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
Sale of Gloucestershire Airport Falls Through After Months of Negotiations
The proposed sale of Gloucestershire Airport to Horizon Aero Group collapsed after eight months of negotiations. Council owners had set an initial £25 million price, but Horizon’s final offers diverged significantly, prompting the breakdown. The airport, which supports general aviation and business jet traffic, now faces an uncertain ownership future. Cheltenham and Gloucester councils say they will keep engaging staff, tenants and stakeholders to find a positive outcome.
IndiGo Dominates Pilot Count, but SpiceJet Stands Out on Pilot-to-Aircraft Ratio
India’s airline sector shows divergent crew dynamics as IndiGo maintains the largest pilot pool with 5,200 pilots but a modest 7.6 pilot‑to‑aircraft ratio, while SpiceJet boasts the highest ratio at 9.4 despite a small crew of 375. Cancellation rates improved...
U.S. Depletes Years of Tomahawks Amid Iran Conflict
The US has burned through "years" of Tomahawk missiles in just days of the Iran war, per @FT. This was entirely predictable. @CNASdc data shows the Navy bought ZERO new TLAMs in FY2019, FY2024, and FY2025. Thread 🧵 https://t.co/MOTOIV1iJp
Lockheed Martin Delivers Second Shipment of ASEV Shipsets and AN/SPY-7(V)1 Equipment to Japan
Lockheed Martin announced on March 12, 2026 that it has delivered the second Aegis System Equipped Vessel (ASEV) shipset, featuring the AN/SPY-7(V)1 solid‑state radar, to Japan’s Ministry of Defense. The shipment, executed through Mitsubishi Corporation under a Direct Commercial Sale,...
Senate Committee Advances NASA Deputy Administrator Nominee
The Senate Commerce Committee voted 23‑5 on March 12 to advance Matt Anderson’s nomination as NASA deputy administrator, sending it to the full Senate for final approval. Anderson, a retired Air Force officer, was first nominated in May and renominated after...
Turkey’s Air-to-Air Drone Test and the Logic of Middle-Power Alliance Stress
In late 2025 Turkey successfully launched an air‑to‑air missile from its Bayraktar Kızıl Elma UCAV. The test marks the first indigenous unmanned platform capable of contesting sovereign airspace, shifting Turkey’s role from ground‑attack drone user to air combat actor. By building...
Ukraine Holds World's Most Advanced Drone Technology
Ukraine, as it turns out, has cards: the most advanced drone technology in the world
FAA Replaces Decades-Old Tower at XNA
On March 13, 2026, the FAA unveiled a new 140‑foot air traffic control tower at Northwest Arkansas National Airport, replacing the temporary 1998 structure. The tower is 2.5 times taller, offering controllers an improved line‑of‑sight and housing advanced weather‑monitoring, digital...
How Kyle Clark Got BETA’s Air Taxis Ready for Takeoff
Kyle Clark, CEO of BETA Technologies, is steering the electric‑aircraft maker toward commercial operations after securing a $1 billion New York listing and a cash pile of $1.7 billion. The FAA recently approved eight advanced‑air‑mobility trial programs, opening the door for flying‑taxi...
Leonardo Plans to Fly Uncrewed Fighters Alongside M-346 Aircraft by Mid-2026
Leonardo announced that its M‑346 light‑attack trainer will act as a crewed "mother" aircraft to control two uncrewed fighter prototypes, with the first flight demonstrations slated for May 2024 and a public rollout by mid‑2026. The program, dubbed crewed‑uncrewed teaming...
40 Years Since Prof. Susan McKenna-Lawlor Made Contact with a Comet – Guest Post by Emma Whelan
On 14 March 1986 the ESA Giotto spacecraft passed within 600 km of Halley’s comet, delivering the first close‑up images and in‑situ measurements of a comet nucleus. Irish astrophysicist Prof. Susan McKenna‑Lawlor served as Principal Investigator for the Energetic Particle Analyser (EPONA),...
Bjorn’s Corner: The Blended Wing Body, BWB, Airliner. Part 1.
