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
What Will the Replacement of A-10s by F-35s Mean for the US Air Force?
The U.S. Air Force will retire its remaining 162 A‑10 Thunderbolt II aircraft by the end of fiscal year 2026, replacing them with F‑35A Lightning II fighters. The A‑10, a dedicated close‑air support platform since the 1970s, is being phased out due to aging airframes and shifting strategic priorities. The F‑35A brings fifth‑generation stealth, advanced sensors and multirole capability, marking a significant leap in lethality, survivability and speed. This transition reflects the Air Force’s broader modernization and divestment agenda.
Smile Arrives at Europe’s Spaceport
The ESA‑CAS Smile spacecraft landed at the Guiana Space Centre on 26 February after a two‑week sea voyage aboard the cargo ship Colibri. Over the next weeks the probe will undergo health checks, propellant loading and integration with the Vega‑C launch...
Earnings Tidbits From a Massively Successful IAG
International Airlines Group (IAG) reported a 15.1% operating margin for 2025, driven by strong performance across its portfolio, including Iberia's 16.2% margin and British Airways' 15.2% margin. The group announced a €1.5 billion excess cash return plan, combining a higher dividend...
ESA Analysing Fireball over Europe on 8 March 2026
On 8 March 2026 a bright fireball streaked from southwest to northeast across Belgium, France, Germany, Luxembourg and the Netherlands, glowing for about six seconds before breaking apart. The meteoroid, estimated to be a few metres in diameter, left a visible trail...
Govt Says Air India Plane Crash Probe Report Will Be Out ‘Very Soon’
India's Civil Aviation Minister K. Rammohan Naidu told the Rajya Sabha that the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau's probe into the June 12, 2025 Air India Boeing 787‑8 crash, which killed 260 people, is progressing rapidly. He pledged that the final report will be...
Sikorsky Ramps Up Production of S-92A+, Latest Variant of Its Flagship Helicopter
Sikorsky announced the start of its first production batch of the S‑92A+ helicopter, the newest iteration of its heavy‑lift platform. The company will assemble five aircraft – two for a newly‑added head‑of‑state customer and three additional units – while maintaining...
Russia Reports Record Interception of Ukrainian Drones
Russia’s Defense Ministry announced it shot down a record 754 Ukrainian fixed‑wing drones in a single day. The claim also includes the interception of three guided aerial bombs and three U.S.-made HIMARS rockets. While the numbers cannot be independently verified,...
Ukraine Blows up Pantsir-S1 Using FP-2 Strike Drone
Ukrainian forces used a domestically produced FP‑2 strike drone equipped with a 100‑kilogram warhead to destroy a Russian Pantsir‑S1 air‑defence system near the village of Nove, close to Melitopol. The unmanned aircraft flew roughly 90 km to the target, demonstrating the...
India: Noida International Airport Granted Aerodrome Licence
India’s Noida International Airport has secured its aerodrome licence from the DGCA, clearing a major regulatory hurdle for commercial operations. The licence confirms compliance with safety, navigation and emergency standards, while a separate security clearance from BCAS is still pending....
Embraer Turns to AI Solution for A-29 Super Tucano CUAS Evolution
Embraer is integrating Valkyrie Aero’s Gunslinger artificial‑intelligence suite into its A‑29 Super Tucano platform to boost counter‑uncrewed aerial system (CUAS) capabilities. The AI-driven system will provide pilots with real‑time tactical decision‑making assistance during drone‑threat engagements. While the Super Tucano already...
Russian Buk-M3 Air Defense System Spotted in Alabama
The U.S. Army was photographed moving a high‑fidelity mock‑up of Russia’s Buk‑M3 medium‑range air‑defence system on a semi‑trailer in Alabama. The replica is intended for realistic training, allowing pilots and ground units to practice detecting, tracking and engaging a modern...
WIZZ AIR MARKS INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY WITH TEN ALL-FEMALE FLIGHTS ACROSS EUROPE
Wizz Air celebrated International Women’s Day 2026 by operating ten all‑female flights across ten European markets, involving 70 female pilots and cabin crew. The initiative marks the airline’s fifth consecutive year of all‑female flights, underscoring its commitment to gender diversity....
"She Flies Satellites. One Day, I Can Too."
