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
Trump Speaks with NASA's Artemis II Astronauts After Historic Moon Flyby
President Donald Trump phoned the Artemis II crew aboard Orion to commend their historic lunar flyby. The four‑person crew, including three NASA astronauts and a Canadian, set a new record as the farthest humans have traveled from Earth, reaching 252,756 miles and witnessing a total solar eclipse. The call came as the White House unveiled its FY 2027 budget, proposing to slash NASA’s overall funding by roughly a quarter and halve its science budget, the smallest level since 1961. Space advocacy groups warned the cuts could undermine U.S. leadership in exploration.
Artemis 2 Crew Shares Emotional Moment as They Name Crater After Commander’s Late Wife
Artemis 2 astronauts, fresh from setting a record for the farthest distance from Earth, announced a proposal to name a lunar crater “Carroll” in memory of commander Reid Wiseman’s late wife, Carroll Taylor Wiseman. Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen described the feature...
Renesas Rad-Hard ICs Aboard NASA’s Artemis II
Renesas Electronics’ radiation‑hardened integrated circuits are aboard NASA’s Artemis II mission, which launched on April 1 from Kennedy Space Center. The Intersil‑branded rad‑hard ICs are embedded in Orion’s avionics and the Space Launch System, managing power distribution, signal integrity and onboard computing...
Artemis II Crew Enters Lunar Sphere of Influence, First Since Apollo 17
NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Christina Koch, Victor Glover and Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen entered the moon’s sphere of influence at 12:41 a.m. ET Monday, the first crewed crossing since Apollo 17. The move confirms Orion’s trajectory and sets the stage for the...
Demand Tracker: Pakistan’s Evolving C-UAS Requirement (2026)
Since 2020, loitering munitions have reshaped anti‑air warfare, offering high‑impact strikes at a fraction of traditional missile costs. In Pakistan, the Air Force and Navy are accelerating investments in electronic‑warfare, high‑powered microwave, and high‑energy laser C‑UAS systems to counter swarming...
South Australian Veteran-Owned Firms Partner to Boost Defence Manufacturing and Employment
South Australian veteran-owned firms ARES Armaments Australia and Aimpoint have signed a partnership to expand defence manufacturing workforce solutions, announced at the Avalon Airshow. The agreement includes a Certificate IV in Explosive Ordnance Manufacture, apprenticeship programmes and recruitment strategies aimed...
General Atomics Pauses Drone Wingman Flight Tests After Crash
General Atomics halted flight testing of its YFQ‑42A “Dark Merlin” after a crash on take‑off at its California airport, launching a formal investigation. No injuries were reported, and the company said testing will resume once safety is assured. The incident...
Emotional Artemis II Crew Names Moon Crater 'Carroll' After Nasa Commander's Late Wife - Video
NASA’s Artemis II crew, on the brink of a historic lunar flyby, asked mission control to name an unnamed lunar crater after commander Reid Wiseman’s late wife, Carroll. Mission specialist Jeremy Hansen relayed the request, describing the feature as a bright...
Celebrating the Unsung Heroes Behind Artemis Success
I just want to shout out all my fellow colleagues in this industry who are some of the smartest people I’ve ever worked with. While we marvel in this historic moment, just remember that it took years of hard work,...
Tianshi‑1 Deployment Near 66A Raises Orbital Ambiguity
China's Tianshi-1 appears to have been deployed from the Xinzhengcheng-02 parent satellite; object 66D was cataloged, but has TLEs that put it stationkeeping within 1 km of 66A. More data needed for clarity.
China Taps Rocket, Satellite Startups to Catch up to SpaceX
China is mobilizing private rocket and satellite startups to accelerate its space ambitions and challenge SpaceX’s dominance. State‑owned China Satellite Communications Group plans a 50,000‑satellite low‑Earth‑orbit constellation, while a new $2.9 billion government fund supports over 600 domestic space firms. The...
Falcon 9 Streaks over Venice Beach During Evening Walk
falcon 9 over Venice beach this afternoon during an evening dog walk Launched from vandenberg space force base. Gorgeous 🚀🚀🚀 https://t.co/DZF9rrc20C
Moon‑
In a frame moving with the center of the Moon, the little loop goes away and is replaced by a hyperbola. Cyan dot is the sphere of the moon to scale, dashed line is the lunar sphere of influence....
Webinar | Which Drone Applications Are Reaching Commercial Maturity?
IDTechEx hosted a webinar on February 19, 2026, where analyst Shihao Fu examined which drone applications are moving from pilot projects to large‑scale commercial operations. The discussion highlighted how clearer regulations, advanced automation, and integrated sensors are unlocking scalability for...
Artemis 2’s Flight Path Overlaid on Moon’s Orbit
Here's the Artemis 2 trajectory in a geocentric inertial frame projected onto the equatorial plane. The cyan track shows the motion of the moon during the mission. https://t.co/deCYMUyDal
New Details Reveal High‑Risk Iran Rescue Operation
Everything We Now Know About The Operation To Rescue The F-15E WSO We have gotten many new details about how the high-risk extraction effort deep in Iranian territory went down. https://t.co/NUDLlXTsWM
Beyond the HEFA Tipping Point: What Does the Future Hold for Biofuels?
