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
Airbase Emerges From Stealth With $5M to Automate Spectrum Allocation
Airbase announced its emergence from stealth with a $5 million Series A round led by Andreessen Horowitz, joined by Squadra Ventures and Founders You Should Know. The startup aims to automate the Federal Communications Commission’s outdated, manual spectrum‑allocation workflow that relies on legacy databases and PDFs. By providing software that deconflicts RF usage and modernizes licensing, Airbase hopes to streamline spectrum management for the growing number of orbital missions. The company already secured its first undisclosed federal contract to field‑test the technology.
Germany Joins Canada, Japan, France, India, Poland, Singapore, And Others In Suspending Flights To UAE, Stranding Passengers As Airspace Restrictions...
Germany has joined a growing list of nations—including Canada, Japan, France, India, Poland and Singapore—in suspending all commercial flights to the United Arab Emirates due to heightened safety concerns and airspace restrictions tied to the Iran conflict. Major carriers such...
Russia Showcases Lys-2 Counter-Drone Interceptor
Russia unveiled the Lys‑2 (Fox‑2) counter‑drone interceptor, a fixed‑wing UAV launched by catapult and capable of autonomous target acquisition in the terminal phase. Open‑source footage shows the system engaging aerial threats without continuous operator input. Reported specifications suggest a 15 km...
Second ATR 72-600MPA Touches Down After Multi-Stop Global Operation
Chapman Freeborn has completed the delivery of a second ATR 72‑600MPA to the Philippine Air Force after a complex multi‑stop ferry operation that spanned Egypt, Oman, Sri Lanka and Thailand. The aircraft, built by Leonardo in Italy, is configured for maritime...
Press Release: Immfly, Wizz Air, and Gateretail Partner on Digital Cabin
Immfly, Wizz Air, and gateretail have launched a unified digital cabin ecosystem that combines in‑seat Bluetooth ordering, retail integration, and low‑bandwidth satellite connectivity across Wizz Air’s fleet of over 260 Airbus A320/A321 aircraft. The rollout enables passengers to shop via...
South Korea Launches KF-21 Fighter Mass Production
South Korea has rolled out the first KF‑21 Boramae fighter, officially beginning serial production after a 25‑year development effort. Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) plans to scale capacity to over 50 jets annually, supporting both domestic needs and export orders. President...
Latvia and Estonia Report Russian Drone Incursions, One Crashes, Another Hits Power Plant Chimney
Latvia’s air force intercepted a Russian UAV that crashed and detonated in the Krāslava district, while Estonia reported a similar drone striking a power‑plant chimney. Both incidents occurred on the night of March 25, raising NATO’s Baltic air‑defence alert level.
NTSB Finds Multiple Failures in LaGuardia Runway Collision Between Air Canada Jet and Fire Truck
The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board disclosed that a fire truck without a transponder cleared LaGuardia’s runway just seconds before an Air Canada jet landed, exposing a failed ASDE‑X warning system and raising questions about overnight controller staffing. The findings...
Latvia, Estonia Detect Foreign Drones Crossing Borders
Latvia’s air force detected a Russian‑origin drone that entered its airspace and detonated in the Krāslava region early on March 25, causing no injuries or infrastructure damage. Estonia reported a similar intrusion that struck a power‑plant chimney, also without casualties or...
AI and Volatility Reshape Airfreight Industry
At the World Cargo Symposium, IATA Director General Willie Walsh and LATAM Cargo CEO Andrés Bianchi warned that geopolitical tensions and shifting trade lanes are compressing air‑freight capacity, which has fallen more than 20% due to regional constraints. Despite this,...
Signs of Jet Fuel Hoarding Emerge in Asia on Iran Oil Shock
Asian airlines are increasingly hoarding jet fuel as the Iran‑Russia war drives crude prices above $120 per barrel. South Korea’s transport ministry is debating redirecting export‑bound jet fuel to the domestic market, while Philippine Airlines warns of imminent fuel rationing....
B-2 Bombers Meet 'Gunslinger' Missiles In Impressive US Navy Drill
U.S. Air Force B‑2 Spirit bombers participated in a maritime strike drill off California alongside Carrier Air Wing 11’s F/A‑18E/F Super Hornets. The exercise introduced the Navy’s new AIM‑174B “Gunslinger” missile, an air‑launched variant of the SM‑6, onto the carrier‑based fighters....
