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
USAF Orders First 14 T-7A Red Hawk Trainers From Boeing
The U.S. Air Force has placed its initial order for 14 Boeing T‑7A Red Hawk advanced trainer aircraft, a deal valued at roughly $219 million. The contract, issued after the Milestone C production decision, includes digital training systems, spares and support equipment. The Red Hawk, co‑developed with Sweden’s Saab, will replace the aging T‑38C Talon and prepare pilots for next‑generation fighter platforms. Deliveries are scheduled by November 2027, with a broader plan to ramp production to 40‑60 units per year through the early 2030s.
Golden Dome Chief Pushes Back on $1.2 Trillion CBO Estimate
Gen. Michael Guetlein rejected the Congressional Budget Office’s $1.2 trillion 20‑year cost estimate for the Trump‑initiated Golden Dome missile‑defense program, saying the analysis relies on outdated legacy assumptions. The White House has put the figure at roughly $185 billion, arguing the Pentagon will...
Europa Clipper and Juice Make Simultaneous UV Light Observatoins of Interstellar Comet 3I/Atlas
In November 2025 the Europa Clipper and JUICE spacecraft coordinated a rare simultaneous ultraviolet observation of interstellar comet 3I/Atlas as it passed between them. The dual‑view data captured hydrogen, oxygen and unusually high carbon emissions, with Europa Clipper imaging night‑side dust and JUICE recording...
AOC of Bestfly Aircraft Management Aruba Revoked
The Department of Civil Aviation of Aruba revoked the air operator's certificate (AOC) of Bestfly Aircraft Management Aruba on May 11, citing safety and compliance concerns. The revocation follows a suspension on May 5 and forces the company's commercial jets...
Merlin Launches Autonomous Flight System for Large Commercial Cargo Aircraft
Merlin announced Merlin Pilot for Commercial Cargo, an AI‑powered autonomy core that can be installed on any large cargo aircraft as part of its new Condor product family. The system is designed to fly autonomously while a safety pilot remains...
Passengers Who Were Injured When Delta Air Plane Hit Spirit Jet As It Was Boarding At Cleveland Sue After Suffering...
A Delta Boeing 737 wingtip clipped the wing of a Spirit Airlines Airbus A321 while the Spirit flight was boarding at Cleveland International Airport on May 12, 2024, sending several passengers—including two children—hurt. The injured parties have filed a negligence...
DRDO and IAF Successfully Test Indigenous TARA Glide Weapon Off Odisha Coast
On May 7, India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and the Indian Air Force successfully flight‑tested the Tactical Advanced Range Augmentation (TARA) glide weapon off Odisha’s coast. TARA is a modular kit that attaches to existing 250‑kg bombs, adding a...
Romania Eyes Polish UAVs and Loitering Munitions
Polish defence contractor WB Group has signed an agreement with Romania’s aerospace firm ROMAERO to assemble and produce the GLADIUS unmanned aerial system for the Romanian Ministry of Defence. The deal, announced at the Black Sea Defence and Aerospace exhibition...
NASA Alters Artemis 3 Launch Vehicle Configuration
NASA announced that Artemis 3 will launch on the Space Launch System without its Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage. Instead, an inert spacer built at Marshall Space Flight Center will occupy the ICPS interface, preserving the vehicle’s dimensions. The change reflects a...
CSA Catapult a Core Technology Partner Providing SiC Power Module for Project SONATA
The UK’s Compound Semiconductor Applications (CSA) Catapult has been named a core technology partner for Project SONATA, an ATI‑funded initiative to develop an on‑aircraft electric taxi system with regenerative braking. CSA Catapult will design, build and validate custom silicon‑carbide (SiC) power...
The Risks to Europe’s Space Push
Europe’s space sector is gaining momentum, driven by semiconductor leaders like STMicroelectronics targeting $3 bn revenue and a market projected to rise from $650 m to $2 bn by 2028. Ambitious projects such as OneWeb’s LEO constellation, Space Forge’s orbital material factory, and...
USAF Contracts AEVEX for Group 3 Autonomous Aircraft Delivery
The U.S. Air Force awarded AEVEX an $18.5 million contract to deliver Group 3 autonomous aircraft for One Way Attack missions. The agreement includes engineering and field‑service support and relies on additive‑manufacturing and 3D‑printing to speed production. AEVEX will use its 100,000‑sq‑ft...
