Today's Aerospace Pulse
Blue Origin’s New Glenn suffers catastrophic engine failure during static fire
A BE‑4 methane/LOX engine on Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket failed four seconds after ignition, causing a catastrophic explosion that destroyed the first‑stage booster and damaged Launch Complex 36A. No personnel were injured. An FAA‑led investigation, supported by the U.S. Space Force, is under way.
Also developing:
By the numbers: Disciplined Growth Acquisition Corp raises $150M in IPO
Copa Airlines to Add Starlink Wi-Fi, Becoming First in Latin America with the Service
Copa Airlines announced it will equip its Boeing 737 fleet with SpaceX's Starlink satellite Wi‑Fi, launching the service in October. This makes Copa the first carrier in Latin America to offer Starlink’s high‑speed inflight connectivity. The rollout follows CEO Pedro Heilbron's earlier comments that Wi‑Fi demand was growing but not yet justified the investment. Copa’s upgrade aligns with a broader industry shift as U.S. carriers like United, Alaska, Southwest and Hawaiian already deploy Starlink on their aircraft.
Space Engineer Shares Journey to Inspire Future Explorers
🛰️ I'm Elio — space engineer by trade, storyteller by necessity. I help build and operate the spacecraft that roam Mars and the Moon, and I talk about it here so the next generation of explorers knows the door is...
Artemis Reached The Moon. The Grid Can Reach The 21st Century.
Artemis II returned four astronauts from lunar orbit, highlighting how modern spacecraft rely on redundant, software‑driven digital control systems that are thousands of times faster than the Apollo era. In stark contrast, the United States electrical grid still operates on largely...
How Governments Buy Commercial Earth Observation Data
Governments are increasingly integrating commercial Earth observation (EO) data into their core operations, moving beyond one‑off pilots to repeatable contracts. Agencies such as NOAA and NASA now procure raw imagery, processed analytics, and managed services to fill mission gaps in...
The National Space Society Welcomes the Crew of Artemis 2 Home
Artemis 2 returned to Southern California on April 10 after a flawless nine‑day flight that included launch, high‑Earth orbit, trans‑lunar injection, a lunar flyby and safe splashdown. The mission proved Orion’s systems operated as planned, earning praise from NASA veterans and the...
Hong Kong’s Cathay Pacific Cutting Flight Schedules Due to Soaring Oil Prices as European Airports Warn of Fuel Shortages
Cathay Pacific will trim about 2% of its May‑June flight schedule as jet‑fuel costs surge due to limited tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. Its low‑cost subsidiary HK Express is cutting 6% of flights from May 6, while routes...
U.S. Air Force Expands KC-135 Stratotanker Fleet at Eielson to Boost Arctic Refueling Power
The Alaska Air National Guard’s 168th Wing received four additional KC‑135 Stratotankers at Eielson Air Force Base, raising its fleet to twelve aircraft. As the sole Arctic‑region air refueling unit, the wing now can generate more sorties and sustain operations...
Fire Catches Russia’s only Su-57 Production Plant in Komsomolsk-on-Amur
A fire erupted in Shop 46 of the Komsomolsk‑on‑Amur Aviation Plant, Russia’s sole serial producer of the Su‑57 fifth‑generation fighter. The workshop fabricates roughly 300 polymer‑composite components, including about 100 large‑format structural panels critical to the aircraft’s airframe. With only 20‑25...
Three Launches, Two by SpaceX and One by China
SpaceX conducted two launches on April 11, 2026, placing 25 Starlink satellites from Vandenberg and sending Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus cargo capsule to the ISS from Cape Canaveral. The Falcon 9 booster B1063 completed its 32nd flight, tying for fourth‑most‑flown launch vehicle,...
ESA’s Celeste Mission First Signal Sets New European PNT Records
On 8 April 2026 ESA’s Celeste IOD‑1 transmitted the first dual‑frequency L‑ and S‑band navigation signal from a European low‑Earth‑orbit satellite, marking a historic milestone for Europe’s positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) ambitions. The Celeste pair, launched by Rocket Lab on...
