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
How North American FBOs Are Preparing for the 2026 FIFA World Cup
North American fixed‑base operators in Vancouver and Monterrey are mobilizing months‑ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup to handle an unprecedented surge in business‑aviation traffic. Million Air Vancouver has joined a collaborative work‑group with the Vancouver Airport Authority, deploying a three‑phase plan that covers pre‑event coordination, final execution and post‑event review. In Monterrey, International Corporate and Cargo Services (ICCS) is doubling its operations, renovating facilities and recruiting staff to accommodate a projected 100% increase in flights. Both FBOs are emphasizing slot management, early bookings and stakeholder communication to preserve service quality for regular customers.
Emerging Trends in Aircraft Parts Availability
Locatory.com’s February 2026 marketplace data reveals the top 50 most‑searched and hardest‑to‑find aircraft parts worldwide, underscoring persistent demand for legacy CFM56 engine components, APU and power‑generation hardware, and avionics LRUs. The report also highlights a surprising shortage of basic structural...
Karun Airlines F50s, Pars Air Aircraft Destroyed in Iran
Iranian carrier Karun Airlines reported the destruction of its Fokker 50 turboprops, while Pars Air also lost aircraft in the same incident. The loss removes key short‑haul capacity from both operators, further shrinking an already limited fleet. Details on the...
Rolls-Royce and PGZ Team up on Joint Projects for Poland’s Armed Forces
Rolls‑Royce and Poland’s defence conglomerate PGZ have signed a memorandum of understanding to develop joint propulsion projects for the Polish armed forces. The agreement covers servicing, overhauling and eventual production of MTU‑based engines for land vehicles and naval vessels. It...
Germany's LUMINAIR Inducts First Falcon 7X
LUMINAIR announced the induction of its first Dassault Falcon 7X, a 2009‑built trijet registered D‑ALIN, which entered service on 8 March with a Hamburg‑Paris‑Larnaca routing. Configured for up to 14 passengers, the aircraft joins a fleet that already includes four Falcon 900LX, two...
Iran Fields Updated Shahed-101 Kamikaze Drone
Iran has unveiled an upgraded Shahed‑101 loitering munition featuring a front‑mounted electric motor and nose‑propeller, diverging from the family’s traditional gasoline piston engines. The redesign retains the fixed‑wing airframe and 800 km strike range while adding a rear‑mounted rocket booster for...
Gulf Airlines Slowly Increase Flights Amid Iran Missile Threats
Airlines across the Persian Gulf are cautiously expanding capacity even as Iran continues to launch missiles and drones that regional airspace must intercept. Emirates, the world’s largest international carrier, has lifted its schedule to serve roughly 100 destinations in more...
Thales Readies Storm 2 Wearable Counter-Drone Jammer
Thales is set to unveil Storm 2, a two‑kilogram soldier‑worn electronic‑warfare node that detects and jams hostile radio signals used by drones and radio‑triggered explosives. The system employs a software‑defined radio covering 20 MHz‑6 GHz and delivers up to 10 watts of reactive jamming...
What Is the UCS Satellite Database, and Why Is It Important?
The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) Satellite Database is a publicly available catalog of 7,560 active Earth‑orbiting satellites, with data current through May 1 2023. It uniquely combines 28 technical and operational fields—including ownership, purpose, and orbital parameters—allowing users to sort satellites...
AirBorneo Orders 8 ATR Turboprops, Boosting Rural Connectivity
NSTExclusive: AirBorneo’s order for 8 ATR 600-series turboprops signals renewed momentum for Malaysia’s regional aviation sector, particularly in strengthening rural air connectivity across East Malaysia. ATR senior vice president commercial Alexis Vidal said the deal reflects the manufacturer’s core mission of...
What Is Space-Track, and Why Is It Important?
Space‑Track is the U.S. government’s public portal for space situational awareness, offering satellite catalog data, two‑line element sets, decay predictions, and conjunction support. Its REST‑style API enables operators, researchers, and developers to integrate real‑time orbital information into automated workflows. Though...
