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
Syracuse Hancock International Airport Selected for Federal Pilot Program Advancing Next-Generation Aviation
SYR was selected as a key partner in a new federal pilot program aimed at testing next‑generation aircraft technologies. The initiative, launched by the U.S. DOT and FAA, will evaluate twelve operational concepts, including eVTOL, electric, and hybrid aircraft, with industry partners such as NUAIR, Archer, BETA, Electra, and Joby. Participation places Syracuse among a small national coalition led by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, positioning the airport as a testing hub for future air‑mobility standards. Officials say the program will drive regional economic development and shape federal safety regulations.
Air India Express B737‑8 Faces Scrap Threat in Phuket
The wrinkles on this B737-8 Air India Express could potentially render the aircraft scrap metal. Repairing it would be extremely costly. Let’s see how long it remains parked in Phuket. wheels are installed ....might as well takeoff tomorrow ...
Avelo Airlines Dropped Controversial ICE Flights… Now It’s Being Fined Over Flight Attendant Drug Tests
Avelo Airlines, fresh from ending its controversial ICE deportation contract, has been hit with a proposed $65,000 civil penalty from the FAA for failing to include ten flight attendants in its mandatory drug‑testing pool between April and November 2024. The...
Defense Business Brief: 3D-Printing on the Battlefield; Reshoring Drone Dominance; AI on Submarines
The Pentagon is set to purchase 30,000 one‑way attack drones this month and aims for 300,000 by 2027, while simultaneously banning Chinese components to build a domestic supply chain. Firestorm has introduced a containerized, climate‑controlled 3D‑printing lab that can produce...
MTN Launches Click-to-Deploy StarEdge Horizon Satellite Service on AWS Marketplace
MTN has launched StarEdge Horizon, a private LEO satellite service, on the AWS Marketplace, allowing enterprises to provision global satellite links as a native cloud resource. The solution delivers a true Layer 2 network over SpaceX’s Starlink constellation with static IP...
Bharat Forge Inaugurates Landing Gear Machining Facility in Pune with Liebherr-Aerospace
Bharat Forge Limited inaugurated a state‑of‑the‑art landing‑gear machining facility in Pune, developed jointly with Liebherr‑Aerospace. The plant is among the first in India and few worldwide to offer OEM‑approved machining for landing‑gear components, expanding the company’s aerospace portfolio that already...
Telescopes Team Up for New View of Cat’s Eye Nebula
A new composite image of the Cat’s Eye Nebula (NGC 6543) merges ESA’s Euclid infrared observations with NASA’s Hubble optical data. The nebula, located 4,400 light‑years away in Draco, displays unprecedented detail of its layered shells, jets, and dust structures. This...
Web Industries Expands Thermoset Slitting Capacity in France and Production Capacity in Texas
Web Industries will launch a new thermoset slitting line at its Nantes facility in May 2026, expanding capacity for high‑quality aerospace tape. The same investment adds next‑generation laser‑cutting equipment to its Denton, Texas plant, boosting productivity for composites and technical...
Stasis Pods and Deep Space Exploration
Stasis research, building on therapeutic hypothermia and animal hibernation, aims to place astronauts in a torpor‑like state for long‑duration spaceflight. NASA’s NIAC program funded SpaceWorks Enterprises, whose 2016 Torpor Inducing Transfer Habitat study suggested a torpor‑based Mars transit could reduce...
Call for Technical Experts for Standards
AIAA has become the Committee Manager and US Technical Advisory Group for ISO TC20/SC16, which governs standards for uncrewed aircraft systems. The committee is actively recruiting technical experts to shape International Standards for civilian Counter‑UAS equipment and is exploring a new...
FAA Seeks Deeper Flight Cuts At Chicago O’Hare As Summer Schedules Surge
The Federal Aviation Administration has opened a formal process to cut summer flight schedules at Chicago O’Hare, seeking to lower daily operations from the currently planned 3,080 to around 2,500. The agency previously identified 2,800 flights per day as the...
