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
What Is Rapid Sentry, the UK’s Mysterious Air Defence System?
The Royal Air Force has unveiled Rapid Sentry, a short‑range air‑defence system built to counter hostile drones. It fires Thales‑manufactured Lightweight Multirole Missiles (LMM/Martlet) capable of reaching Mach 1.5 and engaging targets up to 8 km away. The system is expected to integrate Saab’s Giraffe 1X 3D radar, of which the UK ordered eleven units in 2023. Early deployments have already intercepted more than ten drones in high‑threat theatres such as Cyprus and Iraq.
'Miracle': Europe Reconnects with Lost Spacecraft
The European Space Agency has re‑established communication with the Proba‑3 coronagraph satellite after it lost contact in February. The spacecraft entered survival mode when its solar panels turned away from the Sun, draining its batteries. ESA engineers used a brief...
FAA Picks 8(a) Firm for $295M Technical Center Support Contract
Quecon, an 8(a) service‑disabled veteran‑owned firm, secured a potential $295 million, seven‑year Second Level Engineering Support contract for the FAA William J. Hughes Technical Center. The award, selected from three proposals, covers a broad portfolio including engineering studies, system assurance, safety...
Even Horses Evacuated as Qatar Airspace Closes
Qatar Airways Cargo operated two Boeing 777F flights from Riyadh to Liège, Belgium, carrying 147 horses (mostly Arabians and competition horses) after they were trucked out of Qatar due to the ongoing airspace closure... when even the horses are getting...
U.S. Space Force Awards $446.8 Million Agreement to Kratos for MEO Missile Tracking Ground Segment
The U.S. Space Force’s Space Systems Command awarded Kratos Technology & Training Solutions a $446.8 million Ground Management and Integration contract to build the command‑and‑control backbone for the Resilient Missile Warning and Tracking program in medium‑earth‑orbit. The agreement, structured as an...
IR Exaggerates Blasts; Shrapnel Does Damage, Jets Survive
1. Keep in mind that explosions look much bigger in IR because they oversaturate the sensor. 2. It's not the explosion that does the damage it is the shrapnel so where the warhead fuzes in relation to the aircraft plays a...
Iranian Fire Forces US F‑35 Emergency Landing, Confirming Threat
USAF F-35 Makes Emergency Landing After Allegedly Being Hit by Iranian Fire The F-35 was flying a mission over Iran when it was forced to divert. A video claiming to show the engagement points to a key threat we have highlighted...
NATO Tests Drone Interception Systems in Latvia
NATO launched its first testing, evaluation, verification and validation (TEVV) campaign for unmanned aircraft systems and counter‑UAS technologies at Latvia’s Sēlija Military Training Area from March 9‑13, 2026. The exercise gathered defense‑industry firms from NATO members, Ukraine, operational users and government officials...
AURA AERO Granted Permission to Build Electric Aircraft Factory in Toulouse
AURA AERO has secured a building permit for its 50,000‑square‑metre AURA Factory at Toulouse‑Francazal Airport, marking a major step toward mass‑producing low‑carbon aircraft. The project is backed by a €95 million European Commission Innovation Fund grant and aims to generate €2 billion...
Portal Space Systems and Paladin Space Plan Debris Removal Service
Portal Space Systems has teamed with Australian startup Paladin Space to launch a commercial orbital‑debris removal service. The partnership will mount Paladin’s Triton payload on Portal’s highly maneuverable Starburst spacecraft, which can change velocity by one kilometre per second. Scheduled...
Portal, Paladin Team On Debris Removal Service
Portal Space Systems and Paladin Space have formed a partnership to launch a Debris Removal as a Service (DRAAS) offering that can capture and dispose of 20‑50 pieces of orbital junk per mission. The solution combines Portal’s maneuverable Starburst spacecraft...
AirCairo Selects Aeroprime for India GSA Services
AirCairo has appointed Aeroprime Group to act as its General Sales Agent for cargo operations in India and the United Arab Emirates, extending a partnership that previously covered passenger sales. The deal gives Aeroprime responsibility for cargo sales, operational coordination...