Solar‑Powered Skydweller Drone Sets Jumbo‑Jet Wingspan Record Before Water Ditching Crash
Skydweller Aero’s solar‑powered Skydweller drone flew for eight days and 14 minutes, eclipsing all previous drone and crewed aircraft records, before a controlled water ditching off the coast of Mexico caused it to sink. The loss underscores both the promise...
Jet Aviation San Marino Adds Group's First ACJ220
Jet Aviation San Marino has taken delivery of the group’s first ACJ220‑100, the first of its type to be based in the Asia‑Pacific region. The VIP‑configured airliner, registered T7‑828, was built in 2024 and placed at Singapore Seletar in March...
Anduril Signs $30M Deal with Rocket Lab for Three Hypersonic Test Flights
Anduril Industries hired Rocket Lab to execute three hypersonic test launches under the Pentagon’s HASTE program, paying $30 million. The contract sits alongside Rocket Lab’s larger $190 million DOD agreement and pushes the company’s defense backlog toward one‑third of its total pipeline.
Perfect Spacewalk Glove Fit Requires Custom Modeling, Trimmed Nails
Testing the fit of spacewalking gloves. My hands are in a low-pressure chamber, to see if the gloves will bulge too much during a spacewalk. I was lucky - when @nasa was making the new gloves, my hands were used...
U.S. Aviation Accident Investigators Urge Airlines to Improve Training for Pilots in Smoke-Filled Cockpits
The NTSB has recommended that airlines add realistic smoke‑in‑cockpit simulator training to their annual recurrent programs, citing that current refresher courses may not adequately prepare pilots for such emergencies. The push follows a Southwest Airlines incident on Dec. 20, 2023, where...
The AI that Transformed American Warfare
The MAVEN Smart System is an AI‑driven weapon platform that not only pinpoints targets but also advises commanders on how to engage them. It has intercepted Iranian missile trajectories bound for Israel, located rocket launchers in Yemen, and tracked drug...
Boeing Ordered to Pay $49.5M for Single MAX Fatality
Boeing Hit With $49.5 Million Verdict For One 737 MAX Death — Why It Was So High https://t.co/xyHMn7nXbR
United Airlines Adds First-Ever Nonstop Flights From Continental U.S. To Sapporo
United Airlines is adding two Japan routes this winter, including a seasonal San Francisco‑Sapporo nonstop that will be the first nonstop service from the continental United States to Hokkaido, and a daily Chicago‑Tokyo Narita flight that will be the only nonstop...
From Wright Brothers to Air Taxis: Joby Aviation’s Bold Manufacturing Bet in Dayton
Joby Aviation is scaling its eVTOL production by establishing a massive manufacturing hub in Dayton, Ohio, adding a 700,000‑square‑foot facility to a 140‑acre site that could eventually host two million square feet and output up to 500 aircraft annually. The...
Europe ‘Can’t Rely on the US’ for Its Space Sector, that Is Not a Bad Thing
Mark Boggett, chief executive of Seraphim Space, warns that Europe can no longer count on U.S. support to build a thriving space tech industry and must adopt a sovereign approach. Falling launch costs and advances like industrial 3D printing have...
Air Mauritius Eyes A321neo, B737 MAX for "Game Changer" Plan
Air Mauritius is evaluating the addition of narrow‑body A321neo and Boeing 737 MAX jets as part of its "Game Changer" turnaround plan. The airline believes these smaller aircraft will better match demand on routes to Johannesburg, Cape Town, Kuala Lumpur and...
Why Satellogic Could Be One of the Biggest Space Winners of 2026
Satellogic (NASDAQ: SATL) posted its first positive operating cash flow in Q1 2026, with revenue soaring 80% and a cash balance near $122 million. The firm added more than $30 million in defense contracts and is expanding its Aleph‑1 constellation, underpinning a projected...
Accu Report Finds 47% of Tracked Objects in Earth Orbit Are Space Junk
Engineering component supplier Accu used U.S. Space Force data to reveal that 47% of the 33,269 trackable objects in Earth orbit are space junk. The finding underscores a mounting risk for satellite operators and fuels a growing market for debris‑removal...
Landspace Launches Improved Zhuque-2E, Long March 6A Lofts New Qianfan Satellite Group
China’s private launch firm Landspace successfully flew the upgraded Zhuque‑2E Y5, placing a 2,800‑kg payload into a 900‑km polar orbit and showcasing enhanced high‑mass capability. The rocket now delivers up to 4,000 kg to Sun‑synchronous orbit and 6,000 kg to low Earth...