Europe’s RLV C5 Heavy Lift Launch Vehicle
Europe’s German Aerospace Center is proposing the RLV C5, a heavy‑lift launch vehicle that pairs a winged, reusable first stage with an expendable upper stage. By switching to liquid hydrogen/oxygen propulsion, the C5 can deliver roughly 76 t to orbit while weighing...
Artemis Launch Revives Apollo’s Global Awe
I came across this @life magazine back-issue. Hundreds of thousands came to nasakennedy to watch the launch live, with hundreds of millions (like me) tuned in on TV. Makes me wonder where the naysayers think the gigantic Saturn V rockets...
Airbus and B2Space Team Up for Advanced Stratospheric Missions
Airbus and Spanish HAPS specialist B2Space have signed a strategic partnership to develop end‑to‑end stratospheric missions. B2Space will design, launch and operate high‑altitude balloon platforms, while Airbus will provide payloads, sensors and data‑management capabilities. The collaboration targets applications such as...
Airbus Partners with RWTH Aachen on Fuel Cell for Regional Aircraft
Airbus, RWTH Aachen, DLR and other partners launched GENtwoPRO, a German‑funded project to develop a low‑temperature PEM fuel‑cell system for regional aircraft up to 100 seats. The initiative, part of the LuFo VII‑1 programme, targets megawatt‑scale power density and rapid...
ATLAS Space Operations Establishes South Pacific Hub with New Ground Station in American Samoa
On March 10, 2026 ATLAS Space Operations and the American Samoa Port Administration signed an agreement to install a 3.7‑meter S/X‑band antenna at Pago Pago International Airport. Construction began March 2 as part of the Territory’s Vision 2030 Airport Master Plan, with lease revenues earmarked...
885 Aircraft Dispatcher
In this episode, Airplane Geeks sit down with airline dispatcher Mike Carrolls to explore how dispatchers manage disruptions—from weather and geopolitical events to space launches—that can scatter crews and aircraft across the network. Carrolls shares real‑world examples of chaos and...
United Semiconductors Secures Starlab Payload Capacity for In-Space Semiconductor Crystal Production
United Semiconductors has signed a payload reservation with Starlab Space to shift its microgravity semiconductor crystal growth from the ISS to the commercial Starlab station in low‑Earth orbit. The agreement gives United access to internal and external platforms, including pure‑vacuum...
Press Release: Assaia Launches Airport Stand and Gate Optimization
Assaia has unveiled StandManager, an AI‑driven Resource Management System that continuously analyzes live airport data to allocate stands and gates in real time. The platform replaces static buffer times with predictive buffers, allowing dynamic re‑allocation when flights arrive early or...
How Robert Goddard’s Self-Reliance Crashed His Rocket Dreams
On March 16, 1926 Robert Goddard launched the world’s first liquid‑fuel rocket, lifting 12.5 meters before crashing after 2.5 seconds. Despite early successes and funding from the Guggenheim family and the Smithsonian, Goddard’s distrust of collaboration kept his work isolated. The...
JAA TO and Romanian CAA Launch Cooperation
The JAA Training Organisation (JAA TO) has signed a two‑year cooperation framework with the Romanian Civil Aeronautical Authority, granting Romania structured access to JAA TO’s specialised regulatory training programmes. The partnership, formalised at JAA TO’s High‑Level Training workshop, covers safety oversight, airworthiness, aerodromes,...
CRP Group to Showcase Flight-Validated Composite Solutions and Hybrid Manufacturing at XPONENTIAL Europe 2026
CRP Group, comprising CRP Technology and CRP Meccanica, will debut at XPONENTIAL Europe 2026 in Düsseldorf, showcasing flight‑validated composite and hybrid‑manufactured components for aerospace and defense. The exhibit features a MIL‑STD‑810H‑tested UAV fuselage and a 3D‑printed PocketQube satellite deployer that...
Space Force Officially Terminates AeroVironment Contract for Satellite Control Antennas
The U.S. Space Force has terminated its roughly $1.7 billion contract with AeroVironment for the Satellite Communications Augmentation Resource (SCAR) program, ending work on the mobile BADGER phased‑array antennas. The termination follows failed renegotiations and reflects a shift toward an open‑competition...