ESA’s European Space Operations Centre (ESOC) spotlighted five senior women who lead spacecraft missions such as JUICE, EarthCARE, and the ExoMars rover, sharing their daily skills and career paths. They highlight the importance of interpersonal communication, calm decision‑making, and human‑centred...
Supply Chain Is Improving, but the Light at the End of the Tunnel Could Be a Train
Aerospace executives report that supply‑chain performance has improved relative to the pandemic‑era lows, with fewer missed deadlines from OEMs like Airbus and Boeing. However, Kevin Michaels of Aerodynamic Advisory warns that new headwinds—regulatory bottlenecks, rare‑earth concentration, and persistent engine and...
ESA and CDL-Milan to Host the 3rd CommEO Award Selection Round in Milan
ESA’s Φ‑lab and Creative Destruction Lab‑Milan are hosting the third CommEO Award selection round in Milan, targeting early‑stage downstream Earth Observation startups in resilience, climate and infrastructure. The live pitch and demo event will choose five winners who advance to...
Open Forum, Week of March 9
Rare earth shortages, especially yttrium and scandium, are tightening for U.S. aerospace and semiconductor manufacturers as Chinese export controls drive prices up to 69 times higher. China still dominates the global rare‑earth value chain, controlling roughly 70% of mining, over...
MTN Zambia Partners with Starlink to Offer D2C Services
MTN Zambia has partnered with SpaceX’s Starlink to pilot Direct‑to‑Cell (D2C) service, completing the first data session and fintech transaction over the satellite network. The test proves that 4G handsets can connect directly to Starlink’s LEO constellation, delivering voice, video...
Changing the Rules Mid-Race - How Artemis Lets Washington Redefine "Winning" At the Moon - Part 4
The Artemis program is being reshaped to win the Moon race through diplomatic leverage rather than pure hardware milestones. By emphasizing the Artemis Accords, the United States counts partner sign‑ups and normative leadership as victories, even as launch schedules slip....
Swift Observatory Changes Operations Ahead of Planned Orbit Reboost
NASA has altered the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory’s operating mode to reduce atmospheric drag and preserve its altitude ahead of a scheduled orbit‑raising mission. Since February 11, most science activities have been paused, with the spacecraft held in a drag‑minimizing attitude and...
Course Correction or Controlled Crash? Inside NASA's Artemis Overhaul - Part 1
NASA has reshuffled the Artemis program, turning Artemis III into a low‑Earth‑orbit test flight in 2027 and pushing the first lunar south‑pole landing to Artemis IV in early 2028. The change follows the Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel’s warning that the original landing...
Hostage to the Moon - How Artemis Became Industrial Welfare in a Space Suit - Part 2
NASA's revised Artemis plan keeps the SLS Block‑1 configuration, adds yearly flights, and leans on SpaceX and Blue Origin landers, preserving jobs and contracts. The February 2026 overhaul cancels the Block‑1B upgrade and Mobile Launcher 2, but expands the flight cadence through...
A History of Entry, Descent, and Landing for Mars Space Probes
The entry, descent, and landing (EDL) of Mars probes has progressed from hard‑impact crashes to sophisticated systems like airbags, legged landers, and the sky‑crane. Each method emerged to address the planet’s thin, variable atmosphere and the mass limits of payloads,...
GalaxEye Space to Build 300 Kg OptoSAR Satellites. First 2-in-1 Satellite to Be Launched by SpaceX Rocket Soon
Indian startup GalaxEye Space Solutions is preparing to launch the world’s first privately built OptoSAR satellite, a 190 kg platform powered by electric propulsion, aboard a SpaceX Falcon rocket within the next two to two‑and‑a‑half months. The Gen‑1 satellite, part of...
Su-30 MKI: 3 Crashes in 3 Years & 5% Attrition Rate – How India Plans to Modernize Its Sukhoi Jets...
The Indian Air Force lost a Su-30MKI on March 5 after it vanished from radar during a training sortie from Jorhat, killing both pilots. This marks the third Su-30MKI crash in as many years, yet the fleet’s attrition rate stays...
China Space Plane: What’s Up With Its Fourth Mission?