Falcon 9 Launches Cygnus Cargo Spacecraft to the ISS
On April 11, a SpaceX Falcon 9 lifted off from Cape Canaveral carrying Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus NG‑24 cargo spacecraft, named S.S. Steven R. Nagel, to the International Space Station. The launch, delayed by weather, placed the 5‑ton XL‑class vehicle into low‑Earth orbit, where it will dock...
Draganfly Ramps up DPRO Line to High‑volume Defense Drone Manufacturing
Draganfly Inc. is converting its DPRO drone line from low‑volume prototyping to high‑volume, aerospace‑grade manufacturing, adding AS9100 and ISO9001‑certified facilities in Texas and Canada. The move aims to meet expanding U.S. Army and Special Operations orders and signals a broader...
DARPA Grants $5.2 Million to Avalanche Energy for Space Radioactive Batteries
DARPA has awarded Avalanche Energy a $5.2 million contract under its Rads to Watts program to build a lightweight radioactive battery capable of powering a laptop‑class system for months. The effort targets higher‑density, resilient power sources for defense‑grade satellites and other...
Trump Hires Orbital Towing Company to Build Space Interceptors
Donald Trump’s team has selected Impulse Space, a fledgling orbital‑tug firm founded by former SpaceX engineer Tom Mueller, to build the orbital layer of his “Golden Dome” missile‑defense concept. The contract pairs Impulse with Anduril Industries and a Pentagon prototype...
Boeing’s Moon Rocket Faces Uncertain Future Under Trump’s NASA
NASA’s $24 billion Space Launch System (SLS) propelled Artemis II crew around the Moon, yet the Trump administration is already soliciting commercial alternatives, casting doubt on the rocket’s future. The White House budget request and a direct outreach to rivals aim to...
After F-35 “Stealth Shock” & Multiple F-15E Losses in Iran War, U.S. Seeks OMEN to Boost Aircrew Awareness
The United States has lost eight aircraft—including the first ever F‑35 stealth jet shot down—within a month of the Iran conflict, with additional drones and transport planes destroyed or damaged. A post‑mortem identified a missing in‑flight common operating picture (COP)...
New Era For Space Dawns, As Artemis II Returns
Artemis II successfully splashed down, confirming Orion’s heat shield endured the high‑speed, 400,000‑foot re‑entry despite earlier concerns from Artemis I. NASA reaffirmed its commitment to the Space Launch System and Orion through the “Ultimate 5” flights, even as the program faces cost overruns...
NASA Science, Cargo Launch Aboard Northrop Grumman CRS-24
NASA launched the Commercial Resupply Services‑24 (CRS‑24) mission on April 11, 2026, using a Northrop Grumman Cygnus XL mounted on a SpaceX Falcon 9. The spacecraft carried roughly 11,000 lb of scientific experiments, crew provisions, and hardware to the International Space Station....
Another Giant Leap Reminds Us How Small We Are
NASA’s Artemis II mission concluded on Friday with a clean splashdown in the Pacific after a ten‑day lunar orbit. The four‑person crew gathered scientific data, photographed the Moon and tested life‑support systems, marking a critical step toward sustained lunar exploration. Beyond...
NLIGHT Secures $50 Million Missile Contract as Laser Sensing Drives Growth
nLIGHT announced a new $50 million contract for a long‑running missile program and started low‑rate initial production on a classified laser‑sensing project. The moves underscore laser sensing as a primary revenue engine for the company and intensify competition with Coherent and...
The SPARTA Matrix: A Complete Guide to Space System Attack Tactics, Techniques, and Sub-Techniques
The Aerospace Corporation released SPARTA version 3.2, a publicly available matrix that catalogs more than 85 techniques and hundreds of sub‑techniques used to attack spacecraft and their supporting infrastructure. Modeled on MITRE ATT&CK, the framework spans cyber intrusion, electronic warfare, and...
We Can Still Do This
Artemis II returned to Earth after a 695,000‑mile lunar flyby, marking the first crewed mission beyond low Earth orbit since Apollo 13 in 1972. The four‑person crew—Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch and Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen—reentered the atmosphere at roughly 25,000 mph, showcasing NASA’s...
