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
NASA Space Reactor 1 Freedom for Nuclear Powered Interplanetary to Mars in 2028
NASA plans to launch the Space Reactor‑1 Freedom by late 2028, marking the first nuclear‑electric propulsion spacecraft bound for Mars. The mission will demonstrate high‑power, efficient thrust for deep‑space travel where solar power is insufficient. Upon arrival, SR‑1 Freedom will release the Skyfall payload, a fleet of Ingenuity‑class helicopters, to extend surface exploration. The flight will also create regulatory and industrial precedents for future fission‑based power systems in space.
FCC Looks to Win ‘Space Race 2.0’ with Satellite Infrastructure Buildout
The Federal Communications Commission announced a strategic push to dominate the emerging "Space Race 2.0" by accelerating satellite licensing and allocating over 20,000 MHz of new spectrum. FCC Space Bureau Chief Jay Schwarz outlined a "licensing assembly line" to speed approvals and...
Milano Prime Reports 16% Traffic Growth in Early 2026
SEA Prime, operating under the Milano Prime brand at Milan’s Linate and Malpensa airports, reported a 16% year‑on‑year traffic increase in early 2026, with daily peaks above 130 movements. The surge is linked to the Milan‑Cortina Winter Olympics and Milan...
Southern Sky Aviation Opens US Customs Facility in Mississippi
Southern Sky Aviation inaugurated a U.S. Customs and Border Protection facility at Trent Lott International Airport in Pascagoula, Mississippi on March 19, turning the airport into an official point of entry for international flights. The 24/7 customs service, part of...
FAA Updates GNSS Interference Guide Months After First Release
The Federal Aviation Administration has issued Version 1.1 of its GPS/GNSS Interference Resource Guide, just three months after the initial release. The update adds detailed cockpit instructions for spotting interference, such as time shifts, map anomalies, and false terrain alerts. It...
NASA Unveils Strategy to Outpace China, Russia in Space Race
NASA’s biggest announcement in years, their plan for how to beat China and Russia in The Space Race 2.0! #space #nasa #moon #artemis #astrokobi
Laser Communications and the Rise of Orbital Data Centers
The space sector faces a data‑transport bottleneck as satellite constellations generate more information than RF links can downlink. Industry leaders are transitioning from isolated spacecraft to distributed orbital data centers, where satellites act as networked nodes processing and sharing data...
Press Release: ALTO Aviation Introduces New Cabin Control Panels
ALTO Aviation, a subsidiary of Heads Up Technologies, unveiled its next‑generation Cabin Management System at the 69th AEA Convention in Dallas. The launch adds touchscreen control panels in 3.5‑, 4.3‑ and 10.1‑inch formats and modular M3 metal panels designed for...
MSI Defense Integrates Korean Interceptor Into EAGLS System
MSI Defense Solutions and South Korea’s Nearthlab have signed an MOU to embed the KAiDEN autonomous interceptor drone into MSI’s EAGLS counter‑UAS platform. The integration adds a kinetic, hard‑kill layer to an otherwise detection‑and‑tracking focused system, expanding its ability to...
SES Targets New Operational MEO Constellation by 2030
SES announced its next‑generation medium Earth orbit constellation, meoSphere, slated for operational service by 2030. The network will initially comprise 28 high‑power satellites built by K2 Space in Luxembourg, with pathfinder launches planned over the next three years to validate...
CSA Announces $3.6M Opportunity for Life Sciences Research on the ISS
The Canadian Space Agency (CSA) has launched a $3.6 million CAD (≈ $2.6 million USD) Announcement of Opportunity to fund health and life‑sciences research on the International Space Station. Up to $900,000 CAD (≈ $660,000 USD) per project will be awarded to Canadian teams...
L3Harris Ramps VAMPIRE Drone-Killer System Production
L3Harris has launched high‑volume production of its VAMPIRE counter‑UAS system at a new Huntsville, Alabama facility to satisfy growing demand from the United States and allied forces. The system, combat‑proven since 2023 in European conflicts including Ukraine, detects, tracks and...