The HEFA pathway currently supplies most sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) but its feedstock is projected to run out by the early 2030s, creating a so‑called HEFA tipping point. IDTechEx’s market forecast highlights alcohol‑to‑jet (ATJ) and gasification routes as the most...
Artemis Crew Witness Meteor Impacts During Lunar Eclipse
Man the Artemis stream today What an incredible thing to experience live Coolest part was the crew seeing surface flashes during the solar eclipse Basically the sun was blocked out, so they could see meteorites hitting the moon every few mins Just wow https://t.co/VLikKVEFiy
United Airlines Celebrates 100 Years Today.
United Airlines marks its 100‑year anniversary on April 6, 2026, tracing its origins to Varney Air Lines, an airmail carrier founded in 1926. The airline emerged in 1931 after a series of mergers that created United Aircraft and Transport Corporation, and survived...
Artemis II Races to Set New Distance Record
NASA’s Artemis II crew performed a six‑hour lunar fly‑around, becoming the most distant humans ever, surpassing Apollo 13’s 400,171 km record by more than 6,600 km. The mission used a free‑return trajectory that loops around the moon and brings the Orion capsule back to...
Azercosmos and Viasat Sign Partnership Agreement for In-Flight Connectivity
Azercosmos and Viasat have signed a partnership to bring Azerbaijan into the European Aviation Network (EAN), combining S‑band satellite coverage with a complementary ground component. The agreement includes precise frequency coordination of the 1980‑2010 MHz uplink and 2170‑2200 MHz downlink bands to...
AirAsia X to Raise Fares, Cut Capacity over Middle East War
AirAsia X announced a 10 percent cut to its flight schedule and a modest fare increase to offset soaring fuel costs caused by the Iran‑Israel war. Despite the capacity reduction, the carrier will launch its Bahrain hub in June, signaling confidence in...
Satellite Deployers to Be Used on JAXA Small Satellite Mission by Exolaunch
JAXA has chosen Exolaunch to provide its EXOpod NOVA deployers for the Kakushin Rising small‑satellite mission, slated for launch no earlier than April 23, 2026 on a Rocket Lab Electron from New Zealand. The mission will release eight university‑ and industry‑built spacecraft into a...
SpaceX Raptor Engine Test Seems to Have an Explosion
SpaceX performed a static‑fire test of its next‑generation Raptor methane engine at the McGregor, Texas test site, and a bright fireball suggested an explosion during the run. The incident was captured on video and appears to be an engine failure,...
Call for Jet Fuel Tax Break as Costs Soar
Bangkok Aviation Fuel Services (BAFS), Thailand's sole jet‑fuel provider, is urging the government to scrap the 4.72 baht ($0.13) per litre excise tax on jet fuel, saying it erodes the country’s aviation competitiveness. The levy, reinstated in 2023 after a pandemic...
Artemis II Sends Love From Moon Before Silence
From Artemis II right before they lost signal going behind the moon: “As we prepare to go out of radio communication, we’re still able to feel your love, from Earth. And to all of you down there on Earth and...
Orion, Moon, Earth: Humanity Captured in One Frame
This is wild: Orion in the foreground, the Moon, and a crescent Earth in the distance. All of who we are, all of what we know in one photo. #ArtemisII
Malaysia Airlines Seeks Hub Role for Kuala Lumpur
Malaysia Airlines is positioning Kuala Lumpur as a regional hub, adding three new routes to Fukuoka, Shenzhen and Changsha to capture strong East‑Asian demand. The airline resumed service to Fukuoka after a 20‑year hiatus and expects transit traffic from Southeast...
Artemis 2 Loses Contact for 40 Minutes at Closest Moon Pass
NASA is providing live coverage of Artemis 2 sharing obs of the Moon, but at 6:44pmET they'll be behind the Moon and comms will be lost for ~40 min. During that time, they'll make their closest approach to the surface...
Air NZ Raises Fares, Trims Flights as Fuel Costs Soar
Air NZ hikes fares, cuts more flights as fuel costs more than double on Iran war https://t.co/msfW4XmyyV
Voyaging to ‘Space Beach’
Voyager Technologies Inc., a Denver‑based space‑defense firm, opened a 140,000‑square‑foot facility in Long Beach, positioning itself near the region’s aerospace cluster and the Space Force base in El Segundo. The move follows a record‑breaking 2025 where Voyager posted $166.4 million in net...
Integrity Exits Moon's Gravity, Heading Back Earth
Integrity has now passed lunar closest approach and is climbing uphill in the lunar gravity field. In about 18 hours it will leave the lunar gravitational sphere of influence and start falling back towards Earth.
Artemis Crew Faces 40‑minute Lunar Blackout, Relies on Camaraderie
Artemis astronauts about to lose contact with the Earth for about 40 minutes as they pass behind the Moon. At least they have each other. https://t.co/jAC1YLps9f
AIR TRAVEL REVOLUTION: NEW AIRCRAFT MANUFACTURER ON THE MARKET
Adani Defence & Aerospace has teamed with Brazil’s Embraer to launch a regional‑jet manufacturing hub in India, slated to begin operations in early 2026. The joint venture will design, assemble, and service 70‑140 seat aircraft while establishing local supply chains,...