The blended wing body (BWB) airliner promises up to 15‑20% fuel savings by merging wing and fuselage, but realistic designs often deliver only around 5% efficiency gains. Structural concepts rely on carbon‑fibre webs to create a tube‑like cabin, reducing skin...
Wi‑Fi Can't Instantly Fix Indoor Satellite D2D Issues
No, Wi-Fi isn’t a simple overnight solution to solve the problem of satellite D2D not working indoors: https://t.co/CuHz7rOGwU
Etihad Confirmed Flight Schedule Friday To Thursday, March 13 – 19, 2026 (More Flights)
Etihad Airways announced a refreshed flight schedule for March 13‑19, 2026, marking a rapid recovery after a brief grounding caused by the Iran conflict. The airline plans 49‑53 departures and a comparable number of arrivals each day, covering major hubs...
ICEYE Smashes Its Own Revenue Projections
ICEYE, the Finnish synthetic‑aperture radar (SAR) satellite operator, posted 2025 revenue above €250 million, more than doubling its 2024 sales and beating its own forecast by 25%. EBITDA topped €100 million and cash on hand exceeded €350 million, underscoring strong profitability and liquidity....
Q&A With Laurent Jaffart, ESA’s Director of Resilience, Navigation and Connectivity
The European Space Agency has launched a new Directorate for Resilience, Navigation and Connectivity (RNC) under Laurent Jaffart, following a historic €22.3 billion budget and a €1.2 billion defense allocation. The RNC will oversee the European Resilience from Space (ERS) programme, aiming...
New British Airways Status Changes Make Silver and Gold Even Easier for High Spenders
British Airways is overhauling its tier‑point system to reward flexible and semi‑flexible ticket purchases more heavily than cheap, non‑refundable fares. Starting 1 April, base fares, carrier surcharges, seat and baggage fees, and a new bonus table will determine points, effectively doubling...
Ken Kremer Live Interview WESH 2 NBC News Orlando on Artemis II 2nd Rollout and April 1 Launch Target: Video
NASA announced that repairs to the helium flow interruption in the Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage are now mostly complete, allowing the Space Launch System and Orion stack to roll back to the Vehicle Assembly Building. The rocket is scheduled to...
U.S. Launches Rescue Efforts After Military Refueling Plane Crashes over Iraq
The U.S. Central Command confirmed that a KC‑135 aerial refueling aircraft crashed in western Iraq during Operation Epic Fury, stating the loss was not caused by hostile fire. A second KC‑135 landed safely, and rescue teams are searching for survivors....
Cygnus NG-23 Unberthed by Canadarm‑2 at 1106 UTC March 12
The Cygnus NG-23 cargo ship was released into orbit by Canadarm-2 at 1106 UTC Mar 12; it has been at ISS since Dec 1. [I don't have the unberthing time, anyone have it?]
Japan Set to Join U.S. “Golden Dome” Defense Shield; PM Takaichi Could Announce at Trump Summit: Reports
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is expected to announce Tokyo’s participation in the United States’ “Golden Dome” missile‑defence program during her March 19 meeting with President Donald Trump. The Golden Dome initiative envisions a layered shield of space‑based interceptors and sensors...
Live Coverage: SpaceX Resets Starlink Mission From Cape Canaveral for Saturday
SpaceX postponed the Starlink 6-61 launch from Friday to Saturday, targeting an 8:30 a.m. EDT liftoff from Cape Canaveral. The mission will carry 29 new Starlink satellites on Falcon 9 booster B1095, which is on its sixth flight. A 75% chance of...
Space Jam: NASA’s MADCAP Team Directs Traffic at the Moon
NASA’s Mission Analysis and Design for Cislunar and Planetary (MADCAP) team has been quietly tracking every spacecraft in lunar orbit for the past 15 years. In March 2025 the privately‑run Blue Ghost lander narrowly avoided a collision with another orbiter,...