UNICCON Group Showcases Indigenous AI and Autonomous Systems Drones Through Its Defence Subsidiary, Babasky Technologies.
UNICCON Group, via its defence subsidiary Babasky Technologies, has entered a collaboration with Nigeria's Defence Headquarters to develop and field indigenous AI‑driven autonomous drones and related security systems. The partnership builds on UNICCON’s prior AI work, including the Omeife humanoid...
EVTOL Investing: Ditch the Taxi, Buy the Blueprint
The urban air mobility market is polarizing between capital‑intensive, vertically integrated air‑taxi operators such as Joby Aviation and Archer Aviation, and a capital‑light OEM approach championed by Vertical Aerospace. While the TaaS players hold $2.5 billion and $1.77 billion in cash, they...
The New Era of Air and Missile Defense
The blog argues that modern air and missile defense is hitting a structural ceiling as cheap, high‑volume threats overwhelm traditional architectures. Recent conflicts such as Operation Epic Fury and Iran’s 2025 war exposed interceptor depletion, penetration gaps, and costly engagement...
Exclusive Briefing: A Webinar with Rocket Lab
On May 25, Rocket Lab and Beyond Earth Ventures will host a one‑hour webinar aimed at investors, founders, and asset managers interested in the emerging space‑launch economy. The session will demystify launch as an infrastructure problem, explain how launch slots are...
The 777: The Art Form at Its Peak
The Boeing 777 program, launched in 1990 and certified in 1995, marked the pinnacle of Boeing’s pre‑production change‑incorporation discipline. Leveraging full digital design, the aircraft earned simultaneous ETOPS‑180 clearance at entry‑into‑service, a first for commercial jets. United Airlines’ $11 bn order...
Dufour Aerospace Demonstrates Long-Range Capabilities at UAS Forum Sweden
Dufour Aerospace showcased its Aero‑200 long‑range drone at the UAS Forum Sweden in Västervik, completing a demonstration flight that underscored the aircraft’s extended range capabilities. The event brought together logistics operators, regulators, and regional partners to discuss practical deployment pathways...
Laminar-Flow Aerodynamics & Efficiency Validated in Long Endurance Flight Campaign
Otto Aerospace completed a DARPA‑funded flight‑test campaign at White Sands, validating laminar‑flow aerodynamic technology on a long‑endurance unmanned drone. The test, conducted from Spaceport America with Swift Engineering support, confirmed predicted efficiency and demonstrated the potential for continuous airborne power...
Landspace's Zhuque-2E Stretched Rocket Successfully Orbits 2.8‑ton Payload
On May 14 at 0300 UTC, Landspace launched Zhuque-2E flight Y5, introducing a new stretched version of this methalox launch vehicle. It placed a 2800 kg dummy payload in orbit.
Counter UAS Homeland Security Europe Returns to Address Evolving Drone Threats
The 4th Annual Counter UAS Homeland Security Europe conference will convene security, government, military and industry leaders this September to examine the accelerating threat of drones over critical infrastructure and public events. The agenda focuses on evolving UAS capabilities, urban...
![[Acquisition Completed] Allegiant & Sun Country Announce Plan To Merge In $1.5 Billion Deal](/cdn-cgi/image/width=1200,quality=75,format=auto,fit=cover/https://www.doctorofcredit.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/bofa-allegiant-air.png)
[Acquisition Completed] Allegiant & Sun Country Announce Plan To Merge In $1.5 Billion Deal
Allegiant Air has completed a $1.5 billion acquisition of Sun Country Airlines, creating the largest U.S. leisure‑focused carrier. The deal values Sun Country at $18.89 per share, paid with a mix of cash and Allegiant stock (0.1557 shares per Sun Country...
Hydrix, NIOA Sign Manufacturing Deal to Advance Australian Counter-Drone Defence Capability
Hydrix has secured a binding contract with NIOA Group to design, develop and integrate a telemetry‑capable inert proximity fuze and kinetic effector for small uncrewed aerial systems. The deal, valued at AUD 1‑1.2 million (approximately US$0.66‑0.79 million), will ramp up in May 2026...
Hydrix Wins Key Counter-Drone Contract with NIOA Group
Hydrix (ASX:HYD) landed a counter‑drone payload contract with NIOA Group worth AUD 1‑1.2 million (≈ $660‑$792k USD). The agreement kicks off in May 2026, with a demonstration slated for December 2026 and design optimisation due by the March quarter of 2027. Simultaneously, Hydrix imposed a...