Vietnam Airlines Seeks to Lease 12 Widebody Jets for 2028 Delivery
Vietnam Airlines announced a request for proposals to dry‑lease 12 widebody aircraft, targeting Airbus A350‑900XWB and Boeing 787‑9/10 models, with deliveries slated for 2028‑2030. The carrier plans an eight‑year lease term to reinforce its long‑haul capacity and expand its international...
Denvr Signs Two Defence Deals to Deepen Sovereign AI Push in Canada
Denvr, a Calgary AI‑infrastructure firm, signed two defence deals with Ottawa‑based Dominion Dynamics and Sapper Labs to embed its sovereign Canada AI Platform (CAIP) into drone simulation and AI‑enabled intelligence/cyber‑defence for the Canadian Armed Forces. Dominion will use CAIP to...
Amazon Leo Prepares To Boost Satellite Production And Launch
Amazon Leo announced a plan to double its launch cadence, targeting 20 missions in the second year after completing 11 launches in the first year. The company already operates more than 200 satellites and has hundreds of flight‑ready units stored...
Iran’s US Radar Strike Exposes China’s South China Sea Gap
Iran reportedly struck and destroyed the U.S. AN/TPY‑2 X‑band radar deployed at Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan. The AN/TPY‑2, a $500 million phased‑array system with a claimed 3,000 km range, is one of only 13 built worldwide. The loss highlights a...
ALTUS-LSA Strengthened Partnerships at BATTLEFIELD ReDEFiNED 2026
ALTUS-LSA showcased its unmanned aerial platforms at the BATTLEFIELD ReDEFiNED 2026 forum in Nicosia, attracting more than 500 delegates and high‑level Cypriot officials. The company signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Cyprus‑based AmaDema Composites to produce composite components locally, bolstering...
NASA Revives Next-Generation Flagship Earth-Observing Missions
NASA has revived its next‑generation flagship Earth‑observing program, renaming the Atmosphere Observing System to Falcon and the Surface Biology and Geology study to Eagle. The two‑satellite Eagle mission will include a high‑resolution spectrometer costing up to $310 million and a thermal...
Delta Air Lines (DAL) Raises Revenue Outlook Amid Strong Demand and Rising Fuel Costs
Delta Air Lines raised its Q1 2026 revenue outlook, citing robust demand and record corporate travel bookings. The airline reported a 25% year‑over‑year sales increase, $4.5 billion free cash flow and the lowest debt level since 2019, while premium revenues have...
Integrated Metrology Solution Powers Lights-Out Aerospace Production
Acutec Precision Aerospace equipped three DMG MORI NZX 2000 nine‑axis mill‑turn centers with an inline metrology cell that combines a Mitutoyo MiSTAR 555 CMM and a FANUC robotic arm. The system moves parts directly from machining to measurement, delivering inspection results...
Russia Deploys First 16 Rassvet Satellites, Challenging Starlink in LEO Broadband
Russia's private space firm Bureau 1440 placed the first 16 Rassvet broadband satellites into low‑Earth orbit, marking the start of a planned 900‑satellite network intended as a domestic alternative to SpaceX's Starlink. The launch underscores Moscow's push to secure sovereign...
US Aircraft Carrier that Left Mid-East over Fire Has Other Issues
The USS Gerald R. Ford, the U.S. Navy’s most expensive warship at $13.2 billion, was forced to leave the Middle East after a laundry‑area fire and dock in Crete. A Pentagon assessment reveals persistent data gaps and reliability concerns across its launch, radar, and...
NASA Redefines Lunar Exploration Strategy for Future Missions
Last week's EVSN took a closer look at the changing Lunar Exploration landscape. That story provides solid context for today's announcements. I've stuck it up on Medium: https://starstryder.medium.com/closer-look-nasa-rewrites-human-exploration-again-9013f90c7622?sk=ec8e6c25ff5bc4db7eeaab9320db7848
U.S. Military Pursues True Invisibility for Aircraft
From the TWZ vault: Can The U.S. Military Make An Airplane Invisible To The Naked Eye? https://t.co/En5bCKn8tZ
Space Force Shifts Final GPS III Launch to SpaceX After Vulcan Booster Anomaly
The U.S. Space Force has moved the final GPS III‑8 satellite from United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan Centaur to SpaceX’s Falcon 9, with launch no earlier than late April 2026. The swap follows a solid‑rocket‑motor anomaly on a Vulcan flight and is intended...
