The Air Force Research Lab’s Space Vehicles Directorate at Kirtland AFB, N.M., has a video online showing the rendezvous of the experimental satellite system-11 (XSS-11) with its designated partner, a Minotaur I upper stage. This was not an up-close maneuver operation, but officials do say it takes them a step closer to developing the capability to send a spacecraft out to meet up with and repair another spacecraft. We offer the link to the news release with the video here, but don’t blame the messenger, if you are underwhelmed by the images—look closely.
The Air Force is on track to reach its annual goal of graduating 1,500 new pilots that had proved elusive to this point, one year after the service launched a sweeping overhaul of its undergraduate pilot training program, Air Education and Training Command said Sept. 14.
