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
Brazil Is Poised for Interesting Market Dynamics in 2026 as Its Aviation Sector Enters a New Era
Brazil’s aviation sector is entering a new era in 2026 as its three largest carriers—Azul, GOL and LATAM—have emerged from Chapter 11 restructurings, creating a more rational market landscape. The industry still wrestles with high fuel costs, extensive litigation and lingering currency pressures. Government financial assistance, still under negotiation, is expected to cushion operators after the pandemic shock. Despite geopolitical uncertainty from the Middle East conflict, airlines remain cautiously optimistic about demand growth.
Humanoid Robot Successfully Pilots Aircraft in Test
#WhosNext? Airline Pilots? Scientists Build Humanoid #Robot That Can Pilot a Plane. (Futurism) #AI #Robotics https://t.co/bcdVuA59Ro https://t.co/i6r9BkJ6uY
Telesat Corp (TSAT) Q4 2025 Earnings Call Transcript
AST SpaceMobile reported full‑year 2025 revenue of $70.9 million, hitting the top of its guidance, and disclosed a $1.2 billion minimum‑committed revenue backlog anchored by a $175 million prepayment from Saudi Arabia’s STC Group. The company raised over $3.5 billion, boosting cash to $3.9 billion,...
China Space Station Spacewalk: New Tasks Completed
China’s Shenzhou‑21 crew completed a second seven‑hour EVA, installing a new space‑debris protection device on the Tiangong station. Astronauts Zhang Lu and Wu Fei performed the walk with assistance from the station’s robotic arm and fellow crew member Zhang Hongzhan. The mission also...
March 16, 2026 Quick Space Links
A tweet‑sourced report claims that the Shahroud Space Center in northeastern Iran was heavily damaged by U.S. and Israeli air strikes, with 27 sites hit and roughly 70% of its facilities destroyed. Another tweet alleges that the Soviet Union’s 1974...
Europe’s Spectrum Rocket Returns to the Skies with Onward and Upward
German startup Isar Aerospace is set for the second flight of its Spectrum launch vehicle, dubbed “Onward and Upward,” from Andøya Space in Norway on March 19. The mission marks the rocket’s first customer payload flight, carrying five CubeSats and a...
Air India Flight From New York JFK Diverts to Ireland After Floor Started Vibrating At 33,000 Feet Above The Atlantic
Air India flight AI102, an Airbus A350‑900 en route from New York JFK to Delhi, diverted to Shannon Airport in Ireland after passengers reported floor vibrations at 33,000 feet. The two‑and‑a‑half‑year‑old aircraft, originally built for Aeroflot, landed safely around 4:30 am, and...
War May Bring Lasting Change to the Airline Business
The ongoing Middle East conflict has disrupted the Gulf’s role as a global aviation super‑connector, forcing Emirates, Etihad and Qatar Airways to curtail services. A recent drone strike at Dubai International Airport compelled Emirates to cancel flights and even reroute...
Chinese Space Station Astronauts Harvest Space Tomatoes
Chinese astronauts aboard the Tiangong space station have harvested a bumper crop of cherry tomatoes grown in a small aeroponic cultivation system. The system uses a nutrient mist and full‑spectrum LEDs, enabling water‑efficient plant growth in micro‑gravity. This marks the...
Florida Lawmakers Target ADS-B Use For Landing Fees
Florida lawmakers approved CS/CS/SB 422, prohibiting airports from using ADS‑B surveillance data to calculate landing fees or related charges for Part 91 aircraft weighing 12,499 pounds or less. The bill, cleared by both chambers, heads to Governor Ron DeSantis and would...
Cheap Drone Defenses Drive Expensive Russian Strike Packages
Many of the early countermeasures to cheap OWA drones are also relatively cheap, such as mobile machinegun teams. This requires the modernization of the drones, employing them in greater numbers, and new methods of employment to overcome cheap countermeasures, which...
Dubai Halts All Foreign Flights at DXB, DWC
Dubai Civil Aviation Authority issued a notice today: landing permissions at DXB and DWC are suspended for all foreign operators until further notice, citing the prevailing regional situation and safety of airlines, crews, passengers, and the public. Emirates has already...