New FAA Protocol Addresses Helicopter, Plane Safety at Airports
The FAA issued a new safety directive that ends visual separation for helicopters and airplanes in Class B and Class C airspace, requiring radar‑based spacing after a deadly 2025 Blackhawk‑jet collision. Using AI analytics, the agency identified high‑risk mixed‑traffic airports and mandated...
Helium-3 From the Moon: New U.S. Department of Energy Contract
Black Moon Energy Corp. has secured a contract with the U.S. Department of Energy’s Isotope Program to supply lunar Helium‑3, marking a pivotal step toward commercializing the isotope. The company plans to scale production within eight years and will conduct...
France & Germany Give 6th-Gen FCAS Fighter Program One Last Chance: Joint Mediation To Resolve Deadlock
French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz have agreed to launch a joint mediation mission aimed at reconciling Dassault Aviation and Airbus and rescuing the €100‑billion Future Combat Air System (FCAS) programme. The effort, announced at an EU...
A‑10s Patrol Strait of Hormuz, Target Iranian Boats
A-10 Warthogs Are Prowling For Iranian Boats In The Strait Of Hormuz A-10s are executing one of the lesser-known missions they've trained to do for decades, hunting down Iranian fast attack boats and mine layers in the strait. https://t.co/PkTgNzVTsV
How Uncrewed Rotary Platforms Are Shaping Approaches to Contested Logistics
The defense sector is accelerating development of uncrewed rotary aircraft to support logistics in contested environments. Airbus leads the effort with its MQ‑72C, built for the U.S. Marine Corps Aerial Logistics Connector demonstration. These UAVs are derived from existing crewed...
Quito Airport Named Best Regional Airport in South America for 11th Year
Mariscal Sucre International Airport in Quito was named Skytrax’s Best Regional Airport in South America for the 11th consecutive year, also earning the title of Cleanest Airport in the region. The airport placed third for staff quality and fourth worldwide...
Intuitive Machines Reports Q4 2025 Miss, Eyes $900M‑$1B 2026 Revenue
Intuitive Machines announced fourth‑quarter 2025 revenue of $44.8 million, well below Wall Street forecasts, while unveiling an $800 million acquisition of Lanteris Space Systems and a $943 million backlog. The company now projects 2026 revenue of $900 million to $1 billion and positive adjusted EBITDA.
Our New Study Explores How AI Can Reduce the Climate Impact of Air Travel.
Google and American Airlines integrated AI contrail forecasts into the airline’s flight‑planning system. In a trial of 2,400 scheduled transatlantic flights, routes that followed the AI‑generated avoidance plans saw a 62% drop in contrail formation compared with a control group....
Loganair Makes UK Aviation History with First All-Electric Flight
Loganair completed the United Kingdom's first all‑electric commercial flight, operating BETA Technologies' ALIA CTOL between Glasgow and Dundee. The aircraft carried freight, mail and medical supplies as part of a two‑week demonstration across the airline’s network. The trial showcases practical,...
How the US Copied a Cheap Iranian Kamikaze Drone and Used It to Bomb Iran
The United States reverse‑engineered Iran’s cheap Shahed loitering‑munition drone to create the Low‑Cost Uncrewed Combat Attack System (Lucas). By December 2025 a squadron of Lucas drones was operating in the Middle East, targeting Iranian sites. Each Lucas unit costs roughly...
Embraer E-Freighter Programme Wins Prestigious Aviation Week Award
Embraer’s E‑Freighter programme captured the 2026 Aviation Week Program Excellence Award in the OEM category, highlighting the rapid conversion of the E‑Jet platform into a certified freighter. The E190F was developed in just 29 months, delivering a 13,500 kg payload, 40%...
Getting Better Outcomes In Space: How Will the UK Embrace the Challenge?
At Space‑Comm London, a panel of government and industry leaders warned that space has become a core national security arena, with satellite jamming and anti‑satellite weapons now routine. Speakers stressed the need for the UK to protect its interests by...