Pentagon Secures Framework to Buy 10,000 Low‑Cost Barracuda‑500M Cruise Missiles
The Pentagon announced framework agreements with Anduril, CoAspire, Leidos and Zone 5 to acquire more than 10,000 low‑cost Barracuda‑500M cruise missiles over three years, beginning in 2027, and a parallel deal with Castelion for Blackbeard hypersonic weapons. The contracts embed firm‑fixed‑price...
NASA Unveils Ultra-Black Coating to Boost Starshade Exoplanet Imaging
NASA engineers, in partnership with ZeCoat Corporation, have created an ultra‑black coating that dramatically reduces stray sunlight on starshade edges. The breakthrough promises cleaner shadows for space telescopes, a key step toward directly imaging Earth‑like worlds.
Drone Innovation Drives Precision Agriculture, Infrastructure Safety and Emergency Response
Global Aerospace’s latest Jetstream report shows unmanned aerial systems are reshaping precision agriculture, critical‑infrastructure inspection and emergency response, offering lower costs, higher safety and richer data than traditional manned aircraft.
SpaceX Targets May 19 for Starship V3 Debut, Unveils Major Rocket Upgrades
SpaceX has set May 19 as the launch date for the first flight of its upgraded Starship Version 3 from Starbase, Texas. The vehicle incorporates larger Raptor 3 engines, a re‑engineered Super Heavy booster, and a taller upper stage designed to carry...
Intuitive Machines Inc (LUNR) Q1 2026 Earnings Call Transcript
Intuitive Machines reported a transformative Q1 2026, highlighted by the integration of Lantaris Space Systems and a $175 million equity raise that broadened its satellite platform portfolio. The company posted Q4 revenue of $44.8 million, a $33.1 million operating loss driven by acquisition...
Sidus Space Inc (SIDU) Q1 2026 Earnings Call Transcript
Telesat Corporation reported 2025 revenue of $418 million and adjusted EBITDA of $213 million, while ending the year with $510 million in cash and $1.7 billion of debt maturing in December 2026. Management announced a three‑month delay of full global Lightspeed service to Q1 2028,...
Firefly’s Blue Ghost Mission 4 Clears Major Design Milestone Ahead of Lunar South Pole Mission
Firefly Aerospace announced that its Blue Ghost Mission 4 has cleared the preliminary design review, a critical checkpoint in NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program. The dual‑spacecraft mission, featuring the Blue Ghost lander and the Elytra Dark orbital relay, targets...
SLS to Launch without Upper Stage for Artemis 3
NASA announced that the Space Launch System will launch Artemis 3 without an upper stage, using an inert spacer in place of the Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage. The mission has been re‑scaled to a low‑Earth‑orbit test of rendezvous and docking with...
SES Extends IRIS² Review as Consortium Reaches Initial Project Milestone
SES announced on its May 12 Q1 2026 earnings call that the internal review of the EU‑backed IRIS² satellite constellation will be extended, pushing the final go/no‑go decision to mid‑2026. The SpaceRISE consortium—SES, Eutelsat and Hispasat—has reached the “Rendez‑vous 1” milestone, but SES...
SpinLaunch to Collaborate with Aalyria for Network Orchestration
SpinLaunch announced a partnership with Aalyria Technologies to integrate the latter’s Spacetime network‑orchestration software into the Meridian low‑Earth‑orbit communications constellation. The collaboration will provide a vendor‑agnostic control layer that accelerates Meridian’s ground‑segment readiness and supports rapid deployment of LEO satellites...
NASA Details Artemis III Plan: Spacer, Longer Orion Stay, HLS Docking
NASA Outlines Preliminary Artemis III Mission Plans. https://t.co/qhj0gZvuhe Will use a "spacer" in place of ICPS, circular low Earth orbit, crew will spend more time in Orion than Artemis II, dock with both HLS "pathfinders," maybe enter one. Maybe cubesats.
Delta’s Internal Summer Plan To Stop Cancellations Snowballing: More Pilots, Fewer Flights
Delta Air Lines disclosed an internal summer plan to curb cascading flight cancellations caused by pilot and crew shortages. The airline will hire pilots faster, increase reserve crews, add over 300 maintenance technicians, and expand crew‑scheduling staff and tools. It...