United Airlines Holdings (UAL) Long-Term Hub Economics Improves Following Washington Dulles International Airport Renovation Plans
United Airlines stands to benefit from a planned multibillion‑dollar renovation at its Washington Dulles hub. The project includes a 435,000‑square‑foot, 14‑gate concourse slated for later 2026, expanding capacity for United, which already handles about 70% of Dulles traffic. While the...
Middle East Tensions Trigger Further Flight Cancellations on UK Routes
Airlines operating between the United Kingdom and the Middle East have cancelled a notable share of flights amid escalating regional tensions, with 18 of 133 outbound services (13.5%) and 23 of 134 inbound services (17%) scrapped as of 16 March. The...
UK and Germany Meet to Advance Deep Precision Strike Missile Programme to Boost National Security
UK Defence Minister Luke Pollard met German State Secretary Jens Plötner in Berlin to review progress on a joint Deep Precision Strike missile programme. The initiative aims to produce stealth cruise and hypersonic missiles capable of exceeding 2,000 km, with initial...
Why Haven’t More Airlines Tightened Rules Around Lithium Batteries Despite Mounting Safety Concerns?
In January 2025 an Air Busan Airbus A321 caught fire on the tarmac in Busan after a passenger’s lithium‑ion power bank overheated, injuring seven people. The incident has intensified scrutiny of portable battery safety on aircraft. IATA recently issued new minimum...
The Asteroid Ryugu Has All of the Main Ingredients for Life
Japan’s Hayabusa2 spacecraft retrieved Ryugu asteroid samples in 2020 after impacting the surface in 2018. Laboratory analysis has now identified all five nucleobase precursors needed for DNA and RNA within the debris. The discovery strengthens the hypothesis that asteroids delivered...
Inside Sir Peter Beck and Rocket Lab’s Sub-$17 Million Mission to Find Life Above Venus
Rocket Lab’s Venus Life Finder (VLF) mission aims to drop a sub‑kilogram probe into the clouds of Venus for a brief 210‑second sampling window, targeting possible biosignatures. The entire venture is slated to cost under $17 million, dramatically cheaper than historic...
The Coming Compute War in Ukraine
Ukrainian forces depend on cloud‑based AI to coordinate massive drone swarms, but Russian electronic‑warfare can sever the uplinks, turning pre‑programmed drones into ineffective assets. Bandwidth constraints and energy shortages expose a critical compute vulnerability, prompting a shift toward a layered...
Joby Aviation Demonstrates Electric Air Taxi Flights Over San Francisco Bay
Joby Aviation completed a series of electric air‑taxi demonstration flights over the San Francisco Bay Area, departing from Oakland International Airport and cruising past the Golden Gate Bridge toward the Marin Headlands. The flights showcased the company’s N545JX prototype operating in...
Tech Stacks, AI, and New Regulations: What Drone Surveyors Need to Know Now
The Commercial UAV News webinar highlighted how drone surveying firms must first secure data‑first workflows before layering AI, adopt a three‑tiered, modular tech stack, and address new regulatory demands. Panelists stressed that clean, structured data and automated pipelines are prerequisites...
Canada Leases Space Port in Bid to Break Reliance on US Rockets Like Musk’s SpaceX
Canada's federal government has signed a ten‑year, C$200 million lease for a private launch facility on the east coast, aiming to develop an independent satellite launch capability. The agreement with Maritime Launch Services will give Canada direct access to sub‑orbital and...
Artemis II Crew ‘Primed’ to Contribute to Scientific Knowledge of Moon, NASA Scientist Says
NASA's Artemis II mission, slated for early April, will send four astronauts on a ten‑day lunar flyby, becoming the first humans to view the Moon’s far side since Apollo. The crew will operate within 6,400‑9,000 km of the surface, capturing wide‑angle imagery,...
KTOS: Undervalued Drone Leader Poised for Margin Surge
KTOS at $87.53 just hit a high-conviction BUY setup. Pure-play leader in autonomous drones, hypersonics & next-gen defense electronics — exactly where DoD is front-loading billions. 12x forward sales while margins are about to expand sharply from development to production scale. Market...