April 11, 1970: Apollo 13 Blasts Off for the Moon
On April 11, 1970 Apollo 13 launched as NASA’s third attempted lunar landing, crewed by Jim Lovell, Fred Haise and last‑minute replacement Jack Swigert. Ten minutes after a live TV broadcast, an oxygen tank in the Service Module exploded, crippling the spacecraft’s power and...
Artemis II's Parachutes Deploy Flawlessly, Awe-Inspiring Safe Return
Literally holding my breath watching Artemis II deploy those parachutes and return safely. How amazing?!
Before the Space Age: Congreve and the Pioneers of Early British Rocketry
William Congreve transformed early 19th‑century rockets from experimental curiosities into standardized weapons by introducing iron‑cased designs, launch racks, and systematic testing. His rockets saw combat in Copenhagen, the War of 1812 and elsewhere, demonstrating both destructive power and psychological impact....
Artemis II Proves Engineering Consistency Fuels Lunar Future
53 years after Apollo 17, humans circled the Moon again with Artemis II and returned safely. The Orion capsule's re-entry was a high-stakes test: faster than ISS returns, intense heat, but the adjusted trajectory and robust design delivered. Crew healthy,...
Original Apollo 11 Code Open-Sourced by NASA — Original Command Module and Lunar Module Code Repos Are Now Public Domain...
NASA has released the original Apollo 11 Guidance Computer software for the Command Module (Comanche 055) and Lunar Module (Luminary 099) as public‑domain code on GitHub. The repositories were digitized by Virtual AGC and the MIT Museum, providing full machine‑code listings and build tools....
Artemis II Splashes Down
NASA’s Orion spacecraft safely splashed down in the Pacific Ocean on April 10, 2026, concluding the ten‑day Artemis II mission. The crew set a new distance record for human spaceflight, surpassing Apollo 13, and returned with unprecedented images of the Moon’s far...
Cranky on the Web: Listen In on Monday + A Breezy Chat with Lukas Johnson
The Air Show podcast’s "Cranky on the Web" episode will stream live on Monday at 11 am PT/2 pm ET, featuring a panel with Business Journals and Breeze Chief Commercial Officer Lukas Johnson. The conversation will cover the future of air travel, including route...
Apple, GoPro, Microsoft Gadgets Ride Orion on Artemis II Mission
NASA’s Artemis II crew flew Apple’s iPhone 17 Pro Max, GoPro HERO11 and MAX 1 360° cameras, Nikon D5 DSLRs and Microsoft Surface Pro tablets aboard Orion, turning the lunar test flight into a showcase for consumer gadgets. The mission’s 248,655‑mile journey highlighted how everyday...
Artemis 3 and Beyond: What's Next for NASA After Artemis 2 Moon Success
NASA’s Artemis 2 crew safely returned on April 10, 2026, marking the first U.S. crewed lunar mission since 1972. The agency has now redirected Artemis 3 from a lunar landing to an Earth‑orbit test of Orion’s docking with SpaceX’s Starship and Blue Origin’s...
Indian Airline Market Collapses Into Indigo‑Air India Duopoly
Did Indian Airlines Became Duopoly 🤯 Before 2014 : Indigo~ 30% Jet Airways~ 21% Air India~ 18% Spice Jet~ 18% GoAir~ 9% Air Asia~ 1% After 2014 : Indigo~ 65% Air India~ 30% Others~ 5%
Congratulations to the Artemis II Crew – but the Case for Sending Astronauts Into Space Is Rapidly Shrinking | Martin...
NASA’s Artemis II mission marked the first crewed flight of the new lunar system, returning astronauts safely after a 10‑day lunar loop. The program has already consumed roughly $100 billion, with Congress earmarking an additional $9.9 billion for Artemis IV and V. While the scientific...
U.S. Army Tests Micro-Guided Missile During Golden Shield Exercise
The U.S. Army’s 1st Cavalry Division ran Exercise Golden Shield at Fort Hood from April 7‑9, testing a range of counter‑UAS technologies. Perseus Defense showcased its Harpe micro‑missile, achieving radar‑cued multi‑launch and fully active‑guidance intercepts against Group 1/2 drones. The eight‑missile pod...
