B
oeing’s blended wing body X-48B flew for the first time last week, climbing to an altitude of 7,500 feet and landing after 31 minutes. It flew out of NASA’s Dryden Flight Research Center at Edwards AFB, Calif., on July 20, according to a Boeing release. The Air Force Research Lab is working with Boeing and NASA on the project, which the Air Force considers a potential cargo or aerial refueling platform.
The Space Development Agency says it’s on track to issue its next batch of missile warning and tracking satellite contracts this month after those awards were delayed by the Pentagon’s decision to divert funds from the agency to pay troops during this fall’s prolonged government shutdown.