Starbase After Dark: Musk’s Latest Photo Captures a Spaceport on the Brink of History
Elon Musk’s recent night‑time photo of SpaceX’s Starbase reveals two fully erected Starship launch towers, including the 474‑foot OLIT‑3 on Pad B with a water‑cooled flame trench. Pad 2 is nearing hardware completion, featuring upgraded chopstick arms, a chill‑down vent system, and...
E‑7 Wedgetail: Top Low‑Altitude Drone & Sensor
So much garbage being passed around here in long jargon filled threads that sound like AI about E-7 Wedgetail and the potential RAAF deployment to the Middle East. Here is all you need to know: it’s arguably the best low...
Revolutionizing Risk, Cost, and Time for Faster Weapon Delivery
This Wednesday (11 March) at RAeS HQ! A timely Weapons System conference - The Need For A Revolution In Managing Risk, Cost And Time - how do we get missiles, drone and munitions to the front line - faster? #defence...
GA-ASI Expands MQ-9B Capabilities With Long-Range Standoff Weapons & Naval Strike Roles
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) is adapting its MQ‑9B SkyGuardian and SeaGuardian UAVs to carry next‑generation long‑range standoff weapons such as the JASSM, LRASM and Joint Strike Missile. Engineers have completed performance analytics and plan a flight‑test of at least...
American Airlines Extends Doha, Tel Aviv Suspensions Amid Iran Attacks
American Airlines Extends Doha and Tel Aviv Suspensions — As Iran’s Attacks Keep Middle East Skies Largely Closed - View from the Wing https://t.co/QZGSE7F4zo
Free Airbus Lecture: Tom Williams Shares Aviation Journey
Free #aviation lecture, RAeS Prestwick Branch, 10 March - McIntyre Lecture: @Airbus – my exciting journey - Tom Williams CBE FRAeS #avgeek https://t.co/OzLtWuyfmr https://t.co/uOfOFIBdtZ
Airbus CSO on Supply Chain Blind Spots, Space Threats, and the Limits of AI Red-Teaming
Airbus Chief Security Officer Pascal Andrei warns that the aerospace and defense supply chain’s deepest vulnerabilities now reside in sub‑tier suppliers and the digital threads linking them. He highlights Airbus’s shift toward a collaborative, intelligence‑led model, tighter integration of security...
Free Lecture Explores Avro Heritage in Sheffield
Free #aviation lecture, RAeS Sheffield Branch, 10 March, 'Avro Heritage - The story so far' #avgeek https://t.co/EyF9HvVDbZ https://t.co/3n4Mg38bVW
FAA Grounds All JetBlue Flights After Airline Request
Wow. The FAA has grounded all JetBlue flights due to a request from the airline. No reason why just yet.
Ground Control & ArduPilot Demonstrate MAVLink Telemetry over Iridium Certus
Ground Control and the ArduPilot team demonstrated that MAVLink telemetry can operate reliably over Iridium Certus 100 satellite service using the RockREMOTE UAV OEM modem. Tests showed round‑trip latencies between 600 ms and 1,600 ms, keeping data flow within a sub‑2‑second window. The...
University Joins UK's £17bn Space Sector
The University of Southampton has launched the Southampton Space Institute, positioning the city as a hub for the UK’s rapidly expanding £17 bn annual space sector. The institute consolidates decades‑long aerospace expertise and partners with the Space South Central cluster, linking...
The Skylab Program
In the early 1970s NASA turned surplus Apollo hardware into Skylab, the United States’ first space station, launching it on the final Saturn V rocket in May 1973. The initial crew repaired a damaged solar panel and installed a sunshade, demonstrating that...
Designing for the Next Generation of GEO With Swissto12 CEO Emile De Rijk
In this episode, Swiss212 CEO Emil de Rijk explains how his company is disrupting the geostationary market by building smaller, faster, and more affordable satellites with advanced, in‑house RF payloads. He discusses the trade‑offs between payload flexibility and performance, the...