NASA Disqualifies X-Ray Telescope From Probe Mission Competition
NASA announced that the Advanced X‑Ray Imaging Satellite (AXIS) has been disqualified from the Astrophysics Probe Explorer competition after failing to meet the program’s cost and schedule thresholds. The decision follows a series of internal disruptions at NASA, including a...
Air India Express Hard Landing: Tire Burst, Nose Gear Lifted
Here are some additional scenes of how it happened on Air India Express. You can see the amazing landing: main gear hard landing, bounce, tire burst, and nose gear landing. No slides were deployed, so at least some money was...
Bartow Deploys Frequentis Solution
Bartow Executive Airport has installed Frequentis' integrated communications platform to power its newly renovated Digital Tower Operations Center. The solution combines the Frequentis X10, GuardX recording, and smartATIS into a single digital suite, replacing legacy systems and supporting the airport’s...
Telesat Expands Canadian Landing Station Footprint for Lightspeed
Telesat announced new Canadian landing‑station sites in Estevan and Shaunavon, Saskatchewan, and Papineauville, Quebec, expanding its ground footprint ahead of Lightspeed pathfinder launches in December. The company aims to operate 24 landing stations worldwide by the start of global services...
James Cropper and Hexcel Collaborate to Advance Aligned Composite Recycling
James Cropper and Hexcel have teamed up under the European Composites Circularity Alliance (ECCA) to develop the Unimat range, leveraging Cropper’s Vectis aligned‑fibre technology for recycled carbon‑fibre composites. The partnership aims to achieve the alignment and fibre‑volume fractions required for...
Fuel Surcharge Set to Rise as Jet Fuel Costs Climb
Cathay Chief Customer and Commercial Officer Lavinia Lau: • can expect the fuel surcharge to rise due to increase in price of jet fuel
Utah Chosen as Future Flight Testbed
Utah’s Department of Transportation, together with a coalition of public and private entities, has been chosen by the FAA as one of eight sites for an eVTOL integration pilot program. The initiative, called uFLY: America’s AAM Crossroads to the West,...
Large Series C Signals Scale-Up of China’s Laser Satellite Communications Sector
Shanghai‑based BlueStar Optical Domain announced a Series C round of roughly 500 million yuan ($72 million). The capital will fund a production‑line upgrade aimed at delivering 1,000 laser communication terminals annually by mid‑2026. The move positions BlueStar as a mass‑production supplier for China’s...
Cyprus First to Use EU GOVSATCOM Secure Communications Service
Cyprus has become the first EU member to operationally use the European Union’s GOVSATCOM secure satellite communications service, announced by EUSPA on 10 March. The service, which went live in January 2026, aggregates capacity from eight satellites operated by five countries to...
Building Collaboration in Aerospace Composites Between the UK and France
Key players from the French and UK aerospace composites sectors gathered at the British Embassy in Paris during JEC World for a networking reception organized by Composites UK and the Department for Business and Trade. Deputy Trade Commissioner Jo Hawley...
Cathay Rewards Staff with 11‑week Bonuses After $1.38B Profit
Cathay Group’s employees will receive over 11 weeks of bonuses & a salary increase this year after the group reported a full-year 2025 profit of US$1.38 billion (HK$10.8 billion) driven by higher capacity, load factors & strong cargo demand.
UK Faces Cost of Balancing Defensive Capabilities Abroad as Iran Conflict Widens
The United Kingdom has dispatched the Type 45 destroyer HMS Dragon, Wildcat helicopters equipped with Martlet missiles, Eurofighter Typhoons and F‑35B aircraft to Cyprus and the wider Middle East following a drone strike on RAF Akrotiri. These assets aim to reinforce regional air‑defence...
Air India Express Aircraft's Nose Wheel Faces Malfunction at Phuket Airport — Here's What We Know
Air India Express’s Hyderabad‑Phuket Boeing 737‑Max 8 suffered a nose‑wheel malfunction during its March 11 landing at Phuket International Airport, prompting the runway’s temporary closure. The aircraft touched down at 04:24 UTC, and both nose wheels detached, but no passengers or crew were injured....
