF’s) advanced technology Loyal Wingman uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV) programme. On... 

Nasa rover Perseverance successfully lands on Mars

Late in the night of February 18, South African time, the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (Nasa’s) latest Mars rover, Perseverance, successfully landed on the Red Planet. It... 

Concor, partner awarded MeerKAT/SKA radio telescope construction contract

South African contractor Concor, in partnership with OptiPower, has been awarded a R212-million contract for the structural foundations and associated infrastructure for 24 additional dishes for... 

Airbus goes big on 3D printing for satellite contract

Europe-based global major aerospace group Airbus is now engaged in large volume manufacturing of radio frequency (RF) components for satellites using additive layer manufacturing (ALM). Also known... 

Two countries place probes in Martian orbit for the first time

In one week, two countries were able to celebrate the safe insertion into Martian orbit of their space probes. And neither country had ever before launched an interplanetary mission. They are the... 

Bombardier to make more savings, end production of the Learjet

Canadian aerospace company Bombardier announced, during the release of its annual results for 2020 earlier this month, its latest steps to return to profitability. The company is now focused... 

Boeing 737 MAX cleared to return to service by European aviation regulators

On the same day late last month the European Union (EU) Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) both authorised the return to service of the Boeing 737 MAX... 

SKA Observatory officially comes into being

The Square Kilometre Array (SKA) Observatory (SKAO) is now active, following the first meeting of the SKAO Council on February 4. The current members of the SKAO are Australia, Italy, the... 

Forests absorbing more CO2 than previously believed

Research by biologists at West Virginia University (WVU), in the US state of the same name, has established that trees around the globe are consuming greater amounts of carbon dioxide (CO2) than... 

Astronomical observations boost UJ scientist’s theory

A model to predict gamma ray burst (GRB) behaviour, developed by a team headed by University of Johannesburg (UJ) Centre for Astro-Particle Physics director Professor Soebur Razzaque, has been... 

Defence industrial group increasing focus on exports

During the 2019/2020 financial year, exports accounted for 42% of State-owned defence industrial group Denel’s business, with Asia being the single biggest export market, taking 24%. Perhaps... 

Denel finally publishes 2019/20 annual report

South African State-owned defence industrial group Denel released its 2019/20 annual report on February 1. The period covered by the report did not include the very difficult months for the group... 

Scientists probing the depths of Titan’s largest sea

Astronomers at Cornell University, in Ithaca, in the US state of New York, have used radar data to determine that the biggest sea on Titan, the largest moon of Saturn, is, near its centre, at least... 

UK awards contract for advanced uncrewed fighter aircraft prototype

The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) has placed a £30-million contract with a consortium of  aerospace companies, led by Spirit AeroSystems Belfast (a British subsidiary of major US aerospace group... 

Another breakthrough for South Africa’s MeerKAT radio telescope array

South Africa’s world-leading 64-dish radio telescope array, MeerKAT, which was inaugurated in July 2018, has registered another significant success and again increased our knowledge of the cosmos.... 

Rolls-Royce inaugurates major new engine facility

UK-based global major industrial technology group Rolls-Royce has functionally inaugurated its new leading-edge engine testbed by successfully completing the first engine run in it. (The official... 

It’s now easier for South African farmers to export citrus to Britain

With the UK’s departure from the European Union’s (EU’s) single market and customs union at the start of this year, London has deregulated, among other commodities, citrus fruit and leaf imports.... 

While air cargo demand continues recovery, air passenger demand stalls

The International Air Transport Association (Iata) has reported that air cargo volumes increased in November last year, compared with October. However, they were still down on the figures for... 

Insurer trying to limit Covid-19 business interruption payout indemnity to just three months

Specialist public loss adjustment company Insurance Claims Africa (ICA) has expressed disappointment, but no surprise, at major insurance company Santam’s latest manoeuvre in the seven-month-long... 

UK launches study into using nuclear power for space exploration

The UK Space Agency (UKSA) has signed a contract with global major industrial technology group Rolls-Royce to study future nuclear power options for space missions. This is the first such contract... 

Japan and the UK partnering on robotics for use in nuclear facilities

Japan and the UK are partnering to develop and deploy new automation and robotics techniques for use in both the decommissioning of nuclear plants and the development of nuclear fusion energy. The... 

New theory suggests that dark matter is made up of black holes formed by exotic events

Scientists at the Kavli Institute for the Physics and Mathematics of the Universe at the University of Tokyo, in Japan, have proposed a new theory to explain the mysterious phenomenon of dark... 

Commercial business delivers 777 freighters after securing separate order for 737 MAXs

US-based global major aerospace group Boeing marked the advent of the new year with the delivery of three 777 Freighter (777F) aircraft to Qatar Airways Cargo. One of the aircraft concerned was the...