China’s reusable Shenlong space plane lifted off from Jiuquan on February 6 and is now on its fourth orbital mission, cruising at a 594 km circular orbit after thruster firings on February 9 and 12. The vehicle shows no evidence of deploying small...
Large F-94C Blueprint
A creator funded by Patreon patrons purchased a large 90" × 48" blueprint of the Lockheed F-94C from eBay. The original drawing will be scanned and offered as a monthly reward to subscribers. The post links to the monthly‑reward page and showcases...
SpaceX Limits to 10 Raptor 3s for Risk‑reduction Test
🚨BOOSTER 19 RAPTOR 3 ENGINES SpaceX just lifted Booster 19 (first V3 Super Heavy) onto the new Pad 2. With only 10 Raptor 3 engines installed. Why only so few engines? Smart risk reduction: New booster design + debut Raptor 3 engines +...
Advancing Risk‑Informed Contrail Management at IATA‑RAeS Workshop
Today (9 March) at RAeS HQ! IATA-RAeS Workshop 2026 - #Contrail Management: progressing towards risk-informed decision making #avgeek https://t.co/BA0SSx46QN https://t.co/JeA0wJdt9b
SBG Systems Releases Firmware 6.0 to Advance UAV Navigation & Sensor Fusion
SBG Systems has launched Firmware 6.0 (v6.0.5585‑stable) for its Ekinox, Apogee, Quanta and Navsight navigation suites. The update adds a fixed‑wing UAV motion profile with full air‑data support, and opens integration to external cameras, LiDAR or radar for position and...
GMTI: The Overlooked Tech Star of Modern Warfare
GMTI and what is actually providing it (use your imagination) is the real technological star of this war nobody is talking about.
10 of 33 Raptor 3s Pass Initial Test
10 out of the 33 Raptor 3's in this first test. Let's see how she all goes with this shall we!? 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
AIRCRAFT DELIVERY DELAYS WORRY AIRLINES
Airlines are grappling with record passenger demand while aircraft deliveries stall because of a severe engine production bottleneck, especially Pratt & Whitney’s GTF units. Boeing briefly reclaimed the lead in 2026, delivering 46 737 MAX jets in January, surpassing Airbus’s 19 A320neo...
1‑2% of Tomahawk Missiles Crash Due to TERCOM Errors
Since people are rediscovering "clobbering" of cruise missiles, let me explain: Tomahawks use "terrain contour matching" (TERCOM) to find their way to targets. For reasons, about 1-2% of Tomahawks "clobber" -- get lost and fly into the ground --...
Winter Wonder: Sweden’s Helicopter Emergency Medical Services
Sweden’s archipelagos and severe winter weather make helicopter emergency medical services (HEMS) exceptionally challenging, requiring pilots to navigate low clouds, ice, and sudden wind shifts. Avincis Sweden operates 13 H145 helicopters from ten bases, handling 124 missions over a three‑day...
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Defense & Aerospace Report Podcast [Mar 08 ’26 Business Report]
During the March 8 Defense & Aerospace Report podcast, analysts examined a surge in geopolitical tension and market volatility shaping defense spending. The Trump administration is expected to request $50 billion in supplemental funding as the US‑Israel conflict with Iran intensifies, while...
16 Hours To Nowhere: Virgin Atlantic Suspends Middle East Routes After Dramatic Dubai U-Turn
Virgin Atlantic announced it will suspend its London‑Heathrow to Dubai service until the end of March due to escalating Middle East conflict and persistent airspace closures. The decision follows a forced U‑turn of flight VS400, which diverted to Budapest after...
Etihad A321LR Offers Business‑class‑plus First Class at Lower Price
Etihad's A321LR has one of the most unusual first class products out there, as it's more of a "business class plus." What makes it so great is that the soft product is excellent, and it's actually priced more affordably than the...
Booster 19 Lift Missing Engines Raises Asymmetric Thrust Concerns
🚨BOOSTER 19 LIFT IN PROGRESS: It is missing quite a few engines... What for? Will we just see a static fire of the center engines? Everything else would be an asymmetric thrust. 🤷♂️ Watch LIVE with me: https://t.co/9fNjC5XZZs https://t.co/jlcIaSmTgj
Cool: A Former United Boeing 747 Is Now Literally Wedged Between Two Seattle Skyscrapers
A decommissioned United Boeing 747‑400 has been disassembled into 39 sections and is being reassembled between two high‑rise towers of the WB 1200 mixed‑use project in Seattle’s Denny Triangle. The aircraft, tail‑number N178UA, retired in 2017, will become a public workspace suspended...