ROBOZE Launches ARGO 500 HYPERSPEED MISSION READY Additive Manufacturing Platform
ROBOZE has unveiled the ARGO 500 HYPERSPEED MISSION READY, an additive manufacturing platform tailored for aerospace and defence applications. The system prints high-performance polymers such as SABIC’s ULTEM AM9085F and ROBOZE’s Carbon PEEK, offering weight reduction and corrosion resistance. Enhanced...
RTX Raytheon Enhances SM-3 and SM-6 Production Capacity
RTX Raytheon has finished expanding its Redstone Missile Integration Facility in Alabama, raising Standard Missile‑3 and Standard Missile‑6 production rates by more than 50%. The boost is intended to replenish Pentagon missile stockpiles that were drawn down during recent operations....
Pentagon: F-35s “Vulnerable” Over Iran? Software Stagnation Leaves U.S. Stealth Jets Without Crucial Upgrades
The Pentagon disclosed that F‑35 Lightning II jets conducting strikes in Operation Epic Fury over Iran are still equipped with the older TR‑2 software, as the planned TR‑3 upgrade has been stalled. The TR‑3, part of the Block 4 modernization, promises...
European Defence Agency Awards Contract for First VLEO Military Satellite Concept
The European Defence Agency has granted a €15.65 million research contract to a Sener‑led consortium to design the first military satellite optimized for very low Earth orbit (VLEO). VLEO, ranging from 150‑350 km, promises sharper imagery and lower communication latency but requires...
A Century-Old Secret Space Dream Ignored by Everyone
100 years since someone had a crazy idea and believed in it. Only Goddard, his wife Esther, and a couple of assistants witnessed it. It didn't even make the local newspapers, and Goddard kept details secret for years afterward due to...
Rising Fuel and Insurance Costs Prompt Oman Air Cargo Surcharge Move
Oman Air Cargo will add a Fuel Surcharge and a War Risk Surcharge to all shipments starting March 18, 2026. The fuel charge will track the US Gulf Coast Jet A1 price per gallon and be reviewed weekly, while the...
Aeroflot Expands Asian Routes Despite Sanctions, Outpacing Rivals
Aeroflot arriving Guangzhou(and many other Asian cities)... daily service still going strong despite sanctions and the war. They’re flying to more destinations than some Middle Eastern airlines right now.
Press Release: Starling Aerospace to Unveil New Seat Family at AIX
Starling Aerospace will debut its new SA‑designated seat family at the Aircraft Interiors Expo in Hamburg, featuring the economy‑focused SA4000, the premium modular SA5000, and the ultra‑luxury rotating SA6000 for private jets. The lineup emphasizes weight efficiency, advanced connectivity, and...
L3Harris Honors Goddard Centennial with Advances in Nuclear and Electric Propulsion
L3Harris Technologies commemorated Robert Goddard’s 100‑year rocket milestone by accelerating next‑generation propulsion, including 3D‑printed RS‑25 engines, advanced electric thrusters, and nuclear thermal concepts. The company is hot‑fire testing new RS‑25 units that cut production costs by 30 percent while delivering...
Severe Weather Sparks Widespread Flight Delays, Stay Patient
Folks traveling by air today, it is going to be a day. MSP is digging out of a blizzard. A crazy, high speed front passed through ATL this morning. This disrupted the morning bank of flights and caused some international...
Growlers Deploy Buggy New Jamming Pods in Iran Strikes
EA-18G Growler With Split Load Of New And Old Jamming Pods Seen Supporting Iran Strikes A Pentagon report says the new pods are still having significant teething issues even though they are being used in active conflicts. https://t.co/5jlBt3Hm2w
South Korea Promotes Anti-Aircraft Guns for Drone Defense
South Korea’s defense establishment is reviving anti‑aircraft gun systems as a primary tool against the surge of low‑cost drone attacks. Modern gun platforms such as the radar‑equipped K30 Biho and the upcoming Cheonho vehicle employ programmable airburst ammunition to engage...