Metalysis Garners Nearly €1m From ESA For Titanium Processing
Metalysis, a South Yorkshire firm, secured nearly €1 million from the European Space Agency for a two‑year initiative to commercialise a continuous or quasi‑continuous titanium production method using its patented FFC process. The funding reflects ESA’s drive to create a greener,...
Falcon 9 Lifts Off with Echostar XXV Satellite
LAUNCH at 0419 UTC Mar 10 of a Falcon 9 from Canaveral with the Echostar XXV communications sat
More Airliner Deaths in 2025 Despite Fewer Accidents: IATA
The International Air Transport Association reported that 2025 saw 394 fatalities across eight fatal air crashes, up from 244 deaths in seven accidents in 2024. The surge is attributed to two high‑profile disasters – the Air India Boeing 787 crash in...
B-2 Retired Years Ago, B-21 Slated Next
This is definitely false. B-2 line has been gone for years and the B-21 is up next.
Archer Sues Joby for Hiding Chinese Supplier Links
Archer Aviation, a company that designs electric flying taxis, sued Joby Aviation, alleging that its rival spent years deceiving federal regulators and investors by concealing extensive ties to Chinese suppliers. @chriskuo17 https://t.co/0LdjLi42Wz https://t.co/0LdjLi42Wz
How Addis and Nairobi Hubs Are Driving Africa’s Aviation Growth
Eastern Africa’s hubs in Addis Ababa and Nairobi are reshaping the continent’s aviation landscape, siphoning traffic from Middle‑Eastern gateways and driving the fastest‑growing sub‑region. The Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM) has lifted intra‑African connectivity from 14.5% to roughly 23%,...
Lufthansa Plans Special Anniversary Flights to Celebrate 100 Years of Flying
Lufthansa will operate two special anniversary flights on April 6, 2026, retracing its original Berlin‑Zurich and Berlin‑Cologne routes. The services will use a Boeing 787‑9 and an Airbus A350‑900, both painted in a bespoke 100th‑anniversary livery. Early‑booking access is reserved...
Chandra's 27‑year Age Signals Urgent Need for Replacement
Very bad news for the future of X-ray astronomy. Chandra continues to operate well but it is almost 27 years old already, we really need to be working on a replacement
With World Seemingly At War, DARPA Finds Time To Unveil The X-76
DARPA announced the X‑76, an experimental aircraft built by Bell Textron that promises jet‑like speeds above 400 knots while retaining helicopter‑style runway independence. The program, run with U.S. Special Operations Command under the SPRINT initiative, has cleared its Critical Design...
Optical Cable Corp (OCC) Q1 2026 Earnings Call Transcript
Bridger Aerospace Group Holdings reported a full‑year revenue of $122.8 million, a 25% increase, and posted a net income of $4.1 million, reversing a loss from the prior year. Adjusted EBITDA rose to $45.3 million, and management forecast 2026 revenue of $135‑$145 million with...
Nostalgic Ship 29 View Sparks Hope for V3 Shots
Interesting older view looking up into Ship 29. Hope we get to see some V3 shots like this soon.
SpaceX Accelerates with First Raptor 3 Test on Pad 2
It may feel like it has been a long time coming, but when you appreciate the scale of the work here, SpaceX have moved at blistering speed. It's a thing of beauty. 😍 https://t.co/1Z2CALxsCe
SpaceX Launches Direct Television Satellite for EchoStar
SpaceX lifted off a Falcon 9 from Cape Canaveral on March 9, 2026, deploying EchoStar‑25, a direct‑to‑home television satellite for Dish Network. The booster, B1085, completed its 14th flight and landed on the drone ship A Shortfall of Gravitas, marking the vessel’s 146th...
Van Allen Probe A to Reenter Earth Ahead of Schedule
NASA's Van Allen Probe A, launched in 2012, is expected to reenter tmrw (Mar 10) ~7:45 pm ET (uncertainty of +/- 24 hrs). Some components may survive. When mission ended in 2019, expected reentry was 2034, but solar activity was higher than...