Norwich Airport Based Saxon Air Expands Fleet with Agusta AW139 Helicopter for Executive Charters and European Routes, New Update
Saxon Air, a Norwich Airport‑based private charter operator, has bolstered its fleet with a brand‑new 2025 Agusta AW139 helicopter (registration G‑MCFC). The medium‑twin aircraft will serve executive charter flights across the UK and key European destinations such as Paris, as...
SpaceX Launches 25 More Starlink Satellites
SpaceX successfully launched 25 additional Starlink satellites aboard a Falcon 9 from Vandenberg Space Force Base. The rocket’s first stage marked its seventh flight, achieving a precise drone‑ship landing in the Pacific. With this mission, SpaceX’s 2026 launch tally of 29...
Apollo Cosplay on a 21st-Century Clock – Why Artemis Keeps Slipping Toward 2029 – Part 3
NASA’s Artemis program is reshaping its roadmap to echo Apollo, scheduling a crewed lunar flyby in 2026, a low‑Earth‑orbit rendezvous in 2027, and a south‑pole landing originally slated for 2028. The timeline now drifts toward 2029 as hardware setbacks, SLS...
MOD Explores Fuze System for Armed Uncrewed Platforms
The UK Ministry of Defence has launched Project OLCHAR, a preliminary market engagement to develop a sovereign electronic fuze system for armed uncrewed platforms. The design will be "safe‑by‑design" with an Electronic Safe and Arm Device (ESAD) and will be platform‑agnostic,...
B-21 Bomber Production to Accelerate
Northrop Grumman and the U.S. Air Force are speeding up production of the B‑21 Raider stealth bomber as testing progresses. The company has poured more than $5 billion into digital engineering and manufacturing infrastructure to support the ramp‑up. Final assembly continues...
A.i. Solutions Partners with USGS to Integrate AI Into Landsat Flight Operations
On March 5, 2026, a.i. solutions entered a CRADA partnership with the U.S. Geological Survey to embed artificial‑intelligence and machine‑learning tools into Landsat’s flight operations. The collaboration will automate anomaly triage, telemetry trending, and orbital mechanics analysis for the sun‑synchronous Landsat constellation....
BlackSky Awarded $99M Air Force Contract for Advanced Optical Testbed; Lockheed Martin Expands Missile Production
The U.S. Department of Defense awarded BlackSky Geospatial Solutions a $99 million SBIR Phase III contract to build an advanced optical imaging testbed for the Air Force Research Laboratory. Simultaneously, Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control received a $53.1 million contract modification to...
Why In The World Does The Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner Have Fewer Wheels Than The Airbus A350-1000?
The Airbus A350‑1000 adopts a six‑wheel main‑gear bogie, while Boeing’s larger 787‑10 retains the four‑wheel configuration used on earlier Dreamliners. The difference stems from the A350‑1000’s higher maximum take‑off weight and passenger capacity, which require lower pavement‑loading per wheel. Boeing...
The 737 MAX Wants To Cross The Atlantic, And It May Just Win
Airbus has dominated thin transatlantic routes with the A321LR/XLR, but Boeing’s 737 MAX is now making a serious push across the pond. Icelandair already flies more than 3,500 MAX flights to Europe and is phasing out wide‑bodies, while WestJet is adding...
Multiple Planes Performed ‘Flights to Nowhere’ After Air Traffic Controllers Stage Shock Walkout
Air traffic controllers in Barbados staged an unsanctioned walkout on March 7, shutting the island’s airspace for roughly 7.5 hours. The strike forced several carriers—including Air Canada, WestJet, United, JetBlue, and Delta—to turn back, divert, or cancel flights destined for the Caribbean....
NASA Picks 16 Finalists for LunaRecycle Challenge Phase 2
NASA announced 16 finalists for Phase 2 of the LunaRecycle Challenge, a $3 million competition aimed at creating waste‑recycling technologies for lunar missions. The teams, drawn from 11 U.S. states, will spend the next six months refining prototypes or digital‑twin systems before...