MJets Buoyant on Regional Outlook
Private jet operator MJets is leveraging rising Southeast Asian demand by expanding its service portfolio and geographic footprint. The company has become Thailand’s exclusive Gulfstream dealer, added a minority stake in Singapore’s WingsOverAsia, and launched FBO operations in New Delhi...
Qantas Adjusts to Weakness in Demand on Its US Routes, While Aircraft Deliveries Accelerate
Qantas is reshaping its international network as US outbound demand softens, reallocating an Airbus A380 from US routes to the high‑yield Singapore corridor and launching a seasonal Las Vegas service. The airline also announced an accelerated fleet renewal, targeting roughly 50...
Video of the Week: Azul's Quiet AI Revolution: Augmentation, Not Transformation
Artificial intelligence has vaulted from experimental projects to a boardroom priority across airlines, prompting sizable investments in data science, automation and machine learning. Yet many initiatives stall within complex technology programs that fail to deliver clear commercial outcomes. The industry...
Cubesat Ultraviolet Space Telescope Achieves First Light
NASA’s SPARCS cubesat, roughly the size of a cereal box, has achieved first light by capturing both near‑ and far‑ultraviolet false‑color images of a nearby star. The mission is designed to monitor flare and sunspot activity on low‑mass stars that...
Press Release: Vueling Selects Gategroup to Support Retail and Catering
Vueling, a leading IAG‑owned carrier, has appointed gategroup as its new Retail‑on‑Board and catering partner across its European network. The agreement introduces gategroup’s 360° digital retail ecosystem, delivering real‑time analytics, data‑driven touchpoints and streamlined onboard operations. In parallel, gategroup will...
Xichang CZ-2D Launch Deploys Shiyan‑30‑03/04
LAUNCH at 2233 UTC Mar 12 of a CZ-2D from Xichang with the 试验三十号卫星03、04星 (Shiyan 30-03 and 30-04) satellites
NASA Plans March 18 Spacewalk Before Crew Return
NASA astronauts Jessica Meir and Chris Williams will do a spacewalk (#94) on March 18. Spacewalk 95 will be soon after, crew TBA. NASA bfg on March 16, 2:00 pm ET These are the EVAs Crew-11 intended to do before...
KC-135 Tanker Involved in Epic Fury Goes Down in Iraq: CENTCOM
A U.S. Air Force KC‑135 Stratotanker crashed in Iraq during Operation Epic Fury, the campaign against Iran. CENTCOM said the incident occurred in friendly airspace and was not caused by hostile or friendly fire. Casualties remain unclear and rescue efforts...
KC-135 Tanker Crashes in Iraq; Rescue Ongoing
KC-135 Tanker Crashes In Iraq During Operation Epic Fury Sortie U.S. Central Command says two aircraft were involved in the incident and that a search and rescue effort is currently underway. https://t.co/kNmwYcORgp
US Air Force KC-135 Goes Down in Iraq, CENTCOM Says
A U.S. Air Force KC-135 tanker crashed in western Iraq, killing all six crew members. The incident occurred during Operation Epic Fury and involved two aircraft, with the second landing safely. CENTCOM said the loss was not caused by hostile...
EXCLUSIVE: Freeman Out as Head of Amazon Leo Government
Rick Freeman, Amazon's vice president for Leo Government, left the company in late February, prompting a quiet reorganization of the satellite business’s marketing teams. Amazon Leo, formerly Project Kuiper, is building a 3,000‑satellite low‑Earth‑orbit network and currently has about 200...
ESA's Mars Orbiters Watch Solar Superstorm Hit the Red Planet
In May 2024 a massive solar superstorm struck both Earth and Mars, producing spectacular aurorae and intense radiation. ESA’s Mars Express and ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter used a rare radio‑occultation technique to record the storm’s impact on Mars, finding electron densities...
THE SHAME OF DROPPING BOMBS
The post decries recent US and Israeli airstrikes against Iran, noting that British bases in England and the Indian Ocean have been granted to the United States for "defensive" operations. It highlights the ease of the attacks, likening them to...
Better Satellite World: From Connectivity to Intelligence Episode 1: What Happens When the Network Thinks? Benny Retnamony of Quvia on...