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(jpeg)/TAL-airport-FAAHOTSPOTS0326-d9ea4554db9e46bea1d867019c09600f.jpg)
The FAA Just Flagged 150+ Airport Safety 'Hot Spots' Across the U.S.—Here’s What Travelers Should Know
The Federal Aviation Administration has flagged more than 150 runway‑safety “hot spots” at airports across the United States, adding major hubs such as San Francisco, Chicago O’Hare, and Atlanta to the list. The update follows a fatal Air Canada Express collision...
Ukraine Destroys Bastion Launcher with Zircon Missiles in Crimea
Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence Directorate reported that on March 24 its forces struck a moving column of Russian Bastion coastal‑missile launchers in occupied Crimea, destroying one launcher, damaging another, and eliminating two Zircon hypersonic missiles. The operation also killed or wounded seven...
Hughes Offers Multi-Orbit, Beam Satellite Modem
Hughes Network Systems, an EchoStar subsidiary, introduced the HM400, a software‑defined satellite modem that can operate on both medium‑Earth‑orbit (MEO) and geosynchronous‑Earth‑orbit (GEO) constellations. The modem leverages artificial‑intelligence to automatically switch between satellite beams, delivering continuous connectivity for manned and...
One-On-One With SDA’s GP Sandhoo
The Space Development Agency’s first operational satellite tranche is running three months behind schedule, as Acting Director Gurpartap “GP” Sandhoo explained. A “strategic pause” was imposed to address a collection of minor technical glitches and a 45‑day government shutdown that...
Cohere Teams up with Swedish Defence Firm Saab on AI for Surveillance Jets
Cohere, a Toronto‑based large language model developer, signed a memorandum of understanding with Swedish defence contractor Saab to embed its generative‑AI technology into the company’s GlobalEye surveillance aircraft. The collaboration will focus on data‑driven mission support, predictive maintenance tools, and...
Shield AI Starts Combat Drone Production, Targeting Lockheed and Boeing
Shield AI, a defense‑technology startup, announced it will start manufacturing its next‑generation combat drone, positioning itself against industry giants Lockheed Martin and Boeing. The move underscores a broader shift toward AI‑driven unmanned systems and could accelerate procurement cycles that have...
Here's Why Airbus Doesn't Seem Fazed Over Boeing's Push For The 737 MAX 10
Airbus’s A321neo family has solidified its lead over Boeing’s 737 MAX 10, offering greater range, capacity, and lower operating costs. Boeing’s MAX 10 remains stuck in certification, now expected in Q3 2026 with first deliveries in early 2027, after years of grounding and reputational damage....
Russia Launches the First 16 Satellites in Its Own Internet Satellite Constellation
Russia quietly placed the first 16 satellites of its Rassvet broadband constellation into a polar orbit using a Soyuz‑2 launch from the Plesetsk spaceport. The satellites, built by the state‑linked Bureau‑1440, are the initial step toward a planned 700‑plus satellite...
Beyond Connectivity: High Lander and Dimetor Sign StrategicAgreement to Secure the Future of Global Airspace
High Lander and Dimetor have signed a Strategic Cooperation Agreement to embed cellular intelligence into uncrewed traffic management (UTM) and beyond‑visual‑line‑of‑sight (BVLOS) drone operations. The deal upgrades their earlier partnership, merging High Lander’s Vega UTM with Dimetor’s AirborneRF, NAVSentry and...
NASA’s Juno Delivers New Science While Its Future Remains Uncertain
NASA’s Juno spacecraft, originally slated for a five‑year Jupiter science campaign, received a two‑year extension that allowed it to record unprecedented lightning data in 2021‑2022. Researchers analyzing the data found Jovian storms produce lightning flashes at least 100 times more...
UK Warns Iran Has Launched 3,500 Missiles and Drones
The United Kingdom has markedly expanded its military footprint in the Middle East as Iran’s missile and drone campaign escalates, with over 3,500 attacks recorded across 12 countries. Defence Secretary John Healey outlined a defensive, coordinated, and legally grounded approach,...