US Scrambles to Counter Unidentified Drone Intrusions Near Bases
U.S. Battled Drone Incursions Over Key Bases At Home After Launch Of Epic Fury It remains unclear who is behind the incursions, which have occurred now at two bases in recent weeks, but concern is clearly elevated during a time of...
Air Europa’s Codeshare with Chilean LCC SKY Airline: Good for Both (and for Turkish Airlines)
On March 10, 2026 Air Europa announced a codeshare with Chilean low‑cost carrier SKY Airline. The agreement lets Air Europa’s flight numbers appear on SKY’s services from Lima to Santiago and to five Peruvian domestic cities, with additional Latin American...
B‑2 Bombers to Iran Display Unusual Wing Squares
B-2 Spirits Heading To Iran Appear With Puzzling Features On Their Wings New images of B-2s heading out on an Epic Fury sortie show two jets with prominent squares arranged along their leading edges. https://t.co/PxTSIPZQM8
Digitizing Borders Could Free up Space to Reimagine #PaxEx
Smart technology and cross‑industry collaboration could eliminate the last major frictions in air travel—border checks and lost baggage. SITA estimates digitized border control can shave up to 80% off processing times, while IATA’s OneID initiative is gaining momentum worldwide. Bangalore’s...
Falcon 1’s First Orbital Attempt Marks 20‑Year Milestone
The first SpaceX orbital launch attempt was 20 years ago today. Ashlee Vance: “the Falcon 1… quite likely changed the course of human history. The imaginations and passions of engineers and dreamers all around the world expanded.” (WTHWOS p.11.) For more Falcon...
Cornwall Space Station to Support NASA’s First Crewed Lunar Mission Since Apollo
Goonhilly Earth Station in Cornwall will track NASA’s Artemis II crewed lunar flyby using its 32‑metre GHY‑6 antenna, marking the first human deep‑space mission since Apollo 17. The commercial facility previously supported the uncrewed Artemis I flight and historically relayed the 1969 Apollo 11...
The Media Is Desperate to Tell You Who Is to Blame For the Fatal Air Canada Express Crash at LaGuardia…...
A fatal collision between an Air Canada Express regional jet and a fire‑truck at LaGuardia sparked a media rush to assign blame, despite limited factual information. The NTSB has promised a preliminary report within 30 days that will outline events...
Excited to Contribute to Roman Space Telescope Launch
Roman Space Telscope is getting ready to launch this year and I can’t believe I get to work on this awesome mission 🛰️ 🚀 ✨
First Live Moon Crash Broadcast Captivates Millions
#ThisDayInTechHistory. March 24, 1965. Millions watch for the first time as the Ranger 9 space probe crashed into the moon. (NASA) #Space #Exploration #History https://t.co/PFyzWvwTPV
EasyJet Selects Mirus Aircraft Seating Kestral Economy Seat
easyJet has placed an order for Mirus Aircraft Seating’s next‑generation Kestrel Economy seats for its future A320neo and A321neo fleet, beginning with deliveries from 2028. The lightweight seats are over 20% lighter than current models and provide up to two...
Starcloud Launches Orbital Data Center Using NVIDIA H100
NVIDIA-Backed Starcloud Tests Orbital #Data Centers with H100 AI GPU in Space by @IntEngineering #SpaceTech #Tech #Technology #EmergingTech #Space https://t.co/huY6Fk3TU4
Soyuz Launch Reveals Unexpected Military‑style Payload Fairing
Note to illustrators: videos of last night's Soyuz launch show that it used a different ("military" style) payload fairing from the Ariane-4-derived 81KS type depicted by the satellite developer. Context: https://t.co/zaum1S7eWh https://t.co/7iPE8xWFls
FAA Expands Swift 100R Engine STC
The FAA has amended Swift Fuels' Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) for its 100R unleaded avgas, expanding the list of approved engines to include a broad mix of Continental, Lycoming, Franklin and other models. The amendment references updated fuel specifications dated...