Spacebuilders Share Journey, Thank Followers for Support
It’s great to be able to share what those of us in the space industry feel as we build and test our spacecraft. Thank you for following along.
Cathay Pacific Slashes Flights Amid Soaring Fuel Costs
Cathay Pacific: • due to jet fuel prices, axing ~2% of CX flights between 16 May and 30 June • mostly regional flights and a small number of Australia, South Asia and South Africa flights • Dubai and Riyadh flights now cancelled...
Houston Prepares to Greet Artemis II Crew Returning From Moon
The stage is set for Houston to welcome the Artemis II crew home from the Moon. https://t.co/Nwu7iSX1i3
Southwest May Ban Carry‑Ons on Cheapest Fares
Rumor: Southwest To Ban Carry-On Bags On Its Cheapest Tickets - View from the Wing https://t.co/bphJkwcgTi
Modex
42 : The modex on the recovery chopper that picked up the @NASAArtemis crew https://t.co/XCCZpzqSUB
Russian Launch Warnings Deliberately Obscure Exact Liftoff Timing
That would explain why recent danger zone warnings ahead of Russian launches have longer time windows and their start time does not match the liftoff time, so to complicate the determination of a moment when the fueled vehicle is on...
Artemis II Crew Celebrates Orion “Integrity” Aboard USS Murtha
GREAT photo of the crew with their Orion spacecraft "Integrity" in the well deck of the USS John P. Murtha.
Brexit Boosts UK Airlines Amid Iran Fuel Crisis
UK airlines toast Brexit dividend to beat Iran war fuel shortages - The Times and The Sunday Times https://t.co/5vrD0lfWZb
Artemis II Crew Returns to Ellington Field at 4:15 PM
NASA tells me the Artemis II crew is expected back at Ellington Field (near JSC) "about" 4:15 pm ET. Will be on NASA+, YouTube, and X.
RAeS Recommends NASA Flight Test Nomination
I think there is an obvious flight test nomination here @NASAAdmin ! (And congrats from all of us at the RAeS)
Canada’s Key Contributions to Artemis II Revealed
When the Moon Met Canada Have you been watching Artemis II with awe? The Canada Letter today, by @LaVjosa, illuminates the Canadian elements in the mission. Sign up to get the New York Times Canada newsletter in your inbox every...
305th ISS Resupply Mission Launches in 2026
The 2nd cargo-supply mission of 2026 departed for the International Space Station. This is the 305th flight to assemble and maintain the ISS since its start in 1998: https://t.co/z0hQPyDt9P
SpaceX Launches NG-24, Falcon 9 Lands Booster Successfully
🚀SpaceX launched Northrop Grumman NG-24 (CRS-24) this morning at 7:41 a.m. ET from SLC-40. The Falcon 9 carried the Cygnus spacecraft (S.S. Steven R. Nagel) with ~11,000 lbs of supplies and science to the ISS. Booster B1094 (7th flight) nailed...
Aerospace-Grade Capsule Survives Magnitude‑9 Quakes, Tsunamis
Aerospace-Grade Survival Capsule Withstands Magnitude-9 Quakes and Tsunamis by @_fluxfeeds #TechForGood #EmergingTech #Technology #Innovation https://t.co/N6CuRtEabf
Falcon 9 Lifts ISS Cargo as China Readies Jielong‑3 Launch
LAUNCH at 1141 UTC Apr 11 of a Falcon 9 from Canaveral with the ISS Cygnus NG-24 cargo ship SS Steven R. Nagel. Also waiting to confirm LAUNCH at 1133 UTC of a Jielong-3 from the Yanjiang area in the South...
Decelerators: Slowing Mach 33 to 20 Mph for Planetary Landings
Inspired by the #ArtemisII moon mission and/or working in the space industry? June sees @aiaa and @Aerosociety conference on aerodynamic decelerators - how do you slow down an object from Mach 33 to 20mph to land on Earth or other...