Telcos Pick Satellite Sides in Mobile Broadband Space Race
Mobile network operators are rapidly aligning with low‑Earth‑orbit satellite providers to launch direct‑to‑device broadband services. The majority are partnering with SpaceX’s Starlink Mobile or AST SpaceMobile, with Starlink already serving 10 million monthly active users and targeting 25 million by year‑end, while...
![Defense & Aerospace Daily Podcast [Mar 24, 2026] Echodyne’s Eben Frankenberg on Affordable Electronically Scanned Radars](https://hixhlmpcokxhartfkpyi.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/images/articles/ea4795a2e7f3889106a3062fc4470474.webp)
Defense & Aerospace Daily Podcast [Mar 24, 2026] Echodyne’s Eben Frankenberg on Affordable Electronically Scanned Radars
Echodyne CEO Eben Frankenberg explained how the company leveraged breakthrough meta‑material technology to create small, affordable electronically scanned radars for both military and commercial use. Founded in 2014 within Nathan Myhrvold’s Intellectual Ventures, the firm secured $135 million in 2022 funding...
Cheap DIY Drones Undermine US Defense, AI Threat Looms
Cheap drones, using mobile phone components, commercial off-the-shelf electronics, guidance sensors and a cheap 550cc two-stroke petrol engine, have literally defeated the entire might of US defence spending. When cheap cameras, and more autonomous scalable AI capabilities emerge, we're in real...
United Pushes Premium Seats Amid Rising Fuel Costs
United Airlines bets bigger on premium travel as Iran war drives up fuel costs https://t.co/fOUsTNwpRK
Lockheed Fires HELLFIRE From GRIZZLY Containerized Launcher
Lockheed Martin successfully completed the first live‑fire and vertical‑launch test of a Hellfire missile from its new GRIZZLY containerized launcher. The system fits inside a standard 10‑foot Tricon container and was developed in just six months using existing M299 launcher...
Demand Counter‑UAS Testing Before Deploying Troops
I’m choosing my words carefully here—I have concerns putting our troops into this sort of environment, without prior c-uas testing in a high density combat environment or more direct learning from the AFU. Please factor c-UAS into these deliberations....
Coastliner Captures United’s Nostalgic, Futuristic Flight Vision
"Coastliner" is an epically great name for @United's new airplane. It evokes the old, great age of flight—which is gradually getting rebuilt anew. I'm looking forward to flying on one of these.
SFL Missions Selected to Build Eight Node Spacecraft for NASA HelioSwarm
SFL Missions Inc. won a competitive contract to build eight 150‑kg Node spacecraft for NASA’s HelioSwarm mission, a MIDEX‑class solar‑wind science observatory. The Nodes will be launched aboard a larger Hub spacecraft and deployed into a lunar‑resonant orbit to capture...
F-15EX Becomes Sensor King with Triple‑Pod Suite
Pod party on this F-15EX: Sniper targeting pod, AAQ-13 Nav pod w/terrain following radar, and Legion IRST pod. F-15EX is the bolt on sensor king of fighters.
Marine Corps F‑35Cs Deploy to Middle East Bases
Land-Based Marine Corps F-35Cs Are Now Moving Towards The Middle East The F-35Cs, operating from land bases, look set to join a Marine combat capability that is about to balloon in size in the Middle East. Lots of movements underway, updating live:...
AIAA Celebrates the eIPP Awards and AAM Progress
The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) marked the March 9, 2026 announcement of the eVTOL Integration Pilot Program (eIPP) awardees, highlighting a milestone in advanced air mobility (AAM) integration. Over the past decade, AAM has evolved from early concepts like...
800+ Russian Drones Unleashed in Historic Attack
It appears that today saw one of the largest drone attacks in history, more than 800 Russian drones launched, not including the massive missile strikes carried out overnight.
Built a Supersonic Engine Test Stand? Snap a Selfie!
TFW you can take a selfie with the supersonic engine test stand you designed and built. If you want to be in the next pic like this, https://t.co/QkgtLNyUcw. https://t.co/0GJWnG4Gnc
Nasa to Spend US$20 Billion on Moon Base, Cancel Orbiting Lunar Station
NASA announced it will cancel the Lunar Gateway orbital station and redirect its resources to build a $20 billion lunar surface base over the next seven years. The decision was made by new NASA chief Jared Isaacman, who said the agency...