Army Fast-Tracks MV-75 Tiltrotor, Trains Troops Early
Planning For Army’s New MV-75 Tiltrotor Already Part Of Officer Training, General Says With the Army putting its MV-75 tiltrotor on a blazingly fast track, troops are already getting experience on the aircraft before the first one is even delivered. https://t.co/WGPIrfTgOs
SES Orders 28 Satellite Buses, Launches First Pathfinder 2029
.@SES_Satellites: 28-sat-bus order w/ @K2Space to launch starting 2029; 1st Pathfinder demo goes up on @SpaceX Transporter 16; SES building the payloads, and also to build payloads for @defis @esa #Iris2 MEO-orbit component. @Thales_Alenia_S @BoeingSpace.https://t.co/vhvvGNlR9m https://t.co/Hdbe6GTD8I
ResilienX Receives FAA Waiver for Remote BVLOS Operations
ResilienX, Inc. received an FAA Certificate of Waiver allowing routine beyond‑visual‑line‑of‑sight (BVLOS) drone flights without visual observers, using NUAIR’s FAA‑accepted surveillance network. The waiver, effective through September 30 2029, covers a 1,900‑square‑mile area in Central New York and lifts restrictions under 14 CFR...
US Navy P-8 Poseidon Suffers $2.5M Collision Damage
A US Navy P-8 Poseidon got bonked by a foreign aircraft taxiing into it at an undisclosed location on March 20. Damage was enough to classify it as a Class A (>$2.5m) https://t.co/k13bI4dv4P
US Airstrike Destroys Iran's Qom Turbine Engine Plant, Halting Drone Production
U.S. Central Command said U.S. air strikes on March 6 destroyed Iran's Qom Turbine Engine Production Plant, a key source of gas turbine engines for IRGC drones and aircraft parts. The strike marks the most significant manufacturing blow to Iran's...
NASA Redirects $20 B to Lunar Surface Base, Cancels Gateway Station
NASA announced the cancellation of the Lunar Gateway orbital station and a $20 billion reallocation to construct a permanent base on the Moon’s surface. The shift also includes a plan to launch a nuclear‑powered spacecraft to Mars by 2028, marking a...
NASA's Artemis II Returns to Launch Pad After Repairs, Targeting April Launch
NASA has moved the Artemis II crewed lunar flyby mission back onto the launch pad at Kennedy Space Center after completing extensive repairs in the Vehicle Assembly Building. The four‑astronaut flight, slated for early April, will resume the agency’s push to...
A Day In Seattle Trying To Find The U.S.'s Drone Industry
Brinc, a Seattle‑based drone startup founded in 2017 by Blake Resnick, showcased its tactical Lemur 2 drone in a live demo that highlighted glass‑breaching, LiDAR mapping, and two‑way communication capabilities. The demonstration featured the drone navigating obstacles, colliding with a wall...
Aerotec Group Establishes European Maintenance Hub in Croatia
Aerotec Group has completed the acquisition of Croatia‑based Global Aerotech, turning Rijeka Airport into a central European hub for line and base maintenance, aircraft storage, cabin refurbishment and teardown. The 2,500‑meter runway and 24‑hour IFR capability allow the facility to...
United Turns Three Economy Seats Into Coach Bed
United Airlines Adds A New Way To Sleep In Coach — 3 Economy Seats Turn Into A Bed Starting Next Year - View from the Wing https://t.co/Hw77iaTeMq
War in Iran Spotlights Innovation for Missile Interception Startups
The war in Iran is exposing the high cost of existing missile‑interceptor systems, prompting a surge in demand for affordable defense solutions. Current interceptors can be up to 100 times more expensive than the cheap drones and missiles they target,...
Moog Taps Redwire to Provide Solar Arrays for Meteor
Redwire secured a $12.8 million contract from Moog to supply its Extensible Low‑Profile Solar Array (ELSA) for the Meteor satellite bus. ELSA delivers roughly 50 % more power per unit volume than conventional arrays, targeting mass‑manufactured satellites. The arrays will be designed,...