In this inaugural episode of SSPI’s "Connectivity to Intelligence" series, host Tamara Bond‑Williams talks with Benny Rettnamone, founder and CEO of QVIA, about the challenges of handling massive data streams at the edge—on aircraft, ships, and offshore rigs—where connectivity is...
China Resumes Launches with CZ‑8A, Nine LEO Satellites
LAUNCH at 1948 UTC of a Chang Zheng 8A from Hainan Commercial Spaceport of nine Xingwang Digui (SatNet LEO) Group 20 satellites, the first Chinese orbital launch in a month after an unusual stand-down
NASA Targets April 1 for Artemis II Launch
NASA announced a target launch date of April 1 for Artemis II, the first crewed mission beyond low‑Earth orbit since 1972. The crew—NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch and Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen—will fly a 10‑day lunar flyby. After a series...
Losing the CDS Jeopard
Must read thread. Is CDS being stitched up? (Lose this CDS over a current conflict & what happens to preparing/procurement for a more serious punch-up a few years down the line if equipment/readiness has got worse?)
KC-135 Crashes In Iraq While Supporting Iran Ops
A U.S. Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker crashed in western Iraq while supporting Operation Epic Fury, the campaign targeting Iran. The incident involved two KC-135s; one went down and the other landed safely despite visible tail damage. CENTCOM said the crash...
Fever Dreams: On Demand Launch, Daily Launches, Responsive Space
The March 2026 New Space Economy piece separates the hype of daily orbital launches from the emerging reality of responsive space. While on‑demand launch remains a niche tool, true responsiveness is being built through standby assets, modular spacecraft, and flexible licensing,...
This Top-Secret Satellite Spied on Enemy Weapons for the U.S. Air Force, Declassified Files Reveal
The National Reconnaissance Office declassified the JUMPSEAT satellite program, a covert U.S. space‑based intelligence system that operated from 1971 to 2006. Using highly elliptical Molniya orbits, the satellites intercepted signals, emissions, and imagery to monitor Soviet weapon development throughout the...
Pentagon Lacks Data to Assess Hypersonic Missile Until 2025
We break on DOD DOT&E report: The Pentagon testing office said it won’t get enough data to evaluate the combat effectiveness of the US’s first hypersonic missile until early next year https://t.co/GKrTRVb6BX
Design And Production Challenges Loom For C-5M, C-17 Replacement
U.S. Air Force leaders warned that a prospective stealthy strategic airlifter to replace the aging C‑5M and C‑17 faces significant design and production hurdles. Gen. Randall Reed told the Senate Armed Services Committee that while strategic airlift remains a top...
Pilots Report Turbulence Nationwide Despite Smooth Flight Promises
Pilot “we have a smooth flight ahead today for you” Actual reports from pilots across US today: https://t.co/JSJaee4rf7
NASA Clears Its Artemis Moon Rocket for an April Launch with Four Astronauts Following Repairs
NASA announced that the Artemis II Space Launch System rocket has passed its final flight‑readiness review and is slated for a launch as early as April 1, following repairs that sealed hydrogen leaks and corrected a helium‑flow fault. The 322‑foot vehicle will...
Voyager Expands Infrastructure to Meet Soaring Demand
Important new piece of infrastructure for Voyager in response to increasing demand for our technology. Also great to be alongside great partners like @anduriltech and @The_TrueAnomaly $VOYG
To Achieve Space Dominance, the U.S. Must Eliminate Strategic Ambiguity
The article argues that U.S. space dominance hinges on eliminating strategic ambiguity through persistent, high‑fidelity Space Domain Awareness (SDA). It highlights Russian LUCH satellites shadowing commercial GEO assets and the Intelsat 33E debris incident as concrete examples of gray‑zone threats that...
Lynk Architecture Cuts Costs by Splitting Functions
“we like the Lynk architecture. It’s a unique design which puts certain functions up in the satellite, certain functions on the ground and this will deliver an overall lower-cost business case,” via @malleven33 https://t.co/QPfqnMP3XF