Artemis Moon Missions Take Center Stage at Wichita Engineers Week Banquet
Alicia Dwyer Cianciolo, a veteran NASA systems engineer, outlined the Artemis program’s Human Landing Systems (HLS) at the Wichita Engineers Week banquet. She explained that Artemis III will now be uncrewed, while Artemis IV remains on track for a crewed lunar south‑pole landing...
Eileen Collins on What It Takes to Become Space Shuttle Commander
Eileen Collins, the first woman to pilot and later command a Space Shuttle, appears on SpaceNews’ Space Minds podcast to discuss the habits and leadership principles that propelled her career. Hosted by David Ariosto, the episode blends personal anecdotes with...
Hiding in Plain Sight: The Biomimetic Drone Patrolling Our Coastlines in the Guise of a Seagull
Guard From Above unveiled the Seagull Evo, a sub‑1.5 kg fixed‑wing drone that replicates a seagull’s silhouette and flight dynamics for covert maritime surveillance. The platform carries electro‑optical or infrared payloads, flies up to 59 minutes, and can launch by hand...
IATA Urges EU to Review Emissions Trading System to Protect Aviation Competitiveness
The International Air Transport Association is urging the European Union to overhaul its Emissions Trading System, arguing that the current scheme threatens aviation competitiveness and adds costly complexity. IATA recommends full alignment with the ICAO‑led CORSIA framework for all international...
Balancing Space Benefits with Earth’s Environmental Protection
Progressive Policy Institute (PPI) has a new rpt: “Space for Progress, Earth for Keeps: An Integrated Framework for Space and the Environment" by Mary Guenther and Susie Quinn. On how "to maximize rewards from space and minimize atmospheric effects." https://t.co/jjoRxyItpH
Distributed Operations Enable Seventh Air Force to Sustain Airpower During Freedom Shield 26
During the Freedom Shield 26 exercise, the Seventh Air Force showcased its distributed operations model, integrating U.S. and South Korean air assets through the Combined Air Component Command (CACC). The drill validated command‑and‑control procedures that keep airpower sustained across the...
NewSpace Systems Opens Africa’s Largest Commercial Space Hardware Manufacturing Facility
NewSpace Systems inaugurated a 5,200 m² manufacturing hub in Somerset West, South Africa, becoming the continent’s largest commercial space hardware facility. The plant features a 1,260 m² ISO‑14644‑1 cleanroom, six LEAN‑certified assembly lines, and dedicated labs for GNC components such as sun...
ESA Chief Welcomes NASA's International Artemis Briefing in DC
At the ESA press briefing this morning, DG Aschbacher said NASA is bringing the international community together here in DC next week. He's looking fwd to learning about the new Artemis architecture incl Gateway. "A welcome opportunity" to see what...
South Korea’s Arms Exports Are Now Involved in the Iran War
South Korea’s defence industry has become a key supplier to the United Arab Emirates, delivering M‑SAM 2 interceptors that have achieved a reported 96 percent hit rate against Iranian missiles. The conflict has forced Seoul to air‑lift interceptor reloads into an active...
K2 to Launch Its First High-Powered Satellite for Space Compute
Space startup K2 Space is set to launch Gravitas, a two‑ton, 40‑meter satellite capable of generating 20 kW of electrical power, on a Falcon 9 before month‑end. Backed by $450 million in funding and a $3 billion valuation, the mission will carry 12 customer...
GMV-Led Consortium Launches MYRIAD to Advance AI-Driven Satellite Intelligence for EU Defense
The European Defence Fund has launched the MYRIAD research project, a 48‑month, €5 million initiative coordinated by GMV to embed AI into satellite imagery analysis for EU defence. Nine European partners will develop multi‑sensor fusion, radiometric calibration and explainable AI to...
Alpine Eagle Scales Sentinel Production with New Munich Facility and European Expansion
Alpine Eagle is scaling production of its Sentinel counter‑drone system, adding a 2,000‑square‑metre interceptor plant near Munich and expanding across Europe after its German Bundeswehr launch. The company has grown from 12 to 50 staff and aims to reach 100...