DARPA's X-76 to Test Fold‑Away Rotors By
Bell’s X-76 Fold-Away Rotor Aircraft Is DARPA’s Newest X-Plane Planned to fly in 2028, the X-76 will explore technologies for fast-flying runway-independent aircraft with folding rotors, crewed and uncrewed. https://t.co/Q9nYT16ovV
Hyde County (NC) to Trial Pivotal eVTOL Emergency Medical Response Operations
Pivotal is piloting a proof‑of‑concept with Hyde County, N.C., and Code Blue Resources to deploy FAA Part 103 ultralight eVTOL aircraft for emergency medical response. Flight‑trained paramedics will serve as volunteer pilots, delivering rapid advanced care to high‑acuity scenes without needing...
Air NZ Halts FY26 Outlook Amid Rising Fuel Costs
Air New Zealand suspends FY26 outlook, flags fare and network changes as fuel prices soar https://t.co/YMJof0iXP0
Qatar Airways to Operate Limited Repatriation Flights for Stranded Travelers
Qatar Airways announced a limited series of repatriation flights operating from Doha on March 10‑12, aimed at passengers whose bookings were disrupted by the Iran‑related conflict. The temporary schedule covers major cities such as London, Dallas, Istanbul, Mumbai, Madrid, Moscow and...
Designing for the Next Generation of GEO With Swissto12 CEO Emile De Rijk
Swissto12, founded by Emile de Rijk, is reshaping geostationary orbit (GEO) access by building smaller, more flexible satellites that cut launch costs and delivery times. The CEO discussed the company’s advanced payload technology, its relevance to sovereign space initiatives, and...
Video Confirms Interceptor Heading Directly Toward Sitra Impact
Unfortunately, that's EXACTLY what the video shows -- the interceptor heading right toward Sitra where the impact reportedly occurred. Red line is the approximate trajectory of the interceptor, white line is the point of view from the video. https://t.co/jvOPjH0Yme
EHang, Türk Telekom and Argela to Bring Pilotless eVTOL Services to Türkiye
EHang has signed a strategic partnership with Turkey’s telecom giant Türk Telekom and its tech subsidiary Argela to launch pilotless eVTOL services across the country. The deal integrates EHang’s certified EH216‑S aircraft with Argela’s unmanned traffic management (UTM) platform and...
Ghana Takes Delivery of First Airbus H175 Helicopter From France
Ghana’s Air Force took delivery of its first Airbus H175 helicopter on 5 March 2026, arriving from France after technical acceptance. The aircraft joins a parliamentary‑approved procurement that also includes an H160 and a Dassault Falcon 6X, aimed at modernising an ageing fleet....
AeroVironment Wins $97.4m GENESIS Contract From US Army
AeroVironment secured a three‑year, $97.4 million contract from the U.S. Army’s Aviation and Missile Technology Consortium to develop the Generative Environment for the Next Era of Spectral Imaging Stimulators (GENESIS). The program will deliver a hardware‑in‑the‑loop test environment at Redstone Arsenal,...
Aerospace Update | February 2026
The February 2026 Aerospace Update outlines AI’s expanding role in optimizing aerospace operations, safety, and strategic planning. It highlights microgravity biomanufacturing as a promising yet IP‑intensive frontier, while noting Thinkorbital’s recent seed round as evidence of rising investment in orbital technologies....
US Department of Transportation Selects Eight eIPP Programmes to Progress AAM US Operations
The U.S. Department of Transportation and FAA announced eight Advanced Air Mobility and eVTOL Integration Pilot Program projects spanning 26 states, slated to begin operations by summer 2026. The selected initiatives encompass urban air‑taxi services, regional passenger routes, cargo logistics,...
Hughes Network Systems Tapped for AFRL Space Data Networking Experimentation
The Air Force Research Laboratory awarded Hughes Network Services a contract under its RAPID program to support the STAR‑FISH procurement for space data networking experimentation. The effort targets resilient, hybrid satellite‑terrestrial networks that can dynamically route data across multiple domains....