Aurora Flight Sciences

No, not that Aurora.

Just received a Phase One contract for development of the "Odysseus". (aka. Vulture program)
1000 lb payload at altitude. 5 years on station!! Ambitious! Aurora FS is a subcontractor for Global Hawk systems with Northrop Grumman.

www.aurora.aero...

[edit on 18-4-2008 by _Del_]

Not so sure about it actually being able to succeed with that five year bit, but more power to them. Hey, maybe would could make up a new Air Force unit with this thing...call it the "Porta Force" Everyone could get in on it.

You had me excited for a second though...darn.

I'm not sure if this (whole) plane is really made to be in the air for 5 years. If you check out this movie, it seems that the pieces will be able to separate and after some time a new piece will fly in and the old one will land to repair. There is also little doubt in my mind that the cross section of solar panels will be so much bigger with that Z-wing compared to worse aerodynamics of such wing.