ESA Restores Contact with Proba-3 Coronagraph After Month‑Long Silence
ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher says at a press briefing that controllers have just managed to restore contact with the Proba-3 coronagraph spacecraft, which had been out of contact since last month. Recovery efforts underway.
Tulum’s New Airport Has Lost Early Flight Momentum as Airlines Cut Back Service
Tulum International Airport opened in December 2023 with strong U.S. and Canadian carrier support, but airlines have since trimmed schedules. American and United halved their April 2024 flights by April 2025, while Delta showed only modest growth. Air Canada announced...
Air Charter Scotland Secures Continuation of Wick-Aberdeen-Wick PSO Route
Air Charter Scotland has secured additional government funding to keep the Wick‑Aberdeen‑Wick public service obligation (PSO) route operating until 14 August 2026. The carrier launched the lifeline service on 15 January after Eastern Airways withdrew, initially using a Beechcraft King Air 200 and adding...
SwissTo12 Scales to Eight HummingSats Annually with ESA Funding
Small-GEO sat builder @Swissto12, now w/ 7 sats in production (2 unnamed), uses @ESA investment to expand production capacity. Goal is 8 HummingSats/year. @SES_Satellites @viasat.https://t.co/9uOrjCLVKk https://t.co/bM1pA0m3hY
Artemis II Rollout Set, Crew Begins Quarantine
NASA plans to begin the Artemis II rollout at 8 p.m. EDT on March 19, moving the Space Launch System rocket and Orion capsule from the Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Pad 39B via crawler‑transporter 2. The four‑mile journey may take up to 12 hours, after...
Kongsberg Awarded F-35 Lots 20-22 Production Contract
Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace signed a NOK 2 bn (~$209 m) contract with Lockheed Martin to supply components for F‑35 Lots 20‑22, extending production through 2030. The deal covers rudders, vertical leading edges and landing‑gear close‑out panels manufactured in Norway. It sustains Norway’s industrial...
China’s Export Bans Jeopardize US Interceptors in Iran War
China’s export controls threaten US interceptors during conflict with Iran | Umair Ghori | https://t.co/ROnyomjH5J
Airlines Face Jet Fuel Shortage, Cancellations Loom
Airlines have been warned that they will face jet fuel shortages as soon as next month, risking flight cancellations
Bay Area Rep. John Garamendi Confirms Travis Air Force Base Used by US in Iran War
Rep. John Garamendi confirmed that aircraft from Travis Air Force Base are actively supporting U.S. military operations against Iran, including refueling and transport missions. He noted that, as of Wednesday, no Travis personnel have been injured, though the risk remains....
British Airways Equips 787‑8 with Starlink Wi‑Fi
British Airways has started the installation of Starlink Wi-Fi, with a Boeing 787-8 being the first aircraft fitted with the service. https://t.co/N76SCIMV14
Flights Cut Climate Impact by About 70%
"Reduced the average climate impact per flight by around 70%" Find out more with this AEROSPACE Insight blog https://t.co/FqT3Eno46y
The Airlines See Only Sunshine and Rainbows
At the JP Morgan Industrials Conference, U.S. legacy carriers reported record‑breaking demand as Q1 closed. Delta, American and United each logged multiple top‑sales days or weeks, while JetBlue and Frontier lifted revenue outlooks. United disclosed a $4.6 billion jet‑fuel cost hit and...
NATO Pledges Swift Space Contracts, Bureaucracy Stalls Progress
.@NATO to commercial space: We're ready to move quickly on multi-orbit, multi-frequency and other fronts with contracts that spend years in our bureaucracy before closing. @NCIAgency @govsatcom @defis_eu.https://t.co/5dHFzsqHN6 https://t.co/9FZlet5yQq
Eastern European Helicopter Modernisation Could Open Doors for Western Manufacturers
Eastern European nations are accelerating helicopter modernisation to replace ageing Soviet‑era fleets, spurred by the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine. Hungary’s recent purchase of 16 Airbus H225M helicopters exemplifies the region’s pivot toward Western technology. The drive is motivated by...