Air Force Postpones B‑52 Radar Upgrades Amid Cost Overruns
The Air Force has adjusted its B-52 radar upgrade plans, pushing some capability (and the radome redesign) out for future increments amid delays and cost overruns: https://t.co/8C4uYpv0UU
Italy Seeks ITU Extension After 2025 Gapfiller Loss
Italian @MinisteroDifesa to launch Sicral 3A & 3B milsatcom satellites on @SpaceX Falcon 9s in mid- and late-2027, asks @ITU for deadline extension following loss of gapfiller sat in 2025 that was to have reserved the spectrum. @Thales_Alenia_S @telespazio.https://t.co/JAq9HbXWwy https://t.co/fNQxtLFeoI
Australia Plans for ‘Dubai-Style’ Air Taxi Service
Australia’s civil aviation regulator, CASA, announced that it is close to launching a Dubai‑style electric vertical take‑off and landing (eVTOL) air‑taxi service. The agency is drafting licensing rules for piloted passenger‑carrying advanced air mobility (AAM) flights and a safety framework...
NVIDIA Teams Up to Deploy AI Computing in Orbit
Space computing is moving from concept to reality 🛰️ #NVIDIAGTC news: NVIDIA is collaborating with @AetherfluxUSA, @Axiom_Space, @KeplerComms, @planet, Sophia Space and Starcloud to bring AI and accelerated computing into orbit, powering geospatial intelligence and autonomous space operations. Learn more → https://t.co/YLdtwTat7C @nvidianewsroom @NVIDIAGTC
Lufthansa Secures Certification for Most 787 Business Seats
In a positive development, Lufthansa has finally managed to get most of its Boeing 787 Allegris business class seats certified. This is excellent news for passengers and the airline. https://t.co/mkZ8QXczLF
Satellite Show's Shortlist Overlooks Key Industry Leader Charlie Ergen
This shortlist for Satellite Executive of the Year makes me feel that SatShow no longer has its finger on the pulse of the most significant industry developments... (yes the SES-Intelsat merger is a big deal but shouldn't Charlie Ergen be...
Lynk Seeks Partnerships to Build World’s Cheapest Constellation
Lynk: "We want to build the most cost-effective constellation in the world. We need to build partnerships to compete against some of the bigger guys who seem to have endless money and ambition" https://t.co/HQZGajsIqU via Michelle Donegan
Ukraine's Sting Interceptor Could Halt Iran Drone Assault
Defenses in the Persian Gulf are collapsing as Iran continues large drone attacks, but there's a country that already has the answer. Enter Ukraine's Sting interceptor. Note: name correction at the end 📸: Wild Hornets #drone #iranwar #geopolitics
Spain Eyes Airbus Space for NG3 After NG2 Failure
Spain's @Defensagob, #Hisdesat on verge of selecting @AirbusSpace to replace Airbus SpainSat NG2 sat, which failed 5 wks after launch from 'impact of high-energy space particle in critical area of satellite.' SpainSat NG3 replacement could launch in 2030.https://t.co/l5TJ7Tc01C https://t.co/nHIzh6iWXD
Atlas Air Becomes Airbus A350F’s Biggest Customer
News from @airbus as cargo carrier Atlas Air Worldwide places a firm order for 20 x A350Fs - becoming the biggest customer for Airbus' flagship widebody freighter. #avgeek https://t.co/EAAVLfsF8f
T‑Mobile’s T‑Satellite Adds Starlink Support, Ready for AST SpaceMobile
"Operations on T-Mobile’s T-Satellite service powered by Starlink will be supported immediately, but it also is designed to work with AST SpaceMobile—the satellite D2D provider for AT&T and Verizon in the U.S." https://t.co/FBUFQLhMfg Noteworthy that enterprise devices have this
Chinese Astronauts Install Debris Shields During 7‑hour Spacewalk
Astronauts Zhang Lu and Wu Fei made a spacewalk from the Chinese Space Station from about 0430 UTC until 1135 UTC Mar 16, continuing installation of external debris protection panels https://t.co/GKPg66uFEF
Progress MS-31 Departs ISS, Paving Path for Next Resupply
Progress MS-31 undocks from ISS to clear the way for the next resupply mission: https://t.co/8NFAf26ZvR https://t.co/rvJcBU6rTq
Progress MS-31 Undocks From ISS Poisk Module
The Progress MS-31 cargo ship undocked from the ISS Poisk module at about 1324:12 UTC Mar 16