Airbus Exceeds 2025 Delivery Target, Ships 793 Jets
Airbus delivered 793 aircraft in 2025, topping its revised target as supply chain constraints eased. https://www.metalnomist.com/2026/03/airbus-delivered-793-aircraft-in-2025.html
B‑1B’s Revolver‑Style Rotary Launcher Holds JASSMs
Great look at the rotary launcher/rack in a B-1B. Will be packed like a revolver's cylinder with JASSMs.
Thales Launches SkyDefender: The Integral Air and Missile Defence Dome With Artificial Intelligence
Thales unveiled SkyDefender, an AI‑enabled air and missile defence dome that spans land, sea and space. The system combines long‑range early‑warning radars and satellite sensors with medium‑ and short‑range interceptors, all managed through the SkyView command platform. Its open, modular...
Anduril Expands Space Ops with Three Missions, Major Sensor Acquisition
Anduril's space business is growing, with at least three missions in the pipeline and, now, the acquisition of the world's largest space sensor network. https://t.co/QiWvE96S5k
Latin America Must Build Sovereign Satellite Capability
"Just like Europe, Latin America needs to equip itself with sovereign, autonomous [satellite] capabilities that will allow it to make its own decisions in the future." via DPL https://t.co/LcgtXVd5J0
Anduril To Acquire ExoAnalytic
Anduril Industries announced it will acquire ExoAnalytic Solutions, effectively doubling its space workforce. The deal adds ExoAnalytic’s 130‑plus engineers and a network of over 400 telescopes, enhancing Anduril’s space‑situational‑awareness (SSA) offerings for Department of Defense and Space Force customers. Anduril...
Israeli Strikes Cripple Iran’s Remaining F‑14 Tomcats
Iranian F-14 Tomcats Meet Their Doom In Israeli Airstrikes Iran's Tomcats may have used up the last of their nine lives as the U.S. and Israel seek to neuter the country's air force. https://t.co/JGGYBDqHg4
NASA's AXIS X-Ray Mission Canceled After 2025 Cuts
NASA’s next X-ray mission, AXIS, has been killed Did you think that the cuts to NASA made in 2025 had all been reversed, and everything is now fine? Think again. NASA's AXIS mission, on account of that 2025 bloodbath, is now dead. https://t.co/gdFHBnGzRJ
ESA Readies Self-Healing Materials For Use On Spacecraft
The European Space Agency (ESA) is advancing Project Cassandra, a collaboration with CompPair, CSEM and Com&Sens to adapt self‑healing carbon‑fibre composites for spacecraft. The HealTech material, originally developed by CompPair, uses embedded fibre‑optic sensors and 3D‑printed aluminium grids to detect...
Exploring Our Florida Facilities – Ask for Photos!
Had an awesome time getting familiar with our facilities in Florida. Let me know if you guys are interested in seeing any of the pic’s https://t.co/dUW9Uv6JOP
Russia Teaches Iran Ukraine Drone Tactics for Gulf Attacks
"Russia is helping Iran with advanced drone tactics from its war in Ukraine to hit US and Gulf nation targets in the Middle East, according to a Western intelligence official." https://t.co/7hTxSdMNpO
Boeing Lands $298M Israel Deal for 5,000 Smart Bombs
We break: Boeing has a new $298 million contract with Israel to deliver as many as 5,000 new air-launched smart bombs, according to three people familiar with the transaction https://t.co/WCseIjItOf
US Unveils Lucas, a Drone Matching Shahed's Weight Class
The U.S. has a drone that punches in the same (financial) weight class as the Iranian Shahed. Everybody, meet LUCAS. #shahed #drone #iranwar #geopolitics https://t.co/hoDkzlZII0
Falcon 9 Upper
Echostar XXV has been tracked in a 264 x 22015 km x 26.9 deg subsynchronous transfer orbit. The Falcon 9 upper stage made a perigee lowering burn and reentered at first perigee near 102W 10N at about 1130 UTC...