Carlos Garcia‑Galan Outlines Detailed Moon Base Roadmap
I’ve been waiting literally decades for NASA to articulate a plan for a Moon base. Now Carlos Garcia-Galan is doing a masterful job of precisely this. Dozens of landings. Drones. RTGs. Rovers. Habitats. Excavators. This is incredible stuff.
NASA Adds Moon Base and Nuclear-Powered Mars Spacecraft to Road Map
NASA announced that a lunar outpost is now a formal element of its upcoming roadmap, moving the Artemis program toward a twice‑annual launch cadence. The agency also unveiled plans to field a nuclear‑propelled spacecraft for a Mars mission by the...
Are Orbital Data Centers Economically Viable? ↦
Ars Technica’s first installment examines whether orbital data centers can be economically viable. It notes that deploying a million satellites would cost over $1 trillion, dwarfing the roughly $10 billion budgets of SpaceX’s Starlink and Starship projects. Engineers argue that owning both...
Generative Design Powers One Click Metal Drone Frame
Generative Design Meets Metal #3D Printing: One Click Metal’s #Drone Frame Takes Flight via @WevolverApp #3Dprinted #Technology #Innovation #EmergingTech #TechForGood https://t.co/94TJLJ6Plc
Musk Unveils Orbital Data Centers Larger than ISS
Musk Offers Sneak Peek at Orbiting Data Centers. They're Bigger Than the ISS https://t.co/3zP36MHO4C https://t.co/Y2QLnDhLJO
Munich Airport & Lufthansa Extend Joint Venture Agreement Through 2056
Munich Airport and Lufthansa have renewed their joint venture, extending the partnership until 2056. The agreement includes a plan to build a new T‑Pier attached to Terminal 2, targeting an additional ten million passengers per year and a 2035 opening. Lufthansa...
Press Release: Eutelsat Expands LEO Connectivity for Global Rail Market
Satellite operator Eutelsat announced that its OneWeb low‑Earth‑orbit (LEO) connectivity service is expanding across the global rail market. The company now offers broadband to rail operators in Africa, Central Asia, the Middle East, Europe and North America through distribution partners...
Press Release: SAS Goes Live with Starlink High-Speed Wi-Fi
SAS has launched Starlink‑powered high‑speed Wi‑Fi across its Airbus A320 fleet, delivering speeds of over 500 Mbps and low‑latency connectivity even at northern latitudes. EuroBonus members receive free access starting 24 March, thanks to a partnership with mobile operator 3. The airline...
NASA’s Water-Hunting Tool Will Help Scout Moon’s South Pole
NASA is contributing its Neutron Spectrometer System (NSS) to the JAXA‑ISRO Lunar Polar Exploration (LUPEX) mission, which plans to land a rover at the Moon’s South Pole no earlier than 2028. The NSS detects hydrogen signatures up to three feet...
Progress MS-33 Manually Docked to Poisk via TORU
The Progress MS-33 cargo ship docked with the Poisk module at about 1340:44 UTC Mar 24. The docking was carried out under manual remote control with the TORU system.
Optical Surfaces Ltd Targets Aerospace Surveillance with Ritchey-Chrétien Optics
On March 10, 2026 Optical Surfaces Ltd announced its Ritchey‑Chrétien (RC) telescope optics as a high‑precision solution for military and aerospace surveillance. The company manufactures hyperbolic mirrors up to 700 mm diameter with surface accuracy of λ/20 P‑V and sub‑nanometer microroughness,...
COVID Fatigue Still Plagues Overworked Air Traffic Controllers
Overworked and burnt out? MUST READ on on how Covid still impacts aviation professionals - and with focus on ATC controllers - highly topical given #LaGuardia crash #avgeek https://t.co/6ZmrPqwGof https://t.co/LTJqIaKnxd
NASA Shifts to Commercial Launches, Moon Flights Every Six Months
NASA’s Lori Glaze said, beginning with Artemis VI, the agency will transition from government driven missions to commercial launches (ie Starship or New Glenn or others). Agency wants to launch humans to the Moon at least every six months.