Early Guess: EO Aperture on Proteus Meant for 180
When we saw pics of that EO aperture on Proteus years ago I said to Joe, “well that’s sure to be for the 180!”
Artemis Reaches 6,544 Km Perilune, 413,146 Km
At 2302 TDB (2300 UTC) Artemis will reach a perilune of about 6544 km altitude. Four minutes later it will reach a maximum distance to the geocenter of 413146 km. [Blue: geodistance; Red: height above moon; Magenta: geocent radial...
Artemis Moon Mission Sets Record; Trump Sets Tuesday 8PM Deadline For Iran
NASA’s Artemis II crew set a new distance record, reaching roughly 252,760 miles from Earth during a lunar flyby and confirming Orion’s performance ahead of a planned 2028 Moon landing. The astronauts will splash down near San Diego on April 10 after...
Artemis II Hits Moon at 4,067 Miles, Reaches 252,756 Miles
Astronaut Jenni Gibbons, in Houston, transmits the latest information on Artemis II's trajectory to astronaut Victor Glover, a quarter-million miles away. Closest approach to the Moon: 7:00:46 pm EDT at a distance of 4,067 miles Farthest distance from Earth: 7:02:51 pm...
Cold War Stealth Drone Prefigured RQ‑180’s Iran Mission
RQ-180’s Likely Role Over Iran Foreshadowed By Secret Cold War Stealth Drone Program Large sums of money were spent trying to build a spy drone just like the RQ-180 for a very specific mission decades beforehand. Feature: https://t.co/YCUQn5IdPY
ICAO Council Condemns Iran for Unlawful Airspace Violations Affecting Civil Aviation Safety
On 31 March 2026 the ICAO Council formally condemned Iran for breaching the territorial airspace of Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. The council highlighted Iran’s use of unmanned aircraft systems for military strikes...
21‑aircraft Rescue Mission Penetrates Enemy Lines for Downed Airmen
"...a rescue force composed of 21 aircraft, including A-10 Thunderbolt attack planes, KC-130 search and rescue aircraft, HH-60W Jolly Green IIs and a package of Air Force special warfare combat rescue officers and pararescue operators, went into enemy territory to...
Foldable Amphibious Plane Takes Off Anywhere
Fold, Float, Fly: A Transportable Amphibious Aircraft with Retractable Wings via @ZappyZappy7 #Aviation #Technology #Innovation #EmergingTech #TechForGood https://t.co/OVkBfq6Ivj
The Rescue of DUDE 44: Inside the Massive Operation to Save Two Downed Airmen In Iran
In early April, an Iranian missile downed a U.S. F‑15E Strike Eagle over Iran, prompting a two‑day rescue that involved more than 150 aircraft and hundreds of personnel. The first wave deployed 21 aircraft in daylight to extract the pilot,...
US Airlines' Rivalry Soars From Cockpits to Boardrooms
The rivalry between the US airlines -- from the flight deck to the C-suite -- is robust
Artemis II Commander Shares iPhone Moon Snapshot
iPhone pic of the Moon from Artemis II commander Reid Wiseman, a sneak peek of what's to come. https://t.co/FnkGVlOeay
Cracked Bedrock on Mars?
A high‑resolution image from NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, taken on Dec 3 2025, shows an unusual flat‑rimmed crater in Mawrth Vallis surrounded by two 50‑70‑foot mesas and a network of cracks. The cracked terrain resembles dried mud, indicating a long‑standing dry environment...
UK Develops Robotic Lab to Study Moon and Mars Rocks
The University of Leicester’s Space Park has unveiled a Double‑Walled Isolator (DWI), an ultra‑clean robotic laboratory designed to store, handle and analyse lunar and Martian samples without contamination. NASA and ESA officials toured the facility and observed the system unpack,...
Cygnus Heads to the ISS as SpaceX Keeps up the Pace
Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus NG‑24 is slated for an April 8 launch from Cape Canaveral, carrying over 11,000 lb of supplies, experiments, and hardware to the International Space Station’s Expedition 73 crew. The spacecraft will be captured by the station’s Canadarm2 and later docked...
SmallSat Europe Speaker Focus: Dr. Ane Aanesland, ThrustMe
ThrustMe celebrated its 100th iodine electric propulsion system in orbit in June 2025, marking a shift from prototype to industrial scale. The solid‑iodine thrusters eliminate bulky xenon tanks, cutting mass and cost for small‑sat manufacturers. The company has surged past 200...
FCC Can Ensure Market Reciprocity Amid EU Draft Concerns
Commercial space to @FCC: Calm down. Draft @defis_eu #SpaceAct & #DigitalNetworksAct have issues, but they'll wash out & FCC already has power to assure market reciprocity. @SpaceX @EutelsatGroup @SESSpaceDefense @leaf_space @MyriotaGlobal @Viasat.https://t.co/Q69bFtNufa https://t.co